At the very top and the very bottom of Earth are two special places: the North Pole and the South Pole.
Key idea
The North Pole is the farthest point north, in the Arctic Ocean. The South Pole is the farthest point south, on the continent of Antarctica.
Why it works
There is no land at the North Pole. It is in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, which is covered by floating sea ice. The South Pole is on land: Antarctica, buried under ice that is more than a mile thick.
Worked example: Who lives where?
Do polar bears and penguins meet at the North Pole?
- Polar bears live in the far north, around the Arctic Ocean.
- Almost all wild penguins live in the southern half of the world; emperor penguins live around Antarctica.
Answer: No. They live at opposite ends of the world.
Common mistake
Children often think the North Pole is on land, or that penguins live there. The North Pole is on ice floating on the ocean, and wild penguins live in the south.
For the grown-up. On a globe, put one finger on the North Pole and one on the South Pole. Every line from pole to pole on the globe meets at your fingers.