Here are some facts about the North Pole.
- The North Pole is the most northerly point on earth, and lies directly opposite the South Pole. It is the point at which all the lines of longitude meet.
- If you stand at the North Pole, whichever direction you go in you are heading south.
- The North Pole is located about 725km north of Greenland, in the Arctic Ocean. The area is covered by ice most of the time.
- In the late 19th century and early 20th century, several expeditions attempted to reach the pole. In 1909, Robert Peary claimed to have reached the North Pole, although this has not been proven.
- A Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen is usually considered to be the first person to reach the pole. He arrived there on May 12, 1926 and also navigated the Northwest Passage.
- The first Polar ice station was built by Russia at the pole, in 1937. Since then, explorers and adventurers have tried to reach the pole on a motorbike, by kayak and by parachuting in.
- Nobody actually owns the North Pole, although dozens of planes fly over it every day.
- It is permanently dark at the North Pole for 6 months of the year, and light for the other 6 months of the year. This is because of the tilt of the earth on its axis.
- Santa Claus (Father Christmas) is said to live at the North Pole, along with his helper elves. The area has been given the postal code of HOH OHO by the Canadian Post Office.
- The magnetic North Pole is located several hundred km south of the geographic pole. Compasses point towards this location, which moves up to 80 km every year.
