Fletcher Islands (Fletcher Islands)
The Fletcher Islands are a small group of islands lying 6 nmi west-southwest (WSW) of Cape Gray in the eastern part of Commonwealth Bay. The Fletcher Islands were discovered by the Australian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) (1911-1914) under Douglas Mawson, who gave the name Fletcher to Fletcher Island, the large island of the group. The United States Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) recommends that the name Fletcher also be applied for the group in keeping with the interpretation shown on G.D. Blodgett's 1955 map compiled from air photos taken by U.S. Navy (USN) Operation Highjump (1946-1947).
* Composite Antarctic Gazetteer
* Fletcher Island
* List of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands
* List of Antarctic islands south of 60° S
* SCAR
* Territorial claims in Antarctica
* Composite Antarctic Gazetteer
* Fletcher Island
* List of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands
* List of Antarctic islands south of 60° S
* SCAR
* Territorial claims in Antarctica
Map - Fletcher Islands (Fletcher Islands)
Map
Country - Antarctica
Antarctica is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent, being about 40% larger than Europe, and has an area of 14200000 km2. Most of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, with an average thickness of 1.9 km.
Antarctica is, on average, the coldest, driest, and windiest of the continents, and it has the highest average elevation. It is mainly a polar desert, with annual precipitation of over 200 mm along the coast and far less inland. About 70% of the world's freshwater reserves are frozen in Antarctica, which, if melted, would raise global sea levels by almost 60 m. Antarctica holds the record for the lowest measured temperature on Earth, −89.2 C. The coastal regions can reach temperatures over 10 C in summer. Native species of animals include mites, nematodes, penguins, seals and tardigrades. Where vegetation occurs, it is mostly in the form of lichen or moss.
Antarctica is, on average, the coldest, driest, and windiest of the continents, and it has the highest average elevation. It is mainly a polar desert, with annual precipitation of over 200 mm along the coast and far less inland. About 70% of the world's freshwater reserves are frozen in Antarctica, which, if melted, would raise global sea levels by almost 60 m. Antarctica holds the record for the lowest measured temperature on Earth, −89.2 C. The coastal regions can reach temperatures over 10 C in summer. Native species of animals include mites, nematodes, penguins, seals and tardigrades. Where vegetation occurs, it is mostly in the form of lichen or moss.