The XO Directory

Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. It is situated in the southern hemisphere, almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle, and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. At 14.4 million km², it is the fifth-largest continent in area. Some 98% of it is covered by ice, which averages at least 1.6 kilometers in thickness.

At the 3-kilometer (2 mi)-high Vostok Station in Antarctica, scientists recorded the world's lowest temperature: −89 °C (−129 °F). For comparison, this is 11 degrees colder than sublimating dry ice. Antarctica is a frozen desert with little precipitation; the South Pole itself receives less than 10 centimeters (4 in) per year, on average. Temperatures reach a minimum of between −80 °C and −90 °C (−112 °F and −130 °F) in the interior in winter and reach a maximum of between 5 °C and 15 °C (41 °F and 59 °F) near the coast in summer.

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