The Poles: What is the Difference?
The most significant difference between the Arctic North Pole and the Antarctic South
Pole is that the Arctic is a frozen ocean, surrounded by continents, and Antarctica is a
continent surrounded by an ocean. The Arctic climate is more hospitable to animal and
human life than Antarctic climates.
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The Arctic is named after the north polar
constellation ‘Arktos’ – which is Greek for ‘bear’.
Astronomically, the Arctic is the Earth region that
lies between 66.5°N and the North Pole. In addition
to being defined as 66.5°N of the equator, the
specific border of the Arctic region is defined as the
area in which average July temperatures follow the
10°C isotherm (a line representing points of equal
temperature). This line traces the ‘tree line’ – beyond
which conditions are generally too severe for trees
to survive. However, the geographic and climatic
definitions of the Arctic differ somewhat.
The Arctic Ocean, which is largely frozen for most
of the year, occupies around one third of the
Arctic, and the rest consists of the northernmost
territories of the eight Arctic States – Russia, Canada,
Greenland, the United States (Alaska), Iceland,
Norway, Sweden and Finland. However, 80% of the
land is accounted for just by The Russian Federation
and Canada.
The Arctic
Area: 6 million square miles
90% of all ice on Earth is at the South
Pole, making up for ¾ of the global
freshwater reserves.
The Arctic contains areas of tundra
where plant life has developed, and
has a tree shrub line at its furthest
edge from the North Pole.
There is no tundra or tree line.
There are many land mammals
including caribou, musk ox,
lemmings, bears, foxes and hares.
There are no land mammals.
There are marine mammals such
as seals and whales, but also
amphibious mammals.
There are marine mammals such as
seals and whales.
The Arctic has polar bears.
The Antarctic has penguins.
The Arctic has a permanent, native
population.
Antarctica has no permanent
population.
The human population north of 60°N
is over 2 million, with some modern
settlements.
There are only a few scientific
stations.
The Arctic Circle was first crossed in
prehistoric times.
The first crossing of the Antarctic
Circle wasn’t until 1773, by James
Cook.
Arctic Ocean
+
North Pole
Plants and Wildlife
Greenland
Sea Ice:
Arctic Circle
Finland
Sweden
The Arctic Ocean was formed when the Eurasian
Plate moved toward the Pacific Plate thousands
of years ago. It reaches depths of 969 m and is
connected to the Atlantic and the Pacific via several
straits and seasonal waterways such as the the
Northern Sea Route (between Norway and Russia)
and the Northwest Passage (between the U.S. and
Canada). Although this ocean makes up the majority
of the Arctic region, it is in fact the world’s smallest
and shallowest ocean.
Indigenous peoples have inhabited the Arctic for
thousands of years, although now it is estimated
that only 10 percent of the total population living in
the Arctic is indigenous. There are over 40 different
ethnic groups.
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Coastline: 18,000 miles
The North Pole has far less ice than
the South Pole.
Canada
The average temperature (the annual
mean) is -51°C
Area: 5.4 million square miles
Siberia
The Antarctic is a continent,
surrounded by ocean.
Coastline: 25,000 miles
Alaska (USA)
The Arctic is a mostly frozen ocean
surrounded by continents.
The average temperature (the annual
mean) is -18°C
Physical
Differences
The Antarctic
Human Life
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