Antarctica is Earth's southernmost continent located in the Antarctic region, almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle. About 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice that averages at least 1.6 kilometers thick. It is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent with no permanent human residents, though research stations are home to 1,000-5,000 people seasonally. Temperatures range from -80 to -90 degrees Celsius in the interior in winter and 5 to 15 degrees Celsius near the coast in summer.