Why is Antarctica considered a continent even though there is no - ProProfs Discuss
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Why is Antarctica considered a continent even though there is no life?

Asked by Howard Reyes, Last updated: Mar 27, 2024

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5 Answers

D. Peter

D. Peter

Apart from developing codes, I also spend some time in quality writing.

D. Peter
D. Peter, Software Developer, B.E (Bachelor of Engineering), Mexico

Answered Dec 04, 2019

Continent refers to any of the main continuous landmasses on the earth’s surface. Antarctica fits into this definition. Therefore, Antarctica is regarded as a continent. A continent is not determined by the inhabitants are what it contains.

Antarctica is located on the southern pole of the earth. The climatic condition is too harsh. It is the only continent out of the seven continents with no permanent human residents. It also has very little vegetation.

Most part of the continent is covered by ice and water. Antarctica is home so specific species of Penguins, Krill, whale seals, and many other sea birds.
Other continents on the planet are Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. Asia is the largest, and Australia is the smallest.

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K. Galatia

K. Galatia

K. Galatia
K. Galatia

Answered Nov 28, 2019

Even though there is no life in it, Antarctica is still considered a continent. I would like to ask; if Antarctica had not been considered a continent, then what would it have been called a country? Definitely, no! Not even a regional part of another continent.

I will like you to know this fact that continents are known to be surrounded by big waters, such as seas or oceans. And Antarctica is surrounded by the southern ocean. In addition, Antarctica is too isolated to be attached to any other continents; therefore, it has to be a continent on its own.

The landmass of Antarctica is another thing to be reckoned with. Its area of the landmass is over 14 million square kilometers. Antarctica has a population of about a thousand plus human being.

But we should not neglect the fact that plants and animals are living things, and they also have the right to live. Hence, they should be considered as part of the lives that make Antarctica what it is.

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A. Boaz

A. Boaz

I have compassion for Automobiles and I dig the fast pace while I ride or drive.

A. Boaz
A. Boaz, Mechanical Engineer, Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Atlanta, Georgia

Answered Nov 21, 2019

Antarctica is the only continent that has never had an indigenous population of humans because it is an extremely harsh environment. Antarctica has plenty of lands when it isn't covered in ice, and it is quite small. It qualifies as being a continent because it isn't even close to any other continents, and it is, in fact, a mass of land.

It is not a popular place to settle in and live because it is the coldest, windiest, and driest continent, which does not appeal to most people. It also contains ninety percent of all the ice on the earth.

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Anika Nicole

Anika Nicole

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Anika Nicole
Anika Nicole, Wordsmith, PG In Journalism, New York

Answered Nov 15, 2019

Antarctica is considered to be a continent because of its structure, and if you think that there is no life in Antarctica, then you are mistaken. Antarctica is the home of several animals who are having a hard time coping right now because the ice in Antarctica is starting to melt.

A continent is known to be a huge landmass that can be used to describe Antarctica. It should not be based on whether there is human life in Antarctica or not. It does not have a native population, but there are some people who visit this continent from time to time, usually to check out if there are some further changes that have occurred over the past years.

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Barry Mclean

Barry Mclean

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Barry Mclean
Barry Mclean, Sales Manager, MBA, Ewa

Answered Jan 24, 2019

The 7 continents comprise several countries, Australia being by far the largest. A continent is normally taken as a land mass irrespective of inhabitation. 7 large land masses can be seen on our earth. These hard land masses have living organisms and even Antarctica has animal life.

The 7 continents comprise several countries, Australia being by far the largest. A continent is

Antarctica comprises 20 percent of the Southern Hemisphere. It is sited in the Antarctic Convergence, which is where the cold, north-bound Antarctic waters meet the warmer ocean waters. Antarctica is the southernmost continent of the 7. It is made of large permanent glaciers that surround the South Pole.

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