Antarctic Plateau

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The Antarctic Plateau is a large area of East Antarctica, extending for about a thousand kilometres, and which includes the South Pole. It is at an average elevation of close to 3000 metres (10,000 feet).

The plateau was discovered by Ernest Shackleton during his Nimrod Antarctic expedition of 1908, who reached it by climbing the Beardmore Glacier.

Its altitude, combined with its latitude, mean that temperatures here are the lowest in the world. The almost constant southerly winds make the conditions here even more inhospitable to life. Hence there is practically none, even at the bacterial level.

Roald Amundsen named the entire plateau Haakon VII's Plateau in honour of King Haakon VII of Norway when he reached the South Pole as the first man ever in 1911. This name has however not been widely used by non-Norwegians.

[edit] See also

• East Antarctic Ice Sheet
• Dome A
• Plateau Station
• Dome C
  • Concordia Station
• Dome F
• Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station
• Vostok Station
• Pole of inaccessibility (Antarctic research station)

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