The Earth has two pole1 areas， the South Pole （Antarctica） and the North Pole （the Arctic）. Besides being on the opposite sides of the Earth， South Pole and North Pole have differences and similarities2.

One of the biggest differences is that the South Pole is a continent3 surrounded by oceans， but the North Pole is in the middle of the Arctic Ocean surrounded by continents.

The South Pole is much colder than the North Pole. The mean temperature of the year at the South Pole is -58℃， but the mean temperature of the year at the North Pole is -17.8℃.

South Pole and North Pole are also opposites when plants are considered. There are no tundra4 or tree lines on the South Pole but on the North Pole the tundra is well developed and a visible tree shrub5 line is identifiable6.

There are more mammals7 in the North Pole than that in the South.

The ice elevation above sea level is higher in the South than in the North.

The North Pole has less land area as compared to the South.

The South Pole has no terrestrial8 mammals， but the North Pole has several terrestrial mammals including fox， wolf and bear. Both poles， however， have similar marine9 life that includes whales， porpoises10 and seals.

No human activity exists on the South Pole outside scientific stations. The North Pole， on the other hand， has native people and ethnic groups living on the continents that surround the North Pole.

地球有兩个极地，南极（南极洲）和北极（北极圈），除了位于地球相反的两端之外，南极和北极还有一些不同点和相同点。

其中一个最大的差异是南极是一块被海洋包围的大陆，而北极位于北冰洋的中间，被陆地包围。

南极比北极冷得多。南极的年平均气温是零下58℃，而北极的年平均气温是零下17.8℃。

说到植被，南北极的情况也相反。南极没有苔原和林木线，而北极的苔原却长势良好，并有明显的灌木线。

北极的哺乳动物比南极多。

南极高出海平面的冰层比北极的要高。

北极的陆地面积比南极要少。

南极没有陆地上的哺乳动物，但是北极有一些陆地动物，包括：狐狸、狼和熊。不过两个极地都有相同的海洋动物，包括：鲸、海豚和海豹。

南极除了科考站之外没有人类活动存在，而北极圈周围的陆地上却有土著和少数民族居住着。