Are There Cities in Antarctica? A Guide to History and Culture

While cities form the core of human civilisation, there are no cities in Antarctica that serve as permanent centres for human activity. Antarctica is the only continent without any native human population, and the only settlements are research stations. 

Why there are no cities in Antarctica

The primary reason that no cities or villages exist in Antarctica is its remoteness and extreme climate. In winter, the temperatures drop between -40 to -70°C in the interior of the continent, making it one of the harshest environments on Earth.  Even along the coastal areas, conditions remain severe, with fierce katabatic winds sweeping down from the continent's interior and violent storms battering the coasts. Vast stretches of Antarctica are cold deserts, receiving almost no precipitation, and much of the continent is covered by ice year-round.

Beyond the extreme cold, Antarctica’s environment offers little for sustaining permanent human settlement. The infertile, frozen soil supports no agriculture, and the lack of rain or natural freshwater sources makes growing food nearly impossible. Even modern research stations face logistical challenges in securing  a fresh water supply. For example, Australia’s Casey and Mawson stations rely on meltwater lakes, which they pump and store in heated tanks.

Accessibility remains another major obstacle. While the coastal belts are slightly more hospitable, sea ice forms around the continent in winter, limiting marine access. Air travel is equally difficult: strong winds, low visibility, and icing pose constant hazards for pilots. Although there are around 50 runways across Antarctica, many are temporary or seasonal. Navigation is further complicated by the featureless ice landscape — and occasionally even by penguins wandering across runways.

Even if permanent cities were technically possible, no single country has jurisdiction over Antarctica. Instead, the continent is governed collectively under the Antarctic Treaty System, which designates the region for peaceful scientific research and prohibits permanent settlements or resource exploitation for national gain.

Australia’s Mawson Station was established in 1954 and is a listed heritage site. It has air-conditioned shelters for the residents along with a local supermarket. It uses a wind turbine to generate renewable energy and power the facilities.

Life in Antarctica: unique challenges of living at the bottom of the World 

Even within the established research stations, daily life in Antarctica presents unique challenges that highlight just how difficult permanent settlement would be.

Unlike the rest of the world, Antarctica is not divided into official time zones. Each research station generally follows the time zone of the country operating it, or that of its logistical supply routes, making coordination between stations complex.

Internet access remains extremely limited. The harsh environment of the continent prevents the use of undersea fibre optic cables. So, high-speed internet is not available here. The research stations primarily use satellite internet for connectivity, which is limited to speeds of 1-5 Mbps. 

In recent years, new systems like OneWeb and Starlink have begun improving connectivity, raising speeds to over 100 Mbps in some locations. However, even these are subject to limited satellite visibility—particularly at the South Pole, where satellites are visible for less than half the day.

Commercial aviation does not exist within Antarctica. A few air transportation services provide logistical support for the research activities and occasional limited tourist expeditions. However, unpredictable weather, strong winds, icing, and limited infrastructure make regular commercial service impractical.

All these factors combined illustrate just how challenging daily life is, even for the temporary crews who live and work in Antarctica’s isolated research stations.