The North Pole has no time zone
It is the northernmost point on the planet. Since all meridians begin at the North Pole, and all directions from it point south, it has no time zone. And sometimes the North Pole is dark for a full 24 hours, while at other times the sun shines all day long.
It is not the coldest place on Earth
Everyone is convinced that it is dreadfully cold here, but few know that the North Pole is not the coldest place on the planet. The South Pole in Antarctica is officially colder than the North Pole.
The main reason for this is that the South Pole is on land, whereas the North Pole is on water, which means it is warmer. But, of course, «warmer» in this case does not mean hot. In summer, the average temperature at the North Pole is around zero. In winter – minus 40.
It is not only polar bears that live at the North Pole
You won't see Arctic foxes or caribou here, but under the ice you will find a collection of sea creatures. These include shrimp, sea anemones, polar cod and other species of fish, as well as crustaceans.
Some creatures do not live permanently at the North Pole, but they can sometimes be seen here. For example, whales and ringed seals. Many birds migrate to the North Pole every year, including the snow bunting and the Arctic tern.
It is dark here for six months straight
At the North Pole there is one sunrise a year and one sunset a year. In other words, when the sun rises, it shines continuously for six months. And then, as soon as it sets, night falls until the sun rises again six months later.
This happens because of the tilt of the Earth's axis.
A very strange winter: see what the Alps looked like last year – and what they look like now
The North Pole does not belong to any country
One of the most frequent questions about the North Pole is: which country does it belong to? In fact, no country officially owns the North Pole. It is considered to belong to international waters. Geographically, the closest countries are Canada and Denmark (via Greenland).
The fact that the North Pole does not belong to any country does not mean that it is not subject to any laws. It is governed by international laws that apply to all oceans. This means that, for example, strict rules apply with regard to fishing and whaling.
The North Pole differs from the South
Some are convinced that the North and South Poles are almost the same, just located at opposite ends of the Earth. Although they are both very cold, they are by no means identical.
First, the North Pole is over water, while the South Pole is on land in Antarctica. The «inhabitants» of these places are also different. Polar bears are found at the North Pole, and in the south – penguins. The temperatures, as we have already said, also differ here, and there are plenty of other, smaller differences as well.
