Antarctica?!

I write reports. I'm a dork. Hehe.
Enjoy. :)

What do you really know about Antarctica? It's cold. There's no human life there and penguins roam the continent. Don't you want to know more about this HUGE continent that is so cold no human can live there year-round? I did. That is, until I decided to write a report on it. So go on. Read and absorb this possibly useful information and amaze your friends with random facts about this desolate land mass.

Geography: Antarctica is the southernmost continent on this here Earth. It's apparently not as big as it seems being only the 5th largest out of the 7 continents. It is 98% ice. And 2% “frozen ground.”. It has the highest elevation in all of the world. Highest elevation of snow? I don't know.

Climate: Antarctica is hot, rainy, and humid. Ha, right. As you probably already know, it's the coldest, driest, windiest continent on the face of the Earth. There's hardly any rain, except on the coasts making it pretty much, the largest desert in the world. It's record temperature is a whopping -129° F. I don't think it would be best to lick a metal pole, unless you want to experience some major pain in getting your tongue ripped out of your mouth, by all means, go ahead. Tired of Florida heat during the summer? Looking for some nice, cool weather? Go to Antarctica! The temperature reaches a near 41° F. When snow falls, and you happen to live in Antarctica (while I search for the brain you clearly have lost) it's best not to be in your house. The snow can reach up to 1.22 meters in less than 48 hours!

History: Antarctica. It's a Greek term that came from the word Antarktiké meaning Opposite of the Arctic. The first claimed sighting of this piece of land was in 1820 by a Russian Expedition with Mikhail Lazarev and Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen (man, those names are...different.). But nobody cared to investigate further because of it's harsh conditions. Today, there is a treaty which has been signed by 45 countries prohibiting military activities and mineral mining. It supports scientific research and protects the continent's ecozone.

Flora and Fauna: Flora-what? Flora- plants. Fauna- animals. Good. Now that we covered the obvious...
Since the climate of Antarctica is so bitter and just not suitable for much plant life, there's only a handful of plants can withstand the temperature. Those are mosses and liverworts. I don't know what that is, so don't ask me. Ah, fauna. Most of the land animals on Antarctica are invertebrates. Like, microscopic mites, lice, and all those critters. Penguins, seals, and Killer Whales, and blue whales are pretty much the only marine life there. There are Emperor, Adèlie, Rockhopper, King, Chinstrap, and Gentoo penguins that prevail on Antarctica. The Antarctica fur seal used to be hunted until the Antarctica Conservation Act was passed.

Now, hopefully, after reading this you'll understand: why nobody lives there, where Antarctica is, the history of it and what can live there. So be sure to blurt out some random facts in Geography class or during lunch with your friends and maybe they'll appreciate what a smart, wonderful person you are. Oh wait, never mind. That's me. Hope you enjoyed this report.