Interior Antarctica
is a desert. Less than three inches (seven
centimeters) of precipitation fall on the
elevated central plateau each year. Unlike the
Arctic, which is a great expanse of water
surrounded by land, Antarctica is a great expanse
of land surrounded by water. Many people call the
parts of the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans
that circle Antarctica the Southern Ocean.
Forty-three nations have signed the Antarctic
Treaty, a 35-year-old agreement to protect the
fragile environment of the southernmost
continent. Despite its remoteness, threats to
Antarctica do exist and include overfishing,
mineral harvesting, and increasing tourism.
Antarctic cruise
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