Antarctica is the southernmost continent and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. It is the fifth-largest continent, bigger than Europe, and is mostly covered by an ice sheet. Antarctica is incredibly cold, dry, and windy, with the highest average elevation of all the continents. It is a polar desert with very little precipitation. Antarctica holds 70% of the world's freshwater reserves, which if melted, would raise sea levels significantly. The continent is home to various species of animals, including penguins and seals. Exploration of Antarctica began in the 19th century, with Norwegian explorers being the first to reach the South Pole. Antarctica is governed by an international treaty that prohibits military activity and mining. Tourism, fishing, and research are the main human activities in the region. Despite its isolated location, human activities have negative impacts on Antarctica, such as pollution and climate change. The name Antarctica comes from the word antarctic, meaning opposite to the Arctic. It has its roots in Latin and Greek, and was used by ancient philosophers and geographers to describe a southern region. The belief in a southern land, called Terra Australis, existed until the European discovery of Australia. The name Antarctica was officially adopted in the 1890s by the Scottish cartographer John George Bartholomew. Antarctica is a continent located around the South Pole and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. It is the fifth-largest continent and has a diverse coastline consisting of floating ice, ice walls, glaciers, and exposed rock. The continent is divided into West Antarctica and East Antarctica, with the majority covered by the Antarctic ice sheet. Antarctica also has numerous lakes, including Lake Vostok, the largest subglacial lake in the world, and a high number of volcanoes, including Mount Erebus, the southernmost active volcano. Antarctica was once part of the supercontinent Gondwana and gradually formed as Gondwana broke apart. During this time, Antarctica had a tropical or temperate climate and was covered in forests. During the Palaeozoic era, Antarctica experienced a mild climate during the Cambrian period and was home to a variety of seafloor invertebrates and trilobites. As the era progressed, Antarctica became glaciated and drifted closer to the South Pole, resulting in a cooler climate. The land was dominated by glossopterids and other plants, but the climate became drier and hotter over time, leading to the collapse of the glossopterid forests.

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