Antarctica explained to kids

Antarctica is a continent located at the southernmost point of the Earth. It is the fifth largest continent in the world, and is almost twice the size of Australia. Antarctica is covered in ice and has no permanent human residents, although there are many researchers and scientists who live there for part of the year. The average temperature on Antarctica is -58 degrees Fahrenheit, but it can get even colder than that. In some parts of Antarctica, the temperature has been known to drop to -128 degrees Fahrenheit! The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth was -144 degrees Fahrenheit, and it was measured in Antarctica. Antarctica is a very dry continent, receiving very little rain or snow. Most of the ice on Antarctica is actually frozen seawater. The ice in Antarctica is up to two miles thick in some places! There are many animals that live in Antarctica, including penguins, seals, whales, and fish. Some of the plants that grow there are mosses, lichens, and algae. Antarctica is a very important continent because it is home to many scientific research stations. Scientists from all over the world come to Antarctica to study the ice, the environment, and the animals that live there.