Natural resources: none presently exploited; iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small, uncommercial quantities
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Environment:
current issues: in October 1991 it was reported that the ozone shield,
which protects the Earth's surface from harmful ultraviolet radiation,
had dwindled to the lowest level recorded over Antarctica since 1975
when measurements were first taken
natural hazards: katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from
the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the
plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along
the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West
Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak
international agreements: NA
Note: the coldest, windiest, highest, and driest continent; during summer more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period; mostly uninhabitable
@Antarctica:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are seasonally
staffed research stations
Summer (January) population: over 4,115 total; Argentina 207,
Australia 268, Belgium 13, Brazil 80, Chile 256, China NA, Ecuador NA,
Finland 11, France 78, Germany 32, Greenpeace 12, India 60, Italy 210,
Japan 59, South Korea 14, Netherlands 10, NZ 264, Norway 23, Peru 39,
Poland NA, South Africa 79, Spain 43, Sweden 10, UK 116, Uruguay NA,
US 1,666, former USSR 565 (1989-90)
Winter (July) population: over 1,046 total; Argentina 150, Australia
71, Brazil 12, Chile 73, China NA, France 33, Germany 19, Greenpeace
5, India 1, Japan 38, South Korea 14, NZ 11, Poland NA, South Africa
12, UK 69, Uruguay NA, US 225, former USSR 313 (1989-90)
Year-round stations: 42 total; Argentina 6, Australia 3, Brazil 1,
Chile 3, China 2, Finland 1, France 1, Germany 1, India 1, Japan 2,
South Korea 1, NZ 1, Poland 1, South Africa 3, UK 5, Uruguay 1, US 3,
former USSR 6 (1990-91)
Summer only stations: over 38 total; Argentina 7, Australia 3, Chile
5, Germany 3, India 1, Italy 1, Japan 4, NZ 2, Norway 1, Peru 1, South
Africa 1, Spain 1, Sweden 2, UK 1, US numerous, former USSR 5
(1989-90); note - the disintegration of the former USSR has placed the
status and future of its Antarctic facilities in doubt; stations may
be subject to closings at any time because of ongoing economic
difficulties
@Antarctica:Government
Names:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Antarctica
Digraph: AY