ANTARCTIC, THE COLD CONTINENT

The Antarctic, with 14 millions of sq. km. (more than 50% superior to that of the United States) and the 10% of the world continental surface, has a geographic position around the Pole. It is circumscribed mostly by the Antarctic Polar Circle and a thick layer of eternal ice with an average depth of 2,000 meters covers it, almost completely, even though the maxim values are over 4,000 meters. This huge ice volume is supported mostly by a rocky geomorphology whose biggest height is Mount Vinson, with more than 5,000 meters high. The Antarctic has the 90% of the earth's ice, equivalent to the 70% of the world fresh water.

At present there are 26 nations represented in Antarctic with 72 bases, although there are almost 200 countries that could settle stations in this continent. There is no doubt that the poorer States will not settle bases right away, but countries that are not prosperous, as Ecuador and Peru have already done it and if every State would built just one station -something feasible in the medium and long term- there could be more than 200 Antarctic bases in the future.

Chilean Antarctic has a surface of 1,250,000 sq. km. Its relief is structured around a low longitudinal mountain chain, similar to the Andean Patagonian mountain chain of the South Ice Fields. It is the continuation of the Andes mountain chain and its more representative heights are Coman hill, with 3,657 meters, and Vang hill, with 2,439 ms. Chilean Antarctic has a cold polar climate as all the territory with low temperatures. The west winds and the snowstorms are common in winter. From the hydrographic point of view, Chilean Antarctic has the biggest fresh water reserve of the world. The extreme harshness of the climate limits the scarce vegetal life in the territory.

The Antarctic territory has been populated mainly by buildings of the operation bases and the number of inhabitants is variable, depending on the support given by bases to scientific operations. Chilean Antarctic territory is an area of great biological, mineral, tourist and strategic potentialities for our country.

Source: Tourist Guide, Magallanes and Antartica Chilena regional government.