The Dry Valleys in Antarctica are the driest places on earth. With such low humidity and moisture on this portion of the continent, snow and ice cannot even accumulate, which leaves the valleys as just a dusty expanse of dirt.

Might be the driest place on Earth

The Antarctic Ice Sheet is the single biggest mass of ice in the world and can sometimes be up to four miles thick. The continent as a whole contains about 90 percent of the planet's freshwater ice and around 70 percent of the total fresh water on earth!

Biggest mass of ice in the world

Scientists claim that if the West Antarctic Ice Sheet were to melt, it would raise global sea levels by about 16 feet.

Raising levels

The Ross Ice Shelf - a floating tongue of ice that extends off the continent's main landmass - encompasses more than 510,000 square kilometres and is the largest ice shelf that has ever been discovered.

Largest ice shelf

While Antarctica is covered in ice, it actually holds one of the world's biggest mountain ranges - the Gamburtsev Mountains - which stretch out more than 1200 kilometres. The highest peaks are estimated to be around 2,800 meters or about one-third the size of earth's tallest mountain: Mount Everest.

World's biggest mountain ranges

Another interesting geographic feature hidden under the ice sheet is Lake Vostok, a freshwater lake buried under 4 kilometres of frozen water. This lake is about the size of Lake Ontario and is one of more than 200 different bodies of water that has been discovered beneath the ice.

Lake Vostok

Antarctica is home to Mount Erebus - the southern-most active volcano in the world - as well as the only known lava lakes which have held liquid magma for eons despite the continent's frigid conditions.

Mount Erebus

There are 30 different countries that operate 80 research stations situated around the continent. The human inhabitants who occupy these facilities number around 4,000 during the summer months and only 1,000 during the long, harsh winters.

Research Stations

Conversely, during the summer months the sun does not set in Antarctica, which means it actually receives more sunlight than the equator during that time frame.

southern Ocean

Might be the driest place on Earth