AntarcticaistheEnglishwordforthesouthernmostcontinentonEarth.Itisthefifth-largestcontinent,almostentirelycoveredbyice,andishometotheSouthPole.Thename"Antarctica"comesfromtheGreekword"antarktikos,"meaning"oppositetotheArctic."Itisknownforitsextremecold,vasticesheets,anduniquewildlifesuchaspenguinsandseals.Antarcticahasnopermanenthumanpopulationbuthostsresearchstationsfromvariouscountries.ItisgovernedbytheAntarcticTreatySystem,whichpromotesscientificresearchandenvironmentalprotection.
