Antarctic territories
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Territorial claims on the continent
Image:Antarctica.jpgImage:Antarctica territories.jpg Several nations, particularly those close to the continent, made territorial claims in the 20th century. These claims have little practical relevance due to the Antarctic Treaty, which came into effect in 1961, but continue to be observed by cartographers.
Most countries that have observation or study facilities in Antarctica have those facilities within their claimed territory. The Antarctic Treaty defers these claims and most other nations do not recognize them. No other nations have made claims themselves, although the United States and Russia assert the right to do so. All claim areas except Peter I Island (see below) are sectors extending to the South Pole, the borders of which are defined by degrees of longitude. In terms of latitude, the northern border is the 60° S parallel that does not cut through any piece of land, continent or island, which is the northern limit of the Antarctic treaty. The southern border of all sectors collapses in one point, the South Pole.
- Argentina: 25°W to 74°W; overlaps Chilean and British claims; claimed 1943 as Argentinian Antarctica (Antártida Argentina), one of the four departments of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica, and South Atlantic Islands province
- Australia: 160°E to 142°02'E and 136°11'E to 44°38'E; claimed in 1933 as the Australian Antarctic Territory, one of Australia's seven external territories
- Chile: 53°W to 90°W; Overlaps Argentine and British Claims; claimed 1940, as Comuna de la Antártica, one of the two municipalities of Antártica Chilena Province
- France: 142°02'E to 136°'11'E; claimed 1924 as Adelie Land (Terre Adélie), one of the four districts of the French Southern Territories
- New Zealand: 150°W to 160°E; claimed 1923 as Ross Dependency, a territory of New Zealand
- Norway:
- 44°38'E to 20°W; claimed 1939 as Dronning Maud Land (Queen Maud Land), a Norwegian territory
- Norway: Peter I Island at 68°50'S, 90°35'W, claimed 1929, the only Antarctic claim area that is not a sector; a Norwegian territory
- United Kingