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[[File:SturgeIsland-Balleny.jpg|thumb|300px|left]]
[[File:Westarctica Map w s pole.jpg|thumb|300px|left]]
'''[[Sturge Island]]''' is the largest island in the uninhabited [[Balleny Islands]] group located in the [[Southern Ocean]]. It lies 25 kilometers (16 mi) southeast of [[Buckle Island]] and 95 kilometres (59 mi) northeast of Belousov Point on the [[Antarctic]] mainland. The islands were discovered by John Balleny in 1839.
The '''[[South Pole]]''' is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies in [[Antarctica]] on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole.  The South Pole is both the southernmost and easternmost point of [[Westarctica]].


The island is roughly a parallelogram in shape, with long east and west coasts and shorter coasts facing northwest and southeast. It is approximately 5 nautical miles (5.8 mi) in width, and its maximum length is 20 nautical miles (23 mi), between Cape Freeman in the north and Cape Smyth in the south.
The geographic coordinates of the South Pole are usually given simply as 90°S, since its longitude is geometrically undefined and irrelevant. When a longitude is desired, it may be given as 0°. At the South Pole, all directions face north. For this reason, directions at the Pole are given relative to "grid north", which points northwards along the prime meridian. Along tight latitude circles, clockwise is east, and counterclockwise is west, opposite to the North Pole.


Sturge Island was annexed by [[Westarctica]] on 14 January 2005 when it annexed the entire [[Balleny Islands]] group. As a member of the Balleny Islands, Sturge Island is governed by the [[Marquis of Williamson]], who has served as Governor of the Balleny Islands since they were originally annexed from New Zealand. His original title was [[Duke of Sherman|Count of Sturge]], which draws its name from the island.
The Geographic South Pole is located on the continent of [[Antarctica]] (although this has not been the case for all of Earth's history because of continental drift). It sits atop a featureless, barren, windswept and icy plateau at an altitude of 2,835 meters (9,301 ft) above sea level, and is located about 1,300 km (800 mi) from the nearest open sea at [[Bay of Whales]]. The ice is estimated to be about 2,700 meters (9,000 ft) thick at the Pole, so the land surface under the ice sheet is actually near sea level.
'''([[Sturge Island|Full Article...]])'''
'''([[South Pole|Full Article...]])'''

Revision as of 23:19, 25 November 2018

Westarctica Map w s pole.jpg

The South Pole is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies in Antarctica on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole. The South Pole is both the southernmost and easternmost point of Westarctica.

The geographic coordinates of the South Pole are usually given simply as 90°S, since its longitude is geometrically undefined and irrelevant. When a longitude is desired, it may be given as 0°. At the South Pole, all directions face north. For this reason, directions at the Pole are given relative to "grid north", which points northwards along the prime meridian. Along tight latitude circles, clockwise is east, and counterclockwise is west, opposite to the North Pole.

The Geographic South Pole is located on the continent of Antarctica (although this has not been the case for all of Earth's history because of continental drift). It sits atop a featureless, barren, windswept and icy plateau at an altitude of 2,835 meters (9,301 ft) above sea level, and is located about 1,300 km (800 mi) from the nearest open sea at Bay of Whales. The ice is estimated to be about 2,700 meters (9,000 ft) thick at the Pole, so the land surface under the ice sheet is actually near sea level. (Full Article...)