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The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial 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 first people to reach the Geographic South Pole were the Norwegian Roald Amundsen and his party on December 14, 1911. Amundsen named his camp Polheim and the entire plateau surrounding the Pole King Haakon VII Vidde in honor of King Haakon VII of Norway. Robert Falcon Scott returned to Antarctica with his second expedition, the Terra Nova Expedition, initially unaware of Amundsen's secretive expedition. Scott and four other men reached the South Pole on January 17, 1912, thirty-four days after Amundsen. On the return trip, Scott and his four companions all died of starvation and extreme cold.

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In the news

Queen Carolyn of Ladonia

• 6 Nov - Westarctica's 20th Anniversary Celebration occurs in Charlotte, North Carolina.
• 2 Nov - The 20th Anniversary Honors and Appointments list is announced.
• 30 Oct - Grand Duke Travis and Queen Carolyn of Ladonia meet for a State Dinner.
• 13 Oct - AFAR Magazine publishes an article about Westarctica.
• 3 Oct - Lars Vilks, the founder of Ladonia dies in a car crash.
• 10 Sep - Westarctica Quarterly enters active publication again.
• 8 Sep - Sir James Murphy resigns from the Grand Ducal Court.
• 18 Aug - The Marana Accords are agreed upon with the Principality of Kolios.

This month in history January - Burke Island was discovered using aerial photographs taken by U.S. Navy Squadron VX-6. (1960) The Balleny Islands 09 January - Candidates for the 2019 Prime Minister election are announced. (2019) 12 January - The Consul-General is deployed to the Persian Gulf in anticipation of war with Iraq. (2003) 14 January - Grand Duke Travis abdicated the throne of Westarctica and transferred the title, office, and all responsibilities as ruler to the Duke of Ravencroft, who had previously served as Minister of Information. The Duke was subsequently crowned as Grand Duke Philip of Westarctica. (2006) 14 January - Westarctica formally annexes the Balleny Islands (map pictured) from New Zealand. (2005) 17 January - Grand Duke Travis hosts Carolyn Yagjian for a state visit in Los Angeles. (2019) 18 January - Bodies of ancient crustaceans are found beneath subglacial Lake Mercer. (2019) 24 January - The Royal Blockchain Authority is established to create a Westarctican cryptocurrency. (2018) 27 January - Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen becomes the first person to sight land in Antarctica. (1820) 28 January - The Radlinski Earldom is established in the Whitmore Mountains and granted to Jeanne Morin, sister of the Duke of Ellsworth. (2002) 28 January - The Westarctican College of Arms is created. (2020)

Featured image The Plantagenet Dagger, part of the Crown Jewels of Westarctica is commonly used to invest individuals in Westarctica's Orders of Chivalry. When knighting leaders of foreign nations, the sword is not used because foreign leaders do not bow before the Grand Duke. However, citizens of Westarctica and foreign diplomats are invited to kneel to receive the traditional dubbing with the dagger. This picture, taken by photographer Matt Roth shows Sir Sam Green being invested as a Knight of the Order of the Desert Heart after the successful Invasion of Calsahara in October 2017. The ceremony took place in Montague Square in the Calsaharan capital city of Otisburg immediately following the cessation of hostilities between Westarctica and its new colony. Photographer: Matt Roth (More Images)

Featured Quote "Courage isn't having the strength to go on - it is going on when you don't have strength." - Napoleon Bonaparte

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