About 4,000 on scientific bases in the short summer 1,000 total in winter, around 35,000 summer tourists and is 1.4 x bigger than the USA. There are no permanent residents and no native population.

Country Dialing Code
+672

Antarctica is synonymous with cold. Mean temperatures in the Antarctic interior range get down to -70°C (-94°F) during the coldest month, and -35°C (-31°F) during the warmest month. On the coast, temperatures are considerably warmer: -15°C (5°F) to -32°C (-25°F) in the winter, and from 5°C (41°F) to -5°C (23°F) in the summer. The Antarctic Peninsula experiences the highest temperatures year round. The interior of Antarctica is the world's driest desert, since the extreme cold freezes water vapour out of the air. Annual snowfall on the polar plateau is equivalent to less than 5cm (2in) of rain. Antarctica experiences some of the strongest winds on the planet: the katabatics can achieve velocities of up to 320kmph (199mph). The winds on the polar plateau, by contrast, are usually very light. Antarctic whiteouts and blizzards - which can be extremely dangerous - are common.

Zodiacs, the inflatable outboard-powered boats popularised by French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, have revolutionised Antarctic travel. They are safe, stable and ideal for cruising among icebergs and landing in otherwise inaccessible areas. Even if one or more of a zodiac's air-filled chambers is punctured it will stay afloat.

Landings are either 'wet', meaning you'll have to step into the water before getting onto dry land, or 'dry', meaning you'll step straight onto dry land. In practice, however, all landings are 'wet'.

Once on terra firma, getting around comes down to careful footwork.

The Antarctic tour season is short - about four months, with each offering its own highlights. November is early summer: the spring pack ice is breaking up, and birds - especially penguins - are courting and mating. December and January, when penguins are hatching eggs and feeding chicks, are the height of the austral summer, bringing warmer temperatures and up to 20 hours of sunlight every day. In the late summer month of February, whale-watching is best, penguin chicks are beginning to fledge and adult penguins are ashore molting.

Aurora –The display of "dancing" light patterns seen in areas of high latitudes - nearer the poles. Auroras are caused by magnetic storms from the sun releasing huge amounts of energy. The energy travels toward the Earth as an ionic cloud. On reaching the earth, the cloud "blows" over the poles and interacts with Earth's magnetic field. The ions interact with the ionosphere energize oxygen and nitrogen molecules which causes them to emit light.

Dancing lights in the southern hemisphere are referred to Aurora Australis.

It's far better to dress in a number of thinner layers than in a single very heavy coat, jumper or pair of pants - air is trapped and warmed between these layers. A simple windproof/waterproof jacket is much better than a bulky outer layer. Good ski-style gloves, a beanie and knee-high waterproof boots are essential, as are good-quality UV-filtering sunglasses, lip balm and sunscreen. High-tech synthetic fabrics are readily available and are often better than wool or cotton.

A chit system is generally used aboard ship, whereby you sign for purchases and reckon up at the end of your journey. Most ships accept credit cards and US dollars. At the inevitable gift 'shop' (more like a table, oftentimes) at scientific stations, you can usually pay in the national currency or US dollars. You can rarely use credit cards. Tipping is not included in the cruise but is a bit more than an optional extra. Generally at least US$10.00 a day is considered appropriate from each passenger.