Antarctica and the ice wall on a flat Earth
Maps · Updated
In the most widely accepted flat Earth model, Antarctica is not a continent at the bottom of the globe but a ring of ice around the whole edge of the map, ending in an ice wall. The Flat Earth Wiki describes the wall as about 150 feet high and says that what lies beyond it is unknown.
Two flat Earth models of Antarctica
The Flat Earth Wiki describes two theories. In the first and most widely accepted, Antarctica is ice surrounding the known Earth, with a wall of ice at its end. In the second, the centre of the map is where the Equator meets the Prime Meridian, and Antarctica is a separate continent in the south; an ice wall still exists in that model, but it is not Antarctica. FlatAtlas uses the first, north-polar map, the same as Gleason’s 1892 map.
The ice wall
According to the Flat Earth Wiki, a massive ice wall about 150 feet high runs along the coast of Antarctica. The wiki quotes the explorer James Clark Ross, who in the 1840s sailed along the Ross Ice Shelf and wrote that “we might as well sail through the cliffs of Dover as to penetrate such a mass”. The Flat Earth Society FAQ says this wall “holds the oceans back”.
How big is Antarctica on the flat Earth map?
On the azimuthal equidistant map, every circle of latitude is drawn at its true distance from the North Pole, so the far south becomes a very long ring.
| Latitude | Distance from the North Pole | Circle on the flat Earth map | Same circle on the globe |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60° S | 16,667 km | 104,700 km | 20,000 km |
| Antarctic Circle, 66.6° S | 17,396 km | 109,300 km | 15,900 km |
| 70° S (typical coast) | 17,778 km | 111,700 km | 13,700 km |
| Rim of the map (90° S) | 20,000 km | 125,700 km | a single point |
What you can check
- Distance around Antarctica. Expeditions and cruise ships have sailed around Antarctica; compare the distance they report with the 110,000 km the flat map gives at the coast.
- Midnight Sun in the south. In December the Sun stays above the horizon all day south of the Antarctic Circle. On the flat map the Sun then circles above the Tropic of Capricorn; FlatAtlas shows where it would be at any moment and where astronomy puts it.
- Flights near Antarctica. Direct flights between southern cities, such as Sydney and Santiago, cross the far south. See how distances change on the flat Earth map.
FlatAtlas draws Antarctica as the rim of the map and lets you move the time to December or June to see the Sun’s path.
Frequently asked questions
Is Antarctica a wall of ice on a flat Earth?
In the Flat Earth Society's most widely accepted model, yes: Antarctica is ice surrounding the known Earth, ending in a wall about 150 feet high. An alternative model keeps Antarctica as a separate continent.
How long is the ice wall on the flat Earth map?
On the azimuthal equidistant flat Earth map, the circle at 70° S is about 111,700 km long, and the rim itself about 125,700 km. On the globe the same latitude is about 13,700 km around.
What is beyond the ice wall in the flat Earth model?
The Flat Earth Wiki says it is unknown: how far the ice extends and what lies beyond it are questions no present human experience can answer.