The South Pole

The South Pole is the bottom of the world. Unlike the North Pole, it sits on solid land. That land is Antarctica, a huge icy continent. The South Pole is even colder than the North Pole.

A Frozen Land

The South Pole is covered by a thick sheet of ice. The ice is almost two miles deep in some places. It almost never rains there, making it like a frozen desert. Winds can be very strong and the air is very dry.

A marker showing the exact spot of the South Pole.
A marker showing the exact spot of the South Pole. (Wikimedia Commons)

Race to the Pole

In 1911, Roald Amundsen from Norway was the first to reach the South Pole. A British team led by Robert Scott arrived one month later. Today, scientists live at a research station called Amundsen-Scott. They study weather, stars, and ice.

Fun Facts

  • The South Pole can reach temperatures of minus 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Penguins do not actually live at the South Pole itself.
  • The ice sheet in Antarctica holds most of Earth's fresh water.

Did You Know?

The South Pole has only one sunrise and one sunset each year!