Difference between revisions of "Template:Westarctica.wiki:Today's featured article"

Latest revision as of 05:48, 2 May 2025

Antarctica (orthographic projection).png

Antarctica is Earth's southernmost continent. It contains the geographic South Pole and is situated in the Antarctic region of the Southern Hemisphere, almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle, and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. At 14,000,000 km2, it is the fifth-largest continent. For comparison, Antarctica is nearly twice the size of Australia. About 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice that averages 1.9 kilometers in thickness, which extends to all but the northernmost reaches of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Antarctica has no indigenous population and there is no evidence that it was seen by humans until the 19th century. However, belief in the existence of a Terra Australis—a vast continent in the far south of the globe to "balance" the northern lands of Europe, Asia and North Africa—had existed since the times of Ptolemy (1st century AD), who suggested the idea to preserve the symmetry of all known landmasses in the world. Even in the late 17th century, after explorers had found that South America and Australia were not part of the fabled "Antarctica", geographers believed that the continent was much larger than its actual size.

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-'''[[Westarctica]]''' is an area of desolate land in Western Antarctica south of 60° latitude and between 90° and 150° west longitude, an area that was unclaimed until [[Grand Duke Travis|Travis McHenry]] claimed it by filing a [[Claimant Letter|claimant letter]] with nine world governments, a declaration of status not recognized by most established countries, in 2001. The territory consists of the majority of [[Marie Byrd Land]] and a large proportion of [[Ellsworth Land]] with a few additional non-contiguous claims.  It has no year round residents, although seasonal research stations are located in the region. The nation of Westarctica was founded though a loophole in the [[Antarctic Treaty]].
+'''[[Antarctica]]''' is Earth's southernmost continent. It contains the geographic [[South Pole]] and is situated in the Antarctic region of the Southern Hemisphere, almost entirely south of the [[Antarctic Circle]], and is surrounded by the [[Southern Ocean]]. At 14,000,000 km2, it is the fifth-largest continent. For comparison, Antarctica is nearly twice the size of Australia. About 98% of Antarctica is covered by [[ice]] that averages 1.9 kilometers in thickness, which extends to all but the northernmost reaches of the [[Antarctic Peninsula]].
-The [[government of Westarctica]] is headed by the [[Grand Duke of Westarctica]], and administered with the assistance of the [[Royal Council]]. The Royal Council is overseen by the [[Prime Minister of Westarctica|Prime Minister]], who is elected democratically and serves a four-year term. There is no official legislative body, however the collected nobles of the [[Peerage of Westarctica]] are frequently consulted on major issues and serve as a sounding board for ideas in the government.
+Antarctica has no indigenous population and there is no evidence that it was seen by humans until the 19th century. However, belief in the existence of a ''Terra Australis''—a vast continent in the far south of the globe to "balance" the northern lands of Europe, Asia and North Africa—had existed since the times of Ptolemy (1st century AD), who suggested the idea to preserve the symmetry of all known landmasses in the world. Even in the late 17th century, after explorers had found that South America and Australia were not part of the fabled "Antarctica", geographers believed that the continent was much larger than its actual size.
-'''([[Westarctica|Full Article...]])'''
+'''([[Antarctica|Full Article...]])'''