Arctic:
- The Arctic is a region surrounding the Arctic Ocean and includes parts of Alaska (United States), Canada, Greenland, Norway, Russia, and Iceland.
- While it has permanent ice cover in the Arctic Ocean and surrounding areas, the Arctic region includes both land and ocean.
- The Arctic experiences a range of temperatures, including freezing temperatures in the winter and warmer conditions during the summer when some ice melts.
- There are inhabited areas within the Arctic region, including towns, villages, and research stations.
Antarctica:
- Antarctica is a continent located at the South Pole and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean.
- Unlike the Arctic, Antarctica is almost entirely covered by a thick ice sheet, making it the coldest, driest, and windiest continent on Earth.
- The ice sheet in Antarctica can reach thicknesses of several kilometers and covers almost 98% of the continent.
- Antarctica is uninhabited and primarily used for scientific research and expeditions due to its extreme environmental conditions.
The Arctic and Antarctic regions are both crucial ecosystems with unique biodiversity and environmental significance, but they differ significantly in terms of their physical characteristics and climate.
