南极洲(Antarctica)
地球上面积居第五的大陆。几乎以南极为中心，陆块几乎全部被大片冰盖所覆盖，平均约有6,500尺（2,000公尺）厚。主要分成两部分：东部南极洲主要由一片为厚冰覆盖的高原构成，西部南极洲则由一片为冰覆盖并由冰连在一起的多山群岛构成。陆地面积约550万平方哩（1,420万平方公里）。太平洋、大西洋和印度洋的南部构成其附近的南极海（参阅Antarctic Ocean）。除了向外突出的南极洲半岛和两个主要的海湾－－罗斯海和威德尔海之外，南极洲基本上是圆盘形状。东、西两部南极洲被1,900哩（或3,000公里）长的南极洲横贯山地分隔开。覆盖在这个大陆的冰盖面积约占了世界上90%的冰川面积。到目前为止是地球上最冷的大陆，1983年测得世界最低温-89.2℃（-128.6℉）。冷荒漠气候只能维持稀少的耐寒陆生植物群落，但海岸边食物供应丰富，成为无数海鸟栖息的天堂。俄国探险队队长别林斯高津（1778～1852）、英国人布朗斯费尔德（Edward Bransfield, 1795年～1852）和美国人帕麦尔（Nathaniel Palmer, 1799～1877）全都声称在1820年看到南极洲大陆。一直到1900年左右这段期间，是勘探南极区和亚南极区海域的主要时期。20世纪初是南极探险的「英雄时代」，英国人司各脱（Robert Falcon Scott）和沙克尔顿（Ernest Shackleton）带领探险队深入内陆探险。1911年12月阿蒙森（Roald Amundsen）抵达南极，1912年1月司各脱也抵此。20世纪前半叶也是南极洲的殖民时期，七个国家提出了在南极大陆各部分的领土要求，同时许多其他国家仍正在探险中。1957～1958年度的国际地球物理学年（International Geophysical Year）里，有十二个国家同意在南极大陆设立五十多个研究站共同研究。1961年「南极条约」生效，目的在保持南极洲的自由和无政治的科学研究。1991年强制实施禁止开采矿物五十年。
English version：
Antarctica
Fifth-largest continent on earth. Antarctica lies concentrically about the South Pole, its landmass almost wholly covered by a vast ice sheet averaging 6,500 ft (2,000 m) thick. It is divided into two subcontinents: East Antarctica, consisting mainly of a high, ice-covered plateau, and West Antarctica, consisting largely of an archipelago of mountainous islands covered with ice. Its land area is about 5.5 million sq mi (14.2 million sq km). The southern portions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans form the surrounding Antarctic Ocean (see Antarctic Regions). Antarctica would be circular except for the outflaring Antarctic Peninsula and two principal bays, the Ross Sea and the Weddell Sea. East and West Antarctica are separated by the long chain (1,900 mi, or 3,000 km) of the Transantarctic Mountains. The ice sheet overlaying the continent represents about 90% of the world's glacial ice. By far the coldest continent, it has the world's lowest recorded temperature, −128.6°F (−89.2°C), measured in 1983. The climate supports only a small community of land plants, but the rich offshore food supply promotes immense seabird rookeries. The Russian F. G. von Bellingshausen (1778-1852), the Englishman Edward Bransfield (1795?-1852), and the American Nathaniel Palmer (1799-1877) all claimed first sightings of the continent in 1820. The period to c. 1900 was dominated by the exploration of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic seas. The early 20th century, the “heroic era” of Antarctic exploration, produced expeditions deep into the interior by Robert Falcon Scott and later Ernest Shackleton. The South Pole was reached by Roald Amundsen in December 1911, and by Scott in January 1912. The first half of the 20th century was also Antarctica's colonial period. Seven nations claimed sectors of the continent, while many other nations carried out explorations. In the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58, 12 nations established over 50 stations on the continent for cooperative study. In 1961 the Antarctic Treaty, reserving Antarctica for free and nonpolitical scientific study, entered into full force. A 1991 agreement imposed a ban on mineral exploitation for 50 years.