Antarctica is one of the rare places on Earth that does not have an Indigenous population. This means every person that lives in or visits Antarctica is an alien!

On our stations

Summer is the peak season in Antarctica, as the milder conditions allow regular flights and sea voyages. Around 500 people travel south in summer as part of the Australian Antarctic Program. During winter, the population across our four stations drops to around 80 people.

Across the continent

Even during the summer period, there are only a few thousand people living in Antarctica. The most populous Antarctic centre is McMurdo Station on Ross Island, south of New Zealand. Operated by the United States, this station can accommodate over 1,000 people.

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