Antarctic Desert

The Antarctic Desert is a region in the eastern portion of Antarctica, on the Indian Ocean side of the continent. It chiefly occupies the Victoria, Wright, and Taylor valleys near the McMurdo Sound. It is almost entirely located in the Eastern Hemisphere, except for a very small portion. It is also referred to as Maudlandia, or the Maudlandia Antartic Desert.

Fast Facts

1. Not covered in ice
2. Has no trees or shrubs
3. Average monthly temperatures are -5 degrees Celcius
4. Precipitation is only 10cm a year, none of it from rainfall
5. Penguins, seals and sea birds are found around the coast
6. Discovered 100 years ago
7. Earth's most extreme desert

Climate

The Antarctic Desert receives very little precipitation but is also extremely cold, making it a "cold desert" like the Gobi or Atacama. Powerful winds keep the region from building up ice sheets like the rest of the continent. Monthly temperatures average five degrees below zero centigrade, and there is no rainfall in the region.

Flora and Fauna

The harshness of the climate severely limits any wildlife in the desert. The coastline is the only region in the desert where animals can be found, and they all find food in the ocean. The same winds which prevent ice formation also prohibit plant life from taking root, although the region does boast a high amount of microscopic plants like lichen.

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