Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The premise is backwards: Antarctica holds ~90% of Earth's ice; the Arctic holds ~10%. The difference isn't marginal—it's an order of magnitude.
| Metric | Antarctica | Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Ice Volume | 26.5 million km³ | 2.85 million km³ (Greenland Ice Sheet + sea ice + small caps) |
| % of Global Ice | ~90% | ~10% |
| Ice Sheet Area | 13.9 million km² (98% of continent) | 1.7 million km² (Greenland only) |
| Avg Thickness | 2.16 km (max 4.8 km) | 1.67 km (Greenland, max 3.2 km) |
| Sea Level Equivalent | 58 m (if all melted) | 7.4 m (Greenland only) |
| Sea Ice (Winter Max) | 18–20 million km² | 14–15 million km² |
| Sea Ice (Summer Min) | 2–3 million km² | 4–5 million km² (declining fast) |
While Antarctica has more ice, the Arctic is warming 3–4x faster (Arctic Amplification). Greenland loses ~270 Gt/yr. Antarctic Peninsula/WAIS losing ~150 Gt/yr (accelerating). East Antarctica still near balance—but "sleeping giant" risk.
Sea level rise this century: Greenland #1 contributor, Antarctica #2 (but high uncertainty). Both matter. But if you're asked "which has more ice?" — Antarctica, by a factor of 9.