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Antarctic Circle facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Antarctic Circle is an important line on maps of our Earth. It's one of five main circles of latitude. This special line is located at 66° 33′ 39″ south of the Equator. It mostly crosses the Southern Ocean.

World map with antarctic circle
A world map showing the Antarctic Circle as a red line.

Sunlight and Seasons in the Antarctic Circle

Imagine a place where the sun never sets for a whole day! That's what happens at the Antarctic Circle. During the summer solstice in December, every spot on the Antarctic Circle has 24 hours of daylight. The sun stays above the horizon all day and night.

The opposite happens during the winter solstice in June. On this day, every place on the Antarctic Circle has 24 hours of night. The sun does not rise at all. This means there is at least one full day each year when the sun doesn't set, and one full day when it doesn't rise.

The Antarctic Region

The area south of the Antarctic Circle is called the Antarctic. The land north of it is known as the Southern Temperate Zone.

Most of the land within the Antarctic Circle is the continent of Antarctica. The South Pole is right in the middle of this circle.

Life in Antarctica

No one lives permanently south of the Antarctic Circle. However, several countries have research centers on Antarctica. Teams of scientists live there for parts of the year to study the unique environment.

In the past, some whaling stations were set up in Antarctica. Whalers would sometimes live there for a year or more. It's a very cold place! The lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth was in Antarctica. It was a super chilly −89.2 degrees Celsius (or -128.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

See Also

Images for kids

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Círculo polar antártico para niños

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