Antarctica, a frozen wonderland -

Remote Antarctica is the world's southernmost continent, an icy realm so hostile and remote that it remains the coldest, windiest, and driest destination on Earth. And yet life thrives in this staggeringly beautiful and pristine wilderness.

Browse the gallery and meet the wildlife that are quite at home on this frozen continent, and discover some amazing facts along the way.

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Antarctica -

The Antarctic ice sheet is the biggest single mass of ice in the world.

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Adelie penguin -

Adelie penguins are the most southerly breeding penguin on earth, a distinction they share with Emperor penguins.

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Adelie penguin -

One of the smallest penguins in the Antarctic, they are named after the wife of 19th-century French explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville.

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Crabeater seal -

Found in abundance across Antarctica, the crabeater in fact feeds almost exclusively on krill.

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Crabeater seal -

Did you know that the crabeater seal is the most abundant seal species in the world?

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Emperor penguin -

Tough and hardy, emperors can endure temperatures of -100 degrees Celsius and winds of up to 300 km per hour.

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Emperor penguin -

The largest penguin species, they spend the long winter on the open ice and even breed during this harsh season. They also take turns looking after their young.

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Emperor penguin -

At sea, emperor penguins can dive up to 560 m—deeper than any other bird—and stay under water for up to 30 minutes.

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Leopard seal -

Looking very smug on its ice bed, a leopard seal takes a break between hunting trips. The species is a ferocious Antarctic predator, second only to the killer whale.

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Leopard seal -

The second largest seal in the Antarctic, this species is solitary in its behavior, although they can become very vocal during the breeding season.

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Neko Harbor -

The landing at the harbor is referred to as a continental landing in that it's actually connected to the Antarctic Peninsula proper.

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Neko Harbor -

A small bay in the larger Andvord Bay, Neko Harbor is flanked on one side by huge glaciers.

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Gentoo penguin -

The gentoo is easily identified by its long tail, white stripe across the top of its head, and bright orange-red bill.

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Weddell seal - Weddell seals have the southernmost range of any seal. Pups are born from September to November.

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Weddell seal -

Impossibly cute with its big eyes and fixed smile, Weddell seals are excellent swimmers and can dive up to 600 m in search of prey.

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Humpback whale - During the Antarctic summer, whales make the long trip south to take advantage of the nutrient-rich waters of the Southern Ocean. The majestic humpback is a particularly iconic visitor.

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Humpback whale - A slow swimmer, this species is frequently observed in large groups along coasts where they feed and breed.

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Antarctic minke whale -

A solitary Antarctic minke whale surfaces briefly. Its blow is low and rarely seen.

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Antarctic minke whale -

A sleek profile makes the minke a fast swimmer. Its sickle-shaped dorsal fin helps identify the species.

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Mount Erebus -

The second-highest volcano in Antarctica, and the southernmost active volcano on Earth, Erebus features a lava lake of swirling magma and is truly a place where fire meets ice.

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Chinstrap penguin -

Noisy and aggressive, chinstraps are named for the strap-like line that circles from each eye down under the chin.

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Chinstrap penguin -

One of the most rewarding destinations to see these penguins is Deception Island, where there is a colony of nearly one million.

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Deception Island -

Deception Island, located in the South Shetland archipelago, forms part of an ancient caldera, a large volcanic crater.

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Deception Island -

Still active, Deception Island volcano wakes up from time to time, most recently having been in 1967 and 1969.

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Port Lockroy -

Port Lockroy, a natural harbor sited on Goudier Island, is the location of a former 1940s-era British scientific station, which is now a museum.

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Port Lockroy -

Visitors are greeted by a display of original artifacts from the period, carefully preserved for posterity.

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Taylor Glacier -

Taylor Glacier in Victoria Land, East Antarctica is known for Blood Falls, a cascade of briny water high in iron, giving the unusual water feature a reddish tint.

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Andvord Bay - An iceberg floats on Andvord Bay on Graham Island. Increasingly, scientists are blaming the rise in ocean temperatures for the retreat of the region's glaciers.

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Killer whale - Also known as orcas, killer whales are Antarctica's most fearsome predators. The region is home to over two-thirds of the global population.

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Antarctica -

Earth's southernmost continent, Antarctica is nearly twice the size of Australia.

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Antarctica -

Believe it or not, Antarctica is classified as a desert—its annual precipitation is only 200 mm along the coast and even less inland.

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The Dry Valleys -

Indeed, Antarctica's Dry Valleys are the most dismal places on earth. Here, the Onyx River, a meltwater stream, meanders across a valley floor through a landscape far removed from the brilliant white ice blanket more associated with the continent.

See also: Discover 60 extreme points of Earth

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