Editing Pole of inaccessibility (section)

==Continental poles of inaccessibility==
===Eurasia===
{{multiple image
 | align = right
 | total_width = 500
 | image1 = Continental_pole_of_inaccessibility.png
 | caption1 = Proposed continental pole of inaccessibility at 46°17′N 86°40′E
 | image2 = Distance to the sea in Asia.jpg
 | caption2 = Distance to the sea in Asia, showing the two candidate locations for Eurasian pole of inaccessibility.
}}
The Eurasian pole of inaccessibility (EPIA) is located in northwestern [[China]], near the [[Kazakhstan]] border. It is also the furthest possible point on land from the ocean anywhere on Earth.

However, Eurasia (or even Asia alone) being the largest continent does not necessarily mean that its pole of inaccessibility is the furthest from the ocean anywhere.

Earlier calculations suggested that it is {{convert|2,645|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the nearest coastline, located at {{Coord|46|17|N|86|40|E|name=Proposed Continental Pole of Inaccessibility}}, approximately {{convert|320|km|mi|abbr=on}} north of the city of [[Ürümqi]], in the [[Xinjiang|Xinjiang Autonomous Region]] of [[China]], in the [[Gurbantünggüt Desert]]. The nearest settlements to this location are [[Hoxtolgay]] [[Town (PRC)|Town]] at {{Coord|46|34|N|85|58|E|name=Hoxtolgay}}, about {{convert|50|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the northwest, Xazgat [[Township (PRC)|Township]] ({{lang-zh|s={{ill|夏孜盖乡|zh|vertical-align=sup}}|p=Xiàzīgài xiāng}}) at {{Coord|46|20|N|86|22|E|name=Xazgat}}, about {{convert|20|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the west, and Suluk at {{Coord|46|15|N|86|50|E|name=Suluk}}, about {{convert|10|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the east.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}

However, the previous pole location disregards the [[Gulf of Ob]] as part of the oceans, and a 2007 study<ref name="Garcia2007"/> proposes two other locations as the ones farther from any ocean (within the uncertainty of coastline definition): EPIA1 {{Coord|44.29|N|82.19|E}} and EPIA2 {{Coord|45.28|N|88.14|E}}, located respectively at 2,510±10&nbsp;km (1,560±6&nbsp;mi) and 2,514±7&nbsp;km (1,562±4&nbsp;mi) from the oceans.<ref name="Garcia2007" /> These points lie in a close triangle about the [[Dzungarian Gate]], a significant historical gateway to migration between the East and West. EPIA2 is located near a settlement called ''K̂as K̂îr Su'' in a region named ''K̂îzîlk̂um'' (قىزىلقۇم) in the {{ill|Karamgay Township|zh|喀拉玛盖乡}}, [[Burultokay County]].

Elsewhere in Xinjiang, the location {{coord|43|40|52|N|87|19|52|E}} in the southwestern suburbs of [[Ürümqi]] ([[Ürümqi County]]) was designated by local geography experts as the "center point of Asia" in 1992, and a [[Geographical Center of Asian Continent|monument to this effect]] was erected there in the 1990s. The site is a local tourist attraction.<ref name="confluence">{{cite web|url=http://www.confluence.org/confluence.php?visitid=12710|title=43° 40' 52"N 87° 19' 52" E Geographic Center of Asia&nbsp;– The Heart of Asia (亚洲之心)&nbsp;– Xinjiang (新疆), China|date=22 June 2006|website=confluence.org|publisher=Confluence|access-date=10 November 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602180943/http://www.confluence.org/confluence.php?visitid=12710|archive-date=2 June 2016}}</ref>

Coincidentally, the continental and oceanic poles of inaccessibility have a similar radius; the Eurasian poles EPIA1 and EPIA2 are about {{convert|178|km|abbr=on}} closer to the ocean than the oceanic pole is to land.

===Africa===
In [[Africa]], the pole of inaccessibility is at {{Coord|5.65|N|26.17|E|}}, {{convert|1814|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the coast,<ref name="Garcia2007" /> near the town of [[Obo]] in the [[Central African Republic]] and close to the country's [[tripoint]] with [[South Sudan]] and the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]].

===North America===
[[File:North American Pole of Inaccessibility.jpg|thumb|The North-West portion of the North American Pole of Inaccessibility.]]
In [[North America]], the continental pole of inaccessibility is on the [[Pine Ridge Reservation]] in southwest [[South Dakota]] about {{convert|11|km|0|abbr=on}} north of the town of [[Allen, South Dakota|Allen]], {{convert|1650|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the nearest coastline at {{Coord|43.36|N|101.97|W|name=Pole of Inaccessibility North America}}.<ref name="Garcia2007" /> The first documented visit was in 2014 by two travelers and a local resident.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.penryfamily.com/surveying/poleofinaccessibility.html | title=Pole of Inaccessibility - North America }}</ref> The pole was marked in 2021 with a marker that represents the 7 Lakota Values and the four colors of the Lakota Medicine Wheel.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Henderson |first=Kyle |title=Marking the North American Pole of Inaccessibility |url=https://loving-the-world.squarespace.com/dayword/2021/7/13/north-american-pole-of-inaccessibility |date=July 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210713221659/https://loving-the-world.squarespace.com/dayword/2021/7/13/north-american-pole-of-inaccessibility |archive-date=13 July 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===South America===
In [[South America]], the continental pole of inaccessibility is in Brazil at {{Coord|14.05|S|56.85|W|name=Continental Pole of Inaccessibility in South America}}, near [[Arenápolis]], [[Mato Grosso]],<ref name="Garcia2007" /> {{convert|1504|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the nearest coastline. In 2017, [[the Turner Twins]] went from coastal Chile to the South American Pole of Inaccessibility, becoming the first adventurers to go from the nearest coastline to the pole by foot.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.countrylife.co.uk/out-and-about/interview-the-turner-twins-167649 |first=Rosie |last=Paterson |title=The Turner Twins on trekking to the Green Pole, avoiding disaster and 'fields of plastic stretching for miles' |work=[[Country Life (magazine)|Country Life]] |date=30 October 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110234250/http://www.countrylife.co.uk/out-and-about/interview-the-turner-twins-167649 |archive-date=10 January 2018}}</ref> In 2019, it was discovered that there is a second South American pole of inaccessibility to the north, its position varying greatly between the two coastline datasets used.<ref name="Barnes2019"/>

===Australia===
[[File:Pole of innaccessibility.jpg|thumb|Australian Pole of Inaccessibility]]
In [[Australia (continent)|Australia]], the continental pole of inaccessibility is located at {{Coord|23.17|S|132.27|E|name=Continental Pole of Inaccessibility of Australia}}<ref name="Garcia2007" />  {{convert|920|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the nearest coastline, approximately 161&nbsp;km (100 miles) west-northwest of [[Alice Springs]]. The nearest town is [[Papunya]], [[Northern Territory]], about {{convert|30|km|abbr=on}} west-southwest of the pole.