How do ice caps differ from ice sheets?

The primary difference between an ice sheet and an ice cap is their physical scale. Both are types of glaciers that form on land and move outward in all directions, but they are categorized based on their total area.12

• Ice Sheets: These are massive, continuous expanses of ice that cover large landmasses, such as Antarctica or Greenland. By definition, an ice sheet must exceed 50,000 square kilometers (approximately 19,000 square miles) in area.12
• Ice Caps: These are essentially smaller versions of ice sheets. They are defined as masses of perennial ice that are similar in nature to ice sheets but cover a smaller total area.12

Both formations originate through the compaction and recrystallization of snow over many years. While ice sheets are vast enough to cover significant portions of continents, ice caps are typically found in high-latitude regions, such as parts of Arctic Canada.324