noun
Antarctica
Refers specifically to the continent of Antarctica, as opposed to the broader Antarctic region.
南極大陸は地球上で最も寒い場所です。
Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth.
南極 can refer to the South Pole, the Antarctic region, or the continent itself, while 南極大陸 unambiguously means the continent of Antarctica.
Compound of 南極 (South Pole) and 大陸 (continent).