South Pole Facts & Worksheets

The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole, is the southernmost part of the Earth and lies opposite the North Pole. Located in Antarctica, it is the exact location where the southern end of the Earth’s axis meets the surface.

See the fact file below for more information on the South Pole, or you can download our 34-page South Pole worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

LOCATION AND ACCESSIBILITY

• The South Pole is usually given the geographic coordinate of 90°S.
• Unlike the North Pole, the South Pole is located inland. Specifically, it is positioned near the middle of the Great Antarctic ice sheet, on a plateau about 2,800 meters above sea level and 1,230 kilometers from the nearest coast (Bay of Whales).
• Although the land at the South Pole is only about  100 meters above sea level, the ice covering it is estimated to be 2,700 meters thick.
• The Geographic South Pole is marked by a stake alongside a  sign, which indicates its elevation and shows quotes from Roald Amundsen and Robert F. Scott (the two persons who led the first two successful expeditions to the South Pole).
• While the Geographic South Pole stays at the same spot, the Antarctic ice sheet, including all structures above it, shifts at about 10 meters per year due to plate tectonics (slow movement of large slabs of the Earth’s crust). 
• To compensate for this movement, a new pole marker is placed every January 1 to point out the exact location of the Geographic South Pole.
• Most supplies and scientists are transported to and from the South Pole via military aircraft.
• Heavier equipment and other supplies are delivered from the McMurdo Station through the 1,600-kilometer South Pole Overland Traverse (also known as the McMurdo-South Pole Highway) with an estimated travel time of 40 days.
• Tourists may also visit the South Pole through a combination of travel via cruise/expedition ships or by booking a plane and then skiing to the pole.

360 DAYS OF NIGHT

• Because the Earth rotates around an axis tilted at about 23.5° while revolving around the Sun, the South Pole receives little to no sunlight.
• The South Pole only experiences one sunrise (the autumnal equinox in September) and one sunset (the vernal equinox in March) every year. The sunrise and the sunset signal the change in seasons from summer to winter, which both last up to six months.
• During summer, the sun is always above the horizon. Thus, the South Pole experiences 24 hours of daylight every day. In contrast, the sun is always way below the horizon during the winter, resulting in 24 hours of night and cold every day for six months.
• The South Pole is generally much colder than the North Pole due to its high elevation and geographic location. The Arctic Ocean, which surrounds the North Pole, acts as a moderator that keeps the air around the North Pole warmer than that of the South Pole.

LIFE AT THE SOUTH POLE

• Although there are more than 9,000 known plant and animal species in Antarctica, none of them are found at the South Pole. The extreme climate conditions make it hard for any flora and fauna to thrive in the area.
• Occasionally, stray seabirds, such as polar skuas and snow petrels, are spotted at the South Pole. 
• The South Pole has no native human population. However, the area is home to the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, a U.S.A. research station with a population of about 50 to 200 scientists.

THE DEADLY RACE TO THE SOUTH POLE

• The first attempt to reach the South Pole was led by a British explorer named Robert Falcon Scott via the Discovery Expedition.
• Together with Ernest Shackleton and Edward Wilson, Scott was able to reach 82°16’S or within 660 kilometers of the South Pole on December 31, 1902.
• On January 9, 1909, Shackleton and his team were able to reach as far as 88°23’S (roughly 180 kilometers away from the South Pole) before they were forced to turn back due to the harsh weather.
• In 1910, Scott, via the Terra Nova Expedition, reattempted his mission to the South Pole.
• On the way to Antarctica, Scott and his team stopped in Australia to gather supplies. But he was met with a message from a Norwegian explorer named Roald Amundsen, informing him of his own mission to the South Pole.
• Amundsen was initially headed to the North Pole via the Fram Expedition but shifted his focus to the South Pole (without informing his crew and financers) after Frederick Cook, and Robert Peary were announced to have reached the North Pole ahead of him.
• Amundsen’s team set up camp in the Bay of Whales, 97 kilometers closer to the South Pole than Scott’s camp at McMurdo Sound.
• Whereas Scott used scientific and expeditionary equipment hauled by sled dogs, Manchurian ponies, and motorized tractors, Amundsen relied only on skis and sled dogs.
• Later, Scott’s motorized equipment broke down, and all the ponies died, forcing them to haul their sleds on foot. Only Scott, Wilson, and three other men from the Terra Nova Expedition continued the journey to the South Pole.
• On December 14, 1911, Amundsen and his team successfully arrived at the South Pole. Scott and his companions then followed suit on January 17, 1912.
• All of Scott’s team died on the way back due to hunger, hypothermia, and frostbite. Their bodies were not found until eight months later.
• The next overland expedition to the South Pole was made in 1956, more than 40 years after Scott and Amundsen’s legendary but fatal race.

