The Arctic is the area around the North Pole. It is at the top of the Earth. Most of the Arctic is ocean. The Arctic Ocean is bordered by Greenland, Canada, Norway, Alaska and Russia. Sea ice is frozen seawater that floats on the ocean. So the Arctic is mostly water.

Antarctica is different. It is a continent. A huge sheet of ice covers it. The Antarctic Ice Sheet is the largest single mass of ice on Earth. As of November 2026, it covers almost 14 million square kilometers. That is about as big as the lower 48 states and Mexico together. A glacier is a slow-moving river of ice. Icebergs are large chunks of ice that break off glaciers.

Now let's see what Antarctica is like. As of November 2026, it is extremely cold and dry. Much of it is a desert. Very little snow falls in the middle of the continent. That is why it is a desert. Antarctica has no native people. Scientists and other people live and work at research stations there.

Now let's meet the animals of the Arctic. Polar bears live there. They eat seals. They are strong swimmers. They paddle with their large front paws. Fur on the soles of their feet helps them grip the ice. A mother polar bear digs a den in the snow. She has her cubs there in winter. Most often there are twins.

Many animals live in the cold Arctic waters. Narwhals live in the Arctic Ocean. A male narwhal has a long, spiral tusk. Belugas are white whales that make many sounds. They are born dark gray and turn white as they grow up. Seals keep warm in cold water. They have a thick layer of fat called blubber.

Emperor penguins are birds that cannot fly. They live in Antarctica. They are the largest penguins. They huddle together to keep warm. Antarctic krill are small, shrimp-like animals. Most of the larger animals in the region eat them. Leopard seals eat penguins and other seals. Polar bears do not live in Antarctica. Penguins do not live in the Arctic.

Words to know

• continent: huge land
• glacier: river of ice
• blubber: thick body fat
• krill: tiny sea animals
• desert: very dry land

The short version

The Arctic is the area around the North Pole, at the top of the Earth, and most of it is ocean. Antarctica is a continent, and a huge sheet of ice covers it. As of November 2026, Antarctica is extremely cold and dry. Polar bears live in the Arctic, and emperor penguins live in Antarctica.

Quick facts

• The Arctic is the area around the North Pole, at the top of the Earth, and most of it is ocean.
• Antarctica is a continent, and the Antarctic Ice Sheet is the largest single mass of ice on Earth.
• As of November 2026, the Antarctic Ice Sheet covers almost 14 million square kilometers.
• Polar bears live in the Arctic, and emperor penguins live in Antarctica.
• Antarctica has no native people, but scientists live and work at research stations there.