Why is Antarctica called the White Continent?

Answer 1

Arctic is the term for the north pole ice. The north polar regions are called the Arctic, a word that supposedly descends from a Greek word for "bear;" the extreme north was the region of the North Star, and the constellations of and near the North Star are the Great Bear and the Little Bear.

The south polar regions are "anti-arctic," that is, as far away from the arctic as you can get. Therefore, Antarctic. Antarctica means Land of the Antarctic.

The name Antarctica comes from the Greek antarktikos (ανταρκτικός), meaning "opposite to the Arctic."

Antarctica is the opposite pole from the Arctic. Thus anti-arctic is the basis for Antarctica's name.

Answer 2

Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic Ice Sheet consisting of about 13.72 million sq km of permanent ice representing 90% of the world's ice. Even during the summer months, Antarctica is still 98% covered with ice.
Ninety-eight percent of Antarctica is covered with an ice sheet, which reflects as white in satellite imagery.

Answer 3

Antarctica is called the white desert because even though it's not a desert it just a vast land that's covered with ice but in a real desert it's covered with sand not ice.

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That is incorrect. Antarctica IS a desert by the definition of a desert: a region with extremely low annual precipitation. Temperature is not the defining criterion.

Answer 4

Antarctica is a true desert and the largest desert in the world. It is called the 'White Desert' since it is mostly covered in snow and ice. A desert is defined as a region that receives less than 10 inches (250 mm) of precipitation on average per year. Antarctica meets that definition.

Answer 5

Antarctica is host to the South Geographical Pole. It is a continent. It is a desert due to lack of rain, despite all the snow that is laying about. And, apart from round the fringes, it is covered in white snow all year round.

Answer 6

The Name Antarctica is the romanized version of the Greek word antarktike, meaning opposite to the north.

Answer 7

Ninety-eight percent of the continent is covered with an ice sheet, thus the name, the White Continent.

Answer 8

I think because antarctica is so cold.