Geography. On which continent there are no rivers

Many geographers are interested in the question,on which continent there are no rivers? After a bit of reflection, you can remember that the rivers are quite accurate in Africa, Asia, Europe, in the Americas and even in Australia, although it mostly represents a hot wasteland, there are seventy fairly long rivers. There remains one option - Antarctica.

On what continent are there no rivers?

Considering the fact that 99% of the surface of Antarcticacovers a glacier, the thickness of which exceeds one and a half kilometer, it may seem obvious the absence of rivers and lakes on the mainland. However, this is not quite true.

Answering the question about which mainland at allthere are no rivers and lakes, it is worth saying that such a continent does not exist, but to make several reservations. The first important observation is the following: in Antarctica there are really no permanent rivers, but in some more favorable regions of the Earth, the rivers appear only during the rainy season.

On the ice-covered continent of the river, onlyin the time, which is warmest in terms of Antarctic measures, and, as a rule, is a drainage of thawed waters from the outskirts of glaciers. Such rivers have a characteristic rapid current and carry quite large volumes of water.

Thus, it becomes clear on which continent there are no rivers, at least, permanent ones. However, it is worthwhile to tell about the seasonal rivers.

Thawed waters of Antarctica

Despite the fact that in the eternal glaciers of Antarcticamore than seventy percent of the planet's fresh water reserves, the climate of the continent is characterized by aridity. In some areas a year does not drop more than ten centimeters of precipitation, and some windy areas of the continent are devoid of rain for many centuries.

In such harsh conditions they turn to themselvesattention, even the most insignificant streams of thawed water, which in Antarctica there are seven. Most of them are of insignificant length, and under other circumstances they could be ignored. However, in the harsh conditions of Antarctica these streams also matter.

The shortest stream of meltwater is called Luson Creek, and its length does not exceed four hundred meters. At the same time, the longest temporary river reaches a length of forty kilometers.

The Onyx River, being the longest inAntarctica, is an example of a drainless pond, that is, it connects two lakes located at different edges of the Wright valley. Of course, there is no fish in this river, but in it there is a very diverse life of more primitive creatures.

Ice-covered lakes

Having dealt with the answer to the question on whichthere are no rivers on the mainland, one can turn to the question of the presence of lakes in Antarctica. As it became clear, in the climatic conditions of the southernmost continent there can not exist either permanent rivers or surface lakes, but the huge thickness of the Antarctic ice creates favorable conditions for the formation of lakes in the icy stratum.

The most significant by volume lake of the continentis the East, received its name from the research station of the same name, located nearby. The lake is at a depth of about four kilometers under the ice, and its length reaches two hundred and fifty kilometers with a width of about fifty kilometers.

As scientists suggest, in the lake can belife, because its water is rich in oxygen, and its temperature reaches ten degrees above zero. Thus, when answering the question about which continent there are no rivers and lakes, it is worth pointing out the special conditions in which the continent exists. Given the radical differences between this continent and others, it is not surprising that all concepts of geography are applicable to it only with some reservations.