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is Antarctic krill; the planktonic crustaceans are the staple for seabirds and baleen whales, without it, the ecosystem of the Southern Ocean would collapse. AREA: 14 million square kilometers (1.5 times the size of the United States) POPULATION: None. Seasonal Residents: Summer: 3,687; Winter: 964. (Mostly scientific researchers.) CAPITAL: None PRESIDENT: None. No one country administers or owns Antarctica. In 1959, the Antarctic Treaty established a legal framework for managing the continent. Signed by 44 member countries, the treaty stipulates that Antarctica will be used for peaceful purposes only; that Antarctica cannot be used for disposal of nuclear waste; that signing countries waive all territorial claims. Several countries do continue to assert territorial claims, albeit passively: these countries include Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom). The US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims and have not recogn ized the claims of the others. OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: None. Approximately 29 nations send personnel to Antarctica. English is the lingua franca within the scientific community. LOCAL CURRENCY: None. US dollars and British sterling are widely accepted at the few tourist facilities. CLIMATE: Temperatures range from -1l5'F to +6'F; the mean temperature is a brisk -56·F. Winter wind-chills can plummet to -148F. Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. (But it's a dry cold.) Antarctica is also the windiest place on earth. Katabatic winds-the term used to describe cool air that gains momentum as it rolls down a slope-are found in any mountain range, but in Antarctica the air is colder, and therefore heavier, so the wind blows faster and harder. Just as a bowling ball rolling down a mountain will outpace a tennis ball, Antarctica's katabatic winds gain velocity and speed as they descend to lower elevations and race through narrow valleys. Winds can blow 50 miles per hour for days on end, and have been known to reach speeds four times that. Most travelers to the continent experience a cold comparable to a chilly day of resort skiing. On the Antarctic Peninsula (the exclusive destination of most Antarctic travelers), temperatures hover around freezing with very low humidity. Assuming there's no wind and with proper clothi ng, this is not an unpleasant environment. A chilly winter evening in New York City can feel colder than the normal cool of the Antarctic. About 1,000 miles north of Antarctica the warmer waters of the South Atlantic, Pacific and I ndian oceans collide with the frigid waters of the Antarctic. This intersection, called the Antarctic Convergence, loops the continent at a latitude of 55 degrees south. For ships sailing south through the line of convergence, the change in weather is astonishing; what is a clear, sunny day will turn overcast and notably colder almost immediately. The Antarctic Summer (November through March) brings 18 to 24 hours of sunlight a day, though it's not uncommon to go a week with full cloud cover. For a few days in winter (April through October), the sun does not rise. WILDLIFE: Antarctica boasts an amazing number of whale species (blue, fin, humpback, minke, orca, Southern right, sperm, seis); seals (crabeater, Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic fur, Southern elephant, leopard, Weddell and Ross); penguins (emperor, king, Adelie, chinstrap, gentoo, macaroni, rockhopper, royal); birds (albatross, petrel and cormorants among others). But the most important creature ANTARCTICA MELTING: Unlike the Arctic, where half the pack ice melts every year, the massive ice-sheet that is Antarctica largely remains frozen solid. This is because 99% of the subcontinent is so cold and elevated that the temperature never rises above freezing. On some of the coasts, like the Antarctic Peninsula there is more chance for melting during two months when the temperatures d~ rise above freezing. In these regions there is enhanced melting due to warming. RESEARCH: The Antarctic Treaty of 1959 sets up Antarctica as an international research preserve that is open to any of the member countries that agree to the treaty. It ensures an open flow of information about plans and findings. The land and research is to be used for peaceful purposes, with a ban on weapons and nuclear testing. There are 40 to 50 research stations that employ 50,000 people from 25 different countries. VISAS: None required . GETTING THERE: Getting to Antarctica from North America will likely involve flying to Buenos Aires, Argentina, or Santiago,Chile, and then catching a domestic flight south to either Ushuaia or Punta Arenas. American (800-433- 7300; www.aa.com) and United (800-241-6522; www.united.com) fly to the first two cities. Domestic carriers-Aerolineas Argenti nas (800-333-0276; www.aeroargentinas.com) and LanChile (800-735-5526; www.lanchile.com)-fly to the latter destinations. From Ushuaia or Punta Arenas, travelers board a passenger ship to Antarctica. Here's a sample itinerary and prices: American nes, New York to Buenos Aires, $530; LanChile, Buenos Aires to Punta Arenas, $450. South Africa, New Zealand and Australia are also gateways to the Antarctic, though further away (four days crossing from New Zealand as opposed to two from South America to the Antarctic Peninsula). MONEY MATTERS: Expect to pay $2,000 to $10,000 for an expedition, depending on the length of journey, class of cabin and planned itinerary. Trips run November to March. Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula is by ship, but for around $14,000, air transfer can be arranged from Punta Arenas (Adventure Network I nternationat, see below). OUTFITTERS: A variety of companies offer trips to the southernmost continent. Adventure Network International; 866-395-6664; www.adventure-network.com Trip themes range from skiing, flying, cruises, and marathons; $7,000-$45,000. Geographic Expeditions; 1-800-777-8183; www.geoex.com Expeditionary voyages to Cape Horn, the Peninsula, South Shetlands, the Falklands and Malvinas; from $3,250. Lindblad Expeditions; 800-expedition; www.lindbladexpeditions.com Trips cover the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia, and the Falklands; from $7,590. Quark Expeditions Inc; 800-356-5699; www.quarkexpeditions.com Cruise expeditions and a 13,000-mile circumnavigation of Antarctica aboard their nuclear-powered ice breaker, the Kapitan Khlebnikov; $4,495- $45,950. Wilderness Travel; 800-368-2794; www.wildernesstravel.com Expedition cruises cover the Falkland Islands, South Orkneys, the Antarctic Peninsula, and South Georgia; from $9,065. TRIP LENGTH AND ROUTE: Trips to Antarctica range from 10 days to two months, but most are in the neighborhood of two weeks. The majority of

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