Six weeks of climate data: Week 2 SundayMaps of the Antarctic Circle

This week is about Antarctica, the remotest region on earth. Most folks hardly think about the differences between the Artic and Antarctic, both of them being just very cold places very far away. But people have lived above the Arctic Circle for millenia, while no one has ever made a true home in Antarctica. I cheated a little with the map today, which I nicked from Wikipedia. I thought the innermost circle drawn around the southern continent was the Antarctic Circle, but instead it's the 60° Latitude line. The only major difference in terms of land mass is the pointy peninsula close to South America is the only part of the continent that is outside the Circle.

Region 1: 437 readings

As I said before, there's nobody in Antarctica. In the Arctic Circle, the slice with the least readings had about 1,500. In Antarctica, The most measured region has about 2,000 readings in the 56 years and the least has just over 200.

Region 2: 540 readings

There are political distinctions between the regions, but these are distinctions with little difference. This is part of the region called Queen Maud Land. Several countries claim some of the Antarctic territory, but many of these claims are disputed.

Region 3: 990 readings

It's 9% of the earth's land mass, but it has no currency, no official language, no national capital.

This little inlet contains the Amery Ice Shelf. The ice shelves are of the most interest to researchers.

Region 4: 319 readings

The people who live there are scientists and researchers. There are about 40,000 tourists each year.

Region 5: 523 readings

Region 6: 2,159 readings

This indent is the Ross Sea, home of the Ross Ice Shelf. With over 2,000 readings, it's the most covered region in Antarctica, more than twice as many reading as the next two most popular regions combined.

Region 7: 220 readings

Just next door to the Ross Ice Shelf, barely a tenth as many readings.

Region 8: 306 readings

This area is named for Marie Byrd, wife of Admiral Byrd who claimed this region for the United States. This is the area where the movie The Thing is set.

Region 9: 208 readings

Not much interest in Antarctica away from the regions with ice shelves.

Region 10: 831 readings

This side of the Antarctic Peninsula is called Bellingshausen.

Region 11: 573 readings

This indent is the Weddell Sea. Regions 11 and 12 are home to the Western Ice Shelf, which is reported to be losing mass at an increasing rate.

Region 12: 940 readings

Because we are traveling eastward from the zero longitude, we will not discuss the West Antarctic Ice Shelf (WAIS) until next Saturday.

Tomorrow: Regions 1 and 2 of Antarctica.