Penguins are found almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere. Major populations live in countries and regions such as Antarctica, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Chile, Namibia, New Zealand, and South Africa

. They inhabit a wide range of environments from the icy Antarctic coasts and sub-Antarctic islands to temperate and even tropical climates like the Galápagos Islands, where the Galápagos penguin lives near the equator

. Specifically, penguins are found:

• On Antarctic coasts and sub-Antarctic islands, where many species breed and live

• Along the southern coasts of South America, including Chile and Argentina

• In southern Africa and Namibia

• Around Australia and New Zealand, where some species originated and still thrive

• On islands in the Indian Ocean and other temperate regions

Penguins generally prefer islands and remote continental regions free from land predators and near nutrient-rich, cold-water currents that supply their food

. The only exception to their Southern Hemisphere distribution is the Galápagos penguin, which lives slightly north of the equator

. In summary, penguins are found primarily in the Southern Hemisphere across a variety of coastal and island habitats, ranging from the icy Antarctic to temperate and tropical waters