Polar regions
Earth's frigid zones around the North and South Poles.
The polar regions, also called the frigid zones or polar zones, are Earth's polar ice caps surrounding the North and South Poles within the polar circles. These high-latitude areas are dominated by floating sea ice in the Arctic Ocean and by the Antarctic ice sheet on the continent of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. They are distinguished from the tropics and middle latitude regions by their extreme cold, heavy glaciation, and dramatic variations in daylight hours.
- location
- Earth's polar ice caps, north of the Arctic Circle or 60°N, and south of 60°S
- climate
- Extremely cold temperatures, short cold summers, heavy glaciation
- daylight
- 24 hours of daylight in summer, complete darkness at mid-winter
- northern_settlements
- United States (Alaska), Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Norway, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Russia
- southern_habitation
- No permanent human habitation; research stations include McMurdo Station (US), Esperanza Base (Argentina), Scott Base (New Zealand), Vostok Station (Russia)
Lore & Background
The polar regions receive less intense solar radiation than other parts of Earth because the Sun's energy arrives at an oblique angle, spreading over a larger area and traveling a longer distance through the atmosphere. The axial tilt of Earth, at 23.5°, has the most effect on polar climate, but even in summer the high latitude prevents sufficient compensation of the Sun's rays except near the polar circles. Ice and snow further reflect and weaken the already weak sunlight, contributing to the cold.
Reader's Guide
The polar regions are significant as Earth's coldest and most extreme climatic zones, shaping global weather patterns and hosting unique ecosystems. In the north, diverse human settlements and cultures exist across countries with Arctic claims, including the United States, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, and Russia. The southern polar region has no permanent human habitation but supports a complex ecosystem, particularly along Antarctica's coastal zones, where upwelling nutrients feed krill, which in turn sustain penguins, blue whales, and other creatures. Research stations such as McMurdo Station (US), Esperanza Base (Argentina), Scott Base (New Zealand), and Vostok Station (Russia) provide scientific study of this remote area.
Did You Know?
- The Arctic has various definitions, including north of the Arctic Circle (66°33'44" N) or north of 60° north latitude.
- The Antarctic is usually defined as south of 60° south latitude or the continent of Antarctica.
- McMurdo Station is the largest research station in Antarctica, run by the United States.
- Coastal upwelling in Antarctica provides abundant nutrients that feed krill, which in turn feed penguins and blue whales.
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