ANTARCTICA
Q1. What is the area of Antartica and how much of the land mass is covered by it?
14 million SQKM - covers 9.6% of land mass.
Q2. Where is Antarctica located?
On the South Pole.
Q3. What is geographically special about Antartica?
Extremely cold and uninhabited place. (for more details on Antartica please see Chapter II:19)
Q4. How the Antarctica region is protected?
Through "Antarctic Treaty"" of 1989 with 49 countries signing the same. The treaty prohibits military activities, mineral mining, nuclear explosions, nuclear waste disposal etc., Scientific research programmes and structures are allowed. There are around 4000 scientists different nations carrying on research regularly.
Q5. When and by whom Antarctica was first sighted?
1820 by Farien Gottlieb Von Belling Shausen (Russia), Edward Bransfield (Ireland, UK) and Nathaniel Palmer of UK.
Q6. Which is the highest peak in Antarctica?
Vinson Massif, 4892 mtrs above sea level - located on Ellsworth Mountains.
Q7. What is the name for the southern most active volcano located in Antarctica?
Mount Erebus on Ross Island.
Q8. What is the name for the largest subglacial lakes in Antarctica?
Lake Vostok
Q9. Which are the two countries making the largest claims of Antarctica territory?
Norway and Australia.
Q10. When was India's flag unfurled for the first time in Antarctica?
1981
Q11. What are India's permanent research stations in Antarctica?
1.DAKSHIN GANGOTRI: In 1987, this station got buried under ice and remains abandoned.
2. MAITRI: 1988-1989 on the Shirmacher Oasis. Now in Use.
3. BHARATHI: Commissioned from March 18, 2012, near Lassman Hill.
Q12. When was the first expedition to Antarctica made by India and who led the team?
1981 - from Goa - led by S.Z.Qasim. He was a leading marine biology academician. He was also a Planning Commission
Member from 1996. He has led seven expeditions to Antarctica. He was honoured with Padma Bhushan.
Q13. What is the name of the lake constructed by India in Antarctica?
Priyadarshini near Maitri Research Station.
Q14. When was the first expedition to Antarctica made by India and who led the team?
1981 - from Goa - led by S.Z.Qasim. He was a leading marine biology academician. He was also a Planning Commission
Member from 1996. He has led seven expeditions to Antarctica. He was honoured with Padma Bhushan.
