Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent, being about 40% larger than Europe, and has an area of 14,200,000 km2 (5,500,000 sq mi). Most of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, with an average thickness of 1.9 km (1.2 mi).

Antarctica, the world’s southernmost continent, is almost wholly covered by an ice sheet and is about 5.5 million square miles (14.2 million square km) in size.

Because Antarctica surrounds the South Pole, it is theoretically located in all time zones. For practical purposes, time zones are usually based on territorial claims or the time zone of a station's owner country or supply base.

Explore Earth's coldest continent with the latest Antarctica news, articles and features from Live Science.

NASA uses satellites to study the ice on Antarctica and how the continent is changing. Scientists want to know how changes in Earth’s climate are affecting Antarctica’s ice sheets.

Antarctica faces the possibility of sudden and potentially irreversible changes to its ice, oceans, and ecosystems. Scientists warn that without a sharp global reduction in carbon emissions, these ...

New research shows tides influence how ocean heat is transported under Antarctica’s floating ice shelves, changing the energy available to melt the ice from below.

A guide to Antarctica including a map of Antarctica and facts and information about Antarctica and the Antarctic circle.

Studies done in Antarctica are critical to enhancing the understanding of the entire Earth system. Signals that researchers pick up in Antarctica tell us more about global climate changes in the past, as well as possible future changes.

Where is Antarctica? Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, and least populated continent on the planet. It is in the Southern Hemisphere and it is surrounded by the Southern Ocean.