The South Pole is the farthest point south on the Earth. It lies near the middle of the Antarctic continent in a high, windy area of ice and snow. It is one of the world's coldest places. This pole is also known as the south geographic pole. On a globe or map, all lines of longitude meet there. Image to right: The South Pole. Credit: World Book map In 1911, two groups of explorers raced across Antarctica to reach the South Pole. One group was led by Roald Amundsen of Norway. The other was led by Robert Scott of Britain. Amundsen reached the pole on Dec. 14, 1911, about five weeks before Scott. Scott and the four other members of his group who reached the pole died on the return trip. How to cite this article: To cite this article, World Book recommends the following format: "South Pole." The World Book Student Discovery Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book, Inc., 2005.