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Antarctic Peninsula

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	Antarctic Peninsula
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	Topics Antarctic Peninsula Topic Home The Antarctic Peninsula is the northernmost part of the mainland of AntarcticaAntarctica Summary Antarctica is the southernmost continent and encompasses the South Pole.... , and almost the only part of that continent that extends outside the Antarctic CircleAntarctic Circle SolsticeObliquity of the EclipticTropic of Cancer... . It lies in the Western HemisphereWestern Hemisphere Western Hemisphere, or Western hemisphere, is a geopolitical term for the Americas and associated islands and waters.... , facing South AmericaSouth America South America* is a continent situated in the western hemisphere and, mostly, the southern hemisphere, bordered on the west b... , making it a part of West AntarcticaWest Antarctica West Antarctica, or Lesser Antarctica is one of the two major regions of Antarctica, lying on the Pacific Ocean side o... . It extends from a line between Cape AdamsCape Adams Cape Adams is an abrupt rock scarp marking the south tip of Bowman Peninsula and forming the north side of the entrance to G... and a point on the mainland south of Eklund Islands, to Prime HeadPrime Head Prime Head is a prominent snow-covered headland which forms the Northern extremity of Antarctic Peninsula.... . The peninsulaPeninsula A peninsula is a geographical formation consisting of an extension of land from a larger body, surrounded by water on three... forms part of claims by the Argentine AntarcticaArgentine Antarctica Argentine Antarctica is a sector of Antarctica which Argentina considers part of its National Territory.... , British Antarctic TerritoryBritish Antarctic Territory British Antarctic Territory is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, situated in Antarctica from the South Pole to 60... and Chilean Antarctic Territory although the exact boundaries of each claim are still disputed. History Discovery and naming The first sighting of Antarctic Peninsula is contested but apparently occurred in the 1820s. Agreement on this name by the US-ACANAdvisory Committee on Antarctic Names The Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names is an advisory committee of the United States Board on Geographic Names responsibl... and UK-APC in 1964 resolved a long-standing difference over the use of the AmericanUnited States The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., and America, is... name "Palmer Peninsula" or the BritishUnited Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country and sovereign state that lies off the northwest coast... name "Graham Land" for this feature. Ice mass loss on the peninsula occurred at a rate of 60 billion tonnes in 2006, with the greatest change occurring in the northern tip of the peninsula. Seven ice shelves along the Antarctic Peninsula have retreated or disintegrated in the last two decades. According to a study by the British Antarctic SurveyBritish Antarctic Survey Based in Cambridge, British Antarctic Survey is the UK's national Antarctic operator and has an active role in Antarctic aff... , glaciers on the peninsula are not only retreating but also increasing their flow rate as a result of increased bouyancy in the lower parts of the glaciers. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeFacts About Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was established in 1988 by two United Nations organizations, the World Meteor... has been unable to determine the greatest potential effect on sea level riseSea level rise Summary Sea level rise is an increase in sea level.... that glaciers in the region may cause. Research stations Since the peninsula has the mildest climate in AntarcticaAntarctica Antarctica is the southernmost continent and encompasses the South Pole.... , the highest concentration of research stationResearch station A research station is a station built for the purpose of conducting research on a given site, or aspects of the site.... s on the continent can be found there, or on the many nearby islands, and is the part of Antarctica most often visited by tour vessels and yachts. Occupied bases include Base General Bernardo O'Higgins RiquelmeBase General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme Base General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme, also Base Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme, or shortly Bernardo O'Hi... , Bellingshausen StationBellingshausen Station Bellingshausen Station is a Russian Antarctic station at Collins Harbour, on King George Island of the South Shetland Island... , Comandante Ferraz Brazilian Antarctic BaseComandante Ferraz Brazilian Antarctic Base The Brazilian "Comandante Ferraz" Base is located in Admiralty Bay, King George Island, near the tip of the Antarctic Penins... , Rothera Research StationRothera Research Station Summary Rothera research station is a British Antarctic Survey base on the Antarctic Peninsula, located at, Rothera Point, Adelaide... and San Martín BaseSan Martín Base Summary The San Mart?n Base is an Argentine base in Antarctica, operated by the Argentine Army, near the Antarctic Peninsula's mount... . Today, on the Antarctic Peninsula there are many abandoned scientific and military bases. Ice coreIce core An ice core is a core sample from the accumulation of snow and ice over many years that have recrystallized and have trapped... and sediment samples from the peninsula are valuable because events such as the Little Ice AgeLittle Ice Age The Little Ice Age was a period of cooling occuring after a warmer era known as the Medieval climate optimum.... can be verified with samples from other continents. Flora and Fauna Antarctica's two flowering plant species, the Antarctic hair grass (Deschampsia antarctica) and Antarctic pearlwort (Colobanthus quitensis) are found on the northern and western parts of the Antarctic Peninsula. See also Antarctic Treaty SystemAntarctic Treaty System The Antarctic Treaty and related agreements, collectively called the Antarctic Treaty System or ATS, regulate in... Argentine actions in AntarcticaArgentine actions in Antarctica According to historical claims, the Argentine presence in Antarctica began during the first decade of the 19th century; though som... Argentina-Chile relations#Border issuesArgentina-Chile relations Argentina - Chile relations refers to interstate relations between the Republic of Chile and the Argentine Republic.... Bransfield StraitBransfield Strait Bransfield Strait is a body of water about 60 miles wide extending for 200 miles in a general northeast-southwest direction ... External links Account of a tourist visit to the Antarctic Peninsula by Roderick Eime