18 Interesting Facts About the South Pole and the North Pole

As the two poles of the Earth, both Antarctica and the Arctic are characterized by their perpetually frigid climates; however, they hold many differences, such as the presence of polar bears in the Arctic and penguins in Antarctica, as well as variations in temperature and natural resources like oil.

What is the Arctic?

The Arctic or the North Pole of the Earth (Geographical North Pole) is the point at a latitude of +90 degrees on Earth (the point from which all longitude lines originate). At the North Pole, every direction is south. It is covered by the Arctic Ocean. The aforementioned North Pole is the Geographical North Pole, which is an imaginary point and differs from the Magnetic North Pole of the Earth. The Magnetic North Pole is a real point located on Bathurst Island, Canada, approximately 1600 km from the Geographical North Pole, with coordinates of 82.7°N 114.4°W.

The Geographical North Pole is the intersection of the Earth’s rotational axis and the Earth’s surface in the Northern Hemisphere, chosen as the latitude reference point. Here, if you draw a vertical line upwards, you will meet a fixed point in the celestial sphere.

1. The Contrast of the Two Poles

The North Pole is an ocean covered by ice, surrounded by land. In contrast, Antarctica is a continent with mountains and lakes, surrounded by ocean. With an area of 14,000,000 km², Antarctica is considered the largest desert in the world.

Antarctica is the Largest Desert in the World

From a social and political perspective, the Arctic region includes the northern territories of Canada, the United States, Greenland (a territory of Denmark), Russia, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

2. Ice Mass

The southernmost landmass contains approximately 90% of the world’s ice, holding about one-third of Earth’s freshwater in the form of ice. The thickness of ice in Antarctica can reach up to 3.5 km. In contrast, the ice layer in the Arctic ranges only from 2m to 4m.

3.5 km Thick Ice in Antarctica

This significant ice reserve has led to the idea of transporting these massive icebergs to arid regions. Prince Mohammed al Faisal of Saudi Arabia once planned to move 100 million tons of ice from Antarctica to his country.

Antarctica is a Giant Reservoir of Freshwater.

3. An Uninhabited Land

Despite the iconic images of explorers of the past proudly planting flags at the South Pole, this remains the only place on Earth that is not owned by anyone.

This status is maintained by the Antarctic Treaty, which stipulates that the land and resources of Antarctica are to be used for peaceful purposes and scientific research.

This is in stark contrast to the over 4 million people living in the Arctic Circle, in small towns or cities such as Barrow, Alaska (USA); Tromsø (Norway); Murmansk and Salekhard (Russia).

Antarctica has Many Flags but Not a Single Person.

4. Black Gold

Many countries are eager for the resources located in the Arctic Circle, which is estimated to contain up to 1/4 of the world’s untapped oil reserves, according to reports from American scientists.

Russia is making evident moves to claim territory in the Arctic region, which could potentially hold enormous oil reserves of up to 10 billion tons. In response, the U.S. government has also dispatched icebreakers to map the territory in the Alaska region.

In the south, there are also hypotheses suggesting the presence of natural gas reserves on the continental shelf, particularly in the Ross Sea area, but extraction is completely restricted under the Antarctic Treaty.

A Huge Oil Reserve Hidden Beneath the Arctic Ice

5. Arctic Ice Water Costs Over 2 Million VND per Bottle

The bottled Arctic ice water brand Svalbardi has just been launched in the UK at a price of £80 (equivalent to over 2.2 million VND) per bottle, according to Dailymail on February 20.

According to Dailymail, Svalbardi water is sourced from icebergs adrift off the coast of Svalbard, with only 13,000 bottles extracted each time.

The producer stated: “This is the perfect gift for anyone wishing to experience pure water sourced from the Arctic Ocean.”

What is Antarctica?

Antarctica or the Geographical South Pole is the point located at a latitude of -90 degrees on Earth. It is the southernmost point on the Earth’s surface, opposite the Arctic. No point on Earth lies south of Antarctica, and no country belongs to Antarctica.

Antarctica is the intersection of the Earth’s rotational axis and the southern surface of the Earth. Antarctica differs from the South Magnetic Pole (a point to which all south ends of a compass needle point elsewhere, and at the magnetic pole, the needle aligns perpendicularly to the ground, with coordinates of 64°31′48″N 137°51′36″E) due to the offset between the Earth’s rotational and magnetic axes. Antarctica is located at an altitude of 2800m above average sea level.

For most purposes, the Geographical South Pole is defined as the point south of the two points where the Earth’s rotational axis intersects its surface (the other being the Geographical North Pole). However, the Earth’s rotational axis does experience a slight “wobble,” so this definition is not sufficient for tasks requiring high precision.

The geographical coordinates of Antarctica are often simply considered to be 90°S, as its longitude is not geographically determined and is inappropriate. When longitude is needed, it can be viewed as 0°W. In Antarctica, every direction is north. For this reason, directions in Antarctica all “point north,” following the prime meridian.

6. Penguins and Bears

Christmas cards or Coca-Cola advertisements often group polar bears and penguins together.

Emperor Penguin

In reality, penguins only live in Antarctica, while polar bears only inhabit the Arctic. Therefore, these waddling penguins cannot serve as delectable prey for the massive bears.

7. Santa Claus’s Home

Every Christmas season, thousands of letters are sent to Santa Claus at the North Pole… But where exactly is Santa Claus in the Arctic? The Finns claim that Santa Claus is their “citizen.” However, 17,788 Americans in Alaska also advertise their area code as Santa Claus’s address. Alaska is a favored residence for large reindeer, essential for Santa’s sleigh to deliver gifts worldwide.

8. The Battle of the Cold

The Antarctic is the coldest continent on Earth (with the lowest recorded temperature of -89 degrees Celsius), the highest (average elevation above sea level is 2,350 meters), the driest (average annual precipitation is only 55mm), and the windiest (maximum wind speed recorded here is 100m/s).

