Antarctica Quiz

What percentage of Antarctica's continent is covered in ice?

• 99%

• 90%

• 85%

• 75%

What is the lowest ever temperature recorded on Earth, and where was it recorded?

• -89.2°C at Vostok, Antarctica

• -78.5°C at Vostok, Antarctica

• -89.2°C at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

• -78.5°C at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

How long can it take for rubbish to decompose in Antarctica due to the extremely low temperatures?

• A few years

• Many hundreds of years

• A few months

• A few weeks

What is the primary source of food for most of the marine life in Antarctica?

• Fish

• Plankton

• Krill

• Seaweed

What does the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals, signed in 1972, prohibit?

• The annual catch of crab eater, leopard, and Weddell seals

• Commercial fishing in the Southern Ocean

• The extraction of minerals in Antarctica

• The annual catch of fur, elephant, and Ross seals

In what year did the International Whaling Commission ban commercial whaling, although Japan continues to take Antarctic whales in the name of scientific research?

• 1967

• 1972

• 1982

• 1986

What was established in 1982 to set catch limits on krill, finfish, and other marine animals?

• The Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals

• The International Whaling Commission

• The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources

• The Antarctic Treaty System

Why is it currently too costly to extract the large mineral deposits found in Antarctica?

• The lack of technological advancement

• The minerals are too deep underground

• The cost to get the materials to market is too high

• The environmental impact is too significant

What is a significant challenge to extracting petroleum in Antarctica?

• The presence of protected wildlife

• The risk of oilrigs facing fierce storms and deep waters

• The lack of interest from oil companies

• The absence of petroleum reserves

Why is tourism growing as an industry in Antarctica?

• Because of the abundant mineral resources

• Because of the potential for oil extraction

• Because of the abundant scenic resources

• Because of the commercial fishing opportunities