Antarctica
South Pole
Welcome to the South Pole — the southernmost point on Earth! It's such an extreme place that every direction from here points north, and brave explorers once risked everything just to reach it.
Why is it special?
It is the southernmost point on the entire planet, where Earth's axis meets the surface.
Standing here, every single direction you can walk is north — there is no south, east, or west from this exact spot.
How was it discovered?
For a long time, no one had ever reached the South Pole because it's so far away, so cold, and so hard to survive in.
In 1911, explorer Roald Amundsen and his team became the first people in history to reach the South Pole, using dog sleds and careful planning.
Amazing facts
Temperatures at the South Pole can drop below -100°F in winter — one of the coldest places on Earth.
The sun rises and sets only once a year here — about six months of daylight, then six months of darkness.
Quick facts
- Temperatures at the South Pole can drop below -100°F in winter — one of the coldest places on Earth.
- The sun rises and sets only once a year here — about six months of daylight, then six months of darkness.
- A research station called Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station has been staffed there year-round since the 1950s.
- A striped pole topped with a mirrored ball, called the Ceremonial South Pole, is surrounded by the flags of the countries that first explored Antarctica.