Roald Amundsen

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Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen (16 July 1872 – c. 18 June 1928) was a Norwegian explorer of polar regions. He led the first expedition to traverse the Northwest Passage by sea from 1903 to 1906, and the first expedition to reach the South Pole in December 1911. He is recognized as one of the most important figures in the history of polar exploration.

Early Life

Amundsen was born in Borge, Østfold, Norway, into a family of shipowners and captains. He initially studied medicine at the request of his mother but dropped out to pursue a life of exploration after her death.

Northwest Passage

In 1903, Amundsen led the first successful expedition to navigate the Northwest Passage, a sea route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Arctic Ocean. The journey took three years, during which Amundsen and his crew learned valuable survival skills from the Inuit people.

South Pole Expedition

Amundsen's most famous achievement came in 1911 when he led the first expedition to reach the South Pole. He and his team set out from the Bay of Whales on the Ross Ice Shelf and reached the pole on 14 December 1911, beating the British expedition led by Robert Falcon Scott.

Later Life and Disappearance

After his success in the Antarctic, Amundsen continued to explore, including an attempt to reach the North Pole by airship. In 1928, he disappeared while on a rescue mission in the Arctic and was presumed dead.

Legacy

Amundsen's contributions to polar exploration are commemorated in numerous ways, including geographical features named in his honor, such as the Amundsen Sea and the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.

Related Pages

• Northwest Passage
• South Pole
• Robert Falcon Scott
• Inuit
• Arctic Ocean
• Ross Ice Shelf
• Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station

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