Which Norwegian explorer reached the South Pole first, in December 1911?

Roald Amundsen was the Norwegian explorer who reached the South Pole first, in December 1911. His expedition arrived on 14 December 1911, beating the British expedition led by Robert Falcon Scott.

Amundsen’s success depended on careful preparation and experience in polar travel. His team used dogs and sledges, selected a route across the Ross Ice Shelf and the Transantarctic Mountains, and established supply depots before the final journey. Five men reached the Pole with him.

Scott’s party arrived about a month later and died during the return journey. Amundsen had originally planned an Arctic expedition, but changed his objective after news that the North Pole had already been claimed. He later became the first person to reach both polar regions, although the details of some early polar claims remain historically debated.