Victoria Land in the context of "Scott Island"

The Ross Dependency is a region of Antarctica defined by a sector originating at the South Pole, passing along longitudes 160° east to 150° west, and terminating at latitude 60° south. It is claimed by New Zealand, a claim mutually accepted only by Australia, the UK, France and Norway, which are countries that also have territorial claims in Antarctica. Under the 1961 Antarctic Treaty, of which all territorial claimants are signatories, including New Zealand, all claims are held in abeyance. Article IV states: "No acts or activities taking place while the present Treaty is in force shall constitute a basis for asserting, supporting or denying a claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica or create any rights of sovereignty in Antarctica".

The Dependency takes its name from Sir James Clark Ross, who discovered the Ross Sea and includes part of Victoria Land, and most of the Ross Ice Shelf. Ross, Balleny, Scott and Roosevelt Islands also form part of the Dependency.

77°28′S 162°31′E / 77.467°S 162.517°E / -77.467; 162.517

The McMurdo Dry Valleys are a series of largely snow-free desert valleys on the continental coastline of Victoria Land, Antarctica, east of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet and west of McMurdo Sound and the Ross Sea. The Dry Valleys are notable for being the coldest and driest desert in the world, as well as being the largest ice-free region in Antarctica; as a result, the Valleys have become a notable hotbed for scientific research in the Antarctic region. The Dry Valleys' unique climate is due to their location nestled within the Transantarctic Mountains along with high-pressure katabatic winds that scour away snowfall and humidity across the region. Surrounding mountains prevent the flow of ice from nearby glaciers. The region's geology is primarily granites and gneisses, and glacial tills dot the bedrock landscape, with loose gravel covering the ground. The Valleys are one of the driest places on Earth, though there are several anecdotal accounts of rainfall within the Dry Valleys.

The Ross Sea is a deep bay of the Southern Ocean in Antarctica, between Victoria Land and Marie Byrd Land and within the Ross Embayment, and is the southernmost sea on Earth. It derives its name from the British explorer James Clark Ross who visited this area in 1841. To the west of the sea lies Ross Island and Victoria Land, to the east Roosevelt Island and Edward VII Peninsula in Marie Byrd Land, while the southernmost part is covered by the Ross Ice Shelf, and is about 200 miles (320 km) from the South Pole. Its boundaries and area have been defined by the New Zealand National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research as having an area of 637,000 square kilometres (246,000 sq mi).

The circulation of the Ross Sea is dominated by a wind-driven ocean gyre and the flow is strongly influenced by three submarine ridges that run from southwest to northeast. The circumpolar deep water current is a relatively warm, salty and nutrient-rich water mass that flows onto the continental shelf at certain locations. The Ross Sea is covered with ice for most of the year.

Terra Nova Bay (74°50′0″S 164°30′0″E / 74.83333°S 164.50000°E / -74.83333; 164.50000) is a bay which is often ice free, about 40 nautical miles (74 km; 46 mi) long, lying between Cape Washington and the Drygalski Ice Tongue along the coast of Victoria Land, Antarctica. It was discovered by the British National Antarctic Expedition (known as the Discovery Expedition) under Robert Falcon Scott, 1901–1904, and named by him after Terra Nova, one of the relief ships for the expedition.

The Italian permanent Zucchelli Station is located in the bay, as is the Jang Bogo Station of South Korea. The Chinese Qinling Station on Inexpressible Island, opened in 2024, is their fifth station in Antarctica.

The Transantarctic Mountains (abbreviated TAM) comprise a mountain range of uplifted rock (primarily sedimentary) in Antarctica which extends, with some interruptions, across the continent from Cape Adare in northern Victoria Land to Coats Land. These mountains divide East Antarctica and West Antarctica. They include a number of separately named mountain groups, which are often again subdivided into smaller ranges.

The range was first sighted by James Clark Ross in 1841 at what was later named the Ross Ice Shelf in his honour. It was first crossed during the British National Antarctic Expedition of 1901-1904.