When did Antarctica first appear on the world map?

The earliest known maps that depicted Antarctica were created in the 16th century by explorers such as Gerardus Mercator and Abraham Ortelius. These maps were based on the assumption that a large landmass existed at the southern end of the globe, a concept that had been proposed by ancient geographers such as Ptolemy. However, these early maps were highly inaccurate and did not depict Antarctica's true shape or location.

It was not until the 19th century that explorers such as James Cook, Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen, and Edward Bransfield made voyages to the Antarctic region and accurately charted its coastline. The first recorded sighting of the Antarctic mainland is generally attributed to Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen on January 27, 1820. After these expeditions, more detailed maps of Antarctica were produced, depicting its true shape and location.