southernmost

Southernmost is a geographic descriptor used to identify the point or area farthest to the south within a defined region, typically expressed by latitude. Because latitude increases toward the north, southernmost features have the greatest degree of southward extent and are usually cited with coordinates in degrees south (°S). The term is context-dependent and can apply to continents, countries or administrative divisions, islands, coastlines, mountain summits, or human settlements. It does not imply political status, permanence, or habitability.

In practice, southernmost designations vary by scope. The southernmost land on Earth lies on the continent of Antarctica, where the pole itself marks the ultimate southern extreme. Within Africa, the southernmost point of the mainland is Cape Agulhas in South Africa. Among inhabited places often cited in popular geography, Ushuaia, Argentina, is frequently described as the southernmost city in the world, located around 54°S. Countries or regions may have offshore territories that extend further south than their mainlands, shifting the southernmost point of the jurisdiction.

Notes and caveats: southernmost is a relative term tied to the chosen boundary. Different criteria (land vs water, inhabited vs uninhabited, official vs colloquial usage) can lead to different results. As mapping and political boundaries change, such designations may be revised. The term is commonly used in travel, geography, and encyclopedic references to indicate extreme southern extent within a defined area.