OTHER SOUTH POLES

• Aside from the usual Geographic South Pole, the term “South Pole” may also be defined in other ways.
• The Earth acts like a giant magnet surrounded by a magnetic field generated from the Earth’s molten metallic outer core.
• Simply put, magnetic poles are the poles of the Earth’s magnetic field. Unlike the geographic poles, magnetic poles are not necessarily antipodal (they do not necessarily lie directly opposite to each other) because the magnetic field lines do not pass through the center of the Earth.
• The Magnetic South Pole is a point located in the southern hemisphere where the magnetic field lines become vertical.
• As the Earth’s molten outer core is constantly shifting, the location of the Magnetic South Pole is not fixed and can only be discerned through magnetic surveys. It moves an average of 10 to 15 kilometers per year toward Australia.
• As of 2020, the location of the Magnetic South Pole is estimated to be at 64.07°S and 135.88°E.
• The Geomagnetic South Pole is the intersection of the Earth’s surface and the southern end of the axis of a bar magnet that is offset by about 11.5° from the location of the Geographic South Pole.
• As this bar magnet is theoretically placed at the center of the Earth to approximate the Earth’s geomagnetic field, the geomagnetic north and south poles are antipodal.
• The location of the South Geomagnetic Pole in 2020 is estimated to be at 80.65°S, 107.32°E, which is near Russia’s Vostok Station.
• Historically, the Magnetic and Geomagnetic South Poles are both associated with the south-seeking arrow of a magnetic compass, which points to the general direction of the Geographic South Pole.
• In Physics, the opposite poles of a magnet attract. Hence, the location where the south-seeking arrow or the “south pole” of a magnetic compass point to is actually the Magnetic/ Geomagnetic North Pole of the Earth.
• The Ceremonial South Pole is an area at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, 300 meters from the Geographic South Pole, that is specially set for photo opportunities. 
• It is marked by a glass sphere placed on top of a red and white striped pole, surrounded by the flags of the 12 original signatories of the Antarctic Treaty.
• (Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Britain, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the U.S.A., and Russia). Signed on December 1, 1959, the Treaty declared the demilitarization of Antarctica to preserve it for scientific research.
• The Southern Pole of Inaccessibility, as the name implies, is an area in Antarctica that is very difficult to reach due to its location.
• Located about 878 kilometers away from the Geographic South Pole, it represents the point that is farthest from the Southern Ocean in all directions and was the site of an abandoned Antarctic.

South Pole Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the South Pole across 34 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about the South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole, which is the southernmost part of the Earth and lies opposite the North Pole.

Download includes the following worksheets

• South Pole Facts
• Which South Pole?
• Name that Flag
• Tracking the Inaccessible
• Way Back Home
• Sunsets and Seasons
• Sledding Through Time
• In Memory Of…
• Who Am I?
• Lie Detector
• Search and Write

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the South Pole located?

The South Pole is in Antarctica, on the southernmost point of the Earth’s surface.

What is the climate like at the South Pole?

The South Pole has a harsh and inhospitable climate, with temperatures ranging from -40°C (-40°F) in winter to -20°C (-4°F) in summer. The area is covered in ice and snow and experiences continuous darkness in winter and constant sunlight in summer.

What is the significance of the South Pole?

The South Pole is a symbol of human exploration and discovery and a destination for scientific research. It is also a marker of the Earth’s axis and a point from which longitude and latitude measurements are taken.

What kind of research is conducted at the South Pole?

The South Pole is home to several scientific research stations, where scientists study various subjects, including atmospheric science, geology, and astronomy. Researchers also study Antarctica’s unique environment and ecosystem and use the South Pole as a base for observing the Southern Hemisphere.

How can one reach the South Pole?

Reaching the South Pole requires several days by plane or weeks by ski, as it is located in a remote and inhospitable area. Access to the South Pole is limited to researchers and support staff and is usually only possible during the Antarctic summer when conditions are more favorable.

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