Slideshow:  Start | Stop
«  |   Home  |   »
 
011-ANT0003_2_2


Object name Polar Plateau
Caption The high plateau of Antarctica is the world's largest and driest desert, receiving less precipitation than the Sahara. However, 75% of the world's fresh water is in Antarctica. The ice sheet is immense, covering an area of 5,500,000 square miles. Starting from where this photo was taken, a person could walk for a month in any direction and not see much difference. The average thickness of the ice is 7,500 feet to the bedrock below, but can be as much as 16,400 feet. The extreme weight of this ice has caused a dip in the earth's crust at the south pole.
Copyright notice © Irma Hale