The least studied and most inhospitable continenton Earth - Antarctica. The population of the continent ranges from 1 to 4 thousand people. On the main features, the history of development and the inhabitants of the "ice" continent, read our article.
That this continent is the coldeston the planet, they know almost everything. It was on its territory (at the Russian polar station "Vostok") that the lowest air temperature in the world was recorded - 89.2 degrees with a minus sign.
But here about other records of Antarctica knowfew. So, the continent is also the driest, highest and windiest on Earth. Indeed, it was the absence of drinking water that was the main problem for all who dared to conquer the expanses of a continent called Antarctica. The population of the mainland is also distinguished by its features. However, this will be discussed later.
Следует отметить, что Антарктида и ее природные resources do not belong to any of the modern states of the world. Although in the past centuries, many empires tried to establish their control over one or another part of the continent. In 1991, the international community formally approved a special Protocol, one of the articles of which prohibits any business activity on the territory of Antarctica (in particular, on the development of its rich subsoil). True, the inhabitants of the planet are already very acutely feeling a shortage of many mineral resources. Therefore, it is not known how long this protocol will have its effect.
Тюлени, полярные крачки, поморники и emperor penguins are the most typical inhabitants of the cold continent. Until the beginning of the 19th century, geographers could safely read out this list of animals, answering the question: “Who lives in Antarctica?” However, in 1820, everything changed dramatically: the foot of man first set foot on the continent.
Who lives in Antarctica today? And what is the size of its total population?
Immediately it is worth to say that there is no Antarcticaresident population due to extreme weather and climatic conditions. This means that the mainland is inhabited only by scientists, service personnel and tourists. All of them are here temporarily.
How many people are attracted to Antarctica?The population of the continent is about a thousand people in the winter season. In the summer its number can reach 4,000 people. On the mainland, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the most popular.
In 1978, the first child was born here. It was a citizen of Argentina Emilio Marcos Palma. But in 2007, the first wedding ceremony in history was held in Antarctica.
The history of the Russian development of the mainland began inIn 1819, when an expedition headed by Lazarev and Bellingshausen headed south from Kronstadt. It was she who opened the sixth continent to the world. The Russian Empire showed great interest in Antarctica and at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century, organized several serious scientific expeditions.
In 1946, as some historians suggest,a serious military battle for Antarctica took place. After the end of World War II, the allies then — the USA and the USSR — sent powerful military squadrons to the shores of the continent. As a result, the American expedition returned far from full strength. However, the details of this Antarctic battle are still shrouded in mystery and speculation.
Today, 30 states have their ownscientific stations in Antarctica. Among them is Russia, which has seven such bases on the mainland. These are Vostok, Progress, Bellingshausen, Novolazarevskaya, Molodezhnaya, Mirnyy and Leningradskaya stations. Each of them is interesting in its own way.
So, at the station "Vostok" in 1983 wasrecorded an absolute record of low temperature on Earth. This is one of the most severe (in terms of weather) places on our planet. Recently, the "cold pole" was decorated with a monument to Lenin - the most southern in the world.
At another Russian station, Bellingshausen, inIn 2004, the first mainland Orthodox church was built. But Novolazarevskaya boasts the only Russian bath on the whole continent!
Но главным центром Русской Антарктиды на Today is the station "Progress". It performs research, administrative and logistical functions. An excellent sports complex for polar explorers with a sauna, medical equipment and various exercise machines was created here.
