Antarctica was Earth's southernmost continent, overlying the South Pole. It was situated in the southern hemisphere, almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle, and was surrounded by the Southern Ocean. At 14.4 million km² (5.4 million sq mi), it was the fifth-largest continent in area after Asia, Africa, North America, and South America. About 98% of Antarctica was covered by ice, which averages at least 1.6 kilometres (1.0 mi) in thickness.

On average, Antarctica was the coldest, driest and windiest continent, and had the highest average elevation of all the continents. Since there was little precipitation, except at the coasts, the interior of the continent was technically the largest desert in the world. There were no permanent human residents. Only cold-adapted plants and animals survived there, including penguins, seals, mosses, lichen, and many types of algae.

[source: wikipedia]

And now it is gone...
