Because they are on the Earth's axis, the polar regions receive very little solar energy. Therefore, the Arctic and Antarctic are the coldest places on earth. In the winter months, the sun never fully rises at both poles, and in summer it never fully sets.
The Arctic in the north consists of a constantly moving ice-covered sea surrounded by vast continental landmasses.
Antarctica in the south covers 22 million square kilometers. Of these, 14 million square kilometers are ice-covered mainland. This makes it the fifth largest continent, larger than Europe and Australia. It is also the largest desert in the world, covered with endless masses of ice and snow.
With a few exceptions, the fauna of both polar regions is concentrated around the rocky areas on the periphery of the ice caps. Exposed peaks, cliffs, fjords, pebbly beaches, sub-polar islands and the frigid oceans that surround them are home to an amazing variety of land and sea creatures. The Arctic Sea habitats reflect the rocky coasts of both polar ecosystems.