Winds reaching 100m/s in Antarctica are dubbed “killer winds”

In comparison, the average winter temperature in the Arctic is only around -34 degrees Celsius, but it is warmer in summer. The record for the lowest temperature on Earth was -89.6 degrees Celsius, recorded on July 21, 1983, at the Vostok Station near the South Pole.

9. The Ozone Hole

While a hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica is expanding, now three times the surface area of the United States, the Arctic is also facing a similar disaster.

However, the truth is that there is no actual “hole.” The term “hole” here refers to an area in the atmosphere that lacks ozone, the chemical that helps protect our planet from harmful solar radiation.

Ozone depletion in the Northern Hemisphere is less severe than in the Southern Hemisphere because the warmer temperatures in the Arctic have limited the formation of stratospheric clouds, which are responsible for ozone destruction.

10. Melting Ice

The ice sheets are becoming thinner—this is the warning from researchers.

The Arctic is very sensitive to changes in climatic conditions. Warmer temperatures during the summer months lead to the melting of ice layers that are 4-5 meters thick. Scientists predict that the ice sheet up to 3.2 kilometers thick in Greenland is melting rapidly, potentially reducing it by half by the end of this century.

Ice is melting faster than scientists predicted…

As for Antarctica, studies have also shown that the ice is melting, and no one wants that to happen, as it could raise sea levels by up to 60 meters, a figure that may not seem impressive but could cause disaster in many parts of the world.

11. The Largest Freshwater Reserve in the World

This region holds about 90% of the world’s ice. The ice sheets on this frigid continent are also a massive freshwater reserve. According to scientists, they account for about 70% of the planet’s freshwater. Additionally, calculations have shown that if all the ice in Antarctica were to melt, global sea levels would rise about 70 meters from their current level.

12. Over 300 Large Lakes Exist Beneath the Ice

To date, more than 300 large lakes have been identified beneath the Antarctic continent. These lakes do not freeze due to geothermal energy from below and are part of a vast hydrological network under the thick ice. Researchers believe these isolated lakes may be home to microorganisms unknown to modern science.

13. Antarctica is Where All Lines of Longitude Meet, Hence It Has No Specific Time Zone

Any time zone can be used on this unique continent.

Since all lines of longitude converge at Antarctica, any time zone can be used on this unique landmass. Although choosing a time zone might seem interesting, it can be quite confusing. Since there are no permanent residents in Antarctica, this is not a significant issue. For practical purposes, time zones on the Antarctic continent are often based on territorial claims. However, scientists and other researchers spending time in this region of the Southern Hemisphere can freely choose the time zone that suits them best.

14. Almost the Entire Antarctic Continent is Covered by Ice Up to 1 Mile to 2.96 Miles Thick

The reality is that almost the entire Antarctic continent is covered by a massive ice sheet that is up to 1 mile thick, and in some places, it can be nearly 3 miles thick, which is truly unbelievable for many people. This thick layer of ice makes Antarctica the most inhospitable place for life. Over 90% of the world’s ice, approximately 29 million cubic kilometers, is frozen in Antarctica. If all the ice in Antarctica were to melt, sea levels would rise nearly 60 meters!

15. The Largest Terrestrial Animal in Antarctica is an Insect Measuring Only About 2mm

Contrary to common beliefs about penguins, seals, and some mysterious land creatures residing in Antarctica, the largest terrestrial animal originating from Antarctica is an insect that is only 2 mm long – Belgica.

The Belgica species in Antarctica.

This is primarily due to the harsh environment of Antarctica, which cannot sustain most terrestrial organisms. Although penguins and seals are sometimes spotted on the coasts, they do not actually live there. Even the seabirds we see in documentaries on television or the Internet are merely “visitors” and not entirely native to Antarctica.

The reason why Belgica can survive in such harsh climates is that it burrows about a centimeter beneath the ice and can survive there for over 10 months, even with 70% of its body water content lost!

16. Antarctica Has One of the Saltiest Bodies of Water on the Planet Known as “Don Juan Pond”

Although most liquids freeze in Antarctica, Don Juan Pond remains fluid. Even in winter, when temperatures drop to -50 degrees Celsius, this salty lake continues to stay in a liquid state. The pond can withstand extreme weather conditions due to its salinity. Don Juan is the saltiest lake in Antarctica, with a salinity of over 47%. This lake has the highest concentration of dissolved solids in the world. By comparison, its salinity is 18 times greater than that of the oceans and 1.3 times greater than that of the Dead Sea.

17. There is a Waterfall in Antarctica Called “Blood Falls”

The red color results from oxidized iron, similar to how iron turns a deep red when rusted.

Although Antarctica is considered the largest desert in the world, it also has waterfalls in an unusual manner. One of the waterfalls found in the Dry Valleys of McMurdo is “Blood Falls.” Research conducted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks has shown that the reason the waterfall is red like blood is due to a large amount of iron and sodium in the water reacting with oxygen when exposed to the air. Therefore, the red color is due to oxidized iron, similar to how iron turns deep red when rusted. Until recently, it was believed that algae were responsible for the color change of the water.

18. If You Wish to Stay in Antarctica, You Must Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed and Appendectomy Before Going There

During the summer, about 1,000-1,500 people will stay in the Antarctic region. Most of them are researchers, while others are support staff and explorers. Most visitors leave this area except for some support staff and long-term researchers. However, if you choose to stay there in winter, you will have to have your wisdom teeth removed and undergo an appendectomy. The reason behind this seemingly strange requirement is that in case of a medical emergency, you cannot be evacuated in winter. Even if you work as a doctor in Antarctica, you will still need to have your appendix removed before departing.