Compare the Poles: Physical Features
Antarctica |
The Arctic |
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The Antarctic is a continent surrounded by ocean |
The Arctic is an ocean surrounded by continents |
Maximum sea ice extent: 8 million square miles |
Maximum sea ice extent: 7 million square miles |
The area is 6 million square miles |
The area is 5.4 million square miles |
Total coastline: 18,000 miles |
Total coastline: 25,000 miles |
The sea ice accumulates and recedes annually and more than doubles the size of the continent |
Sea ice accumulates over several years into multiyear ice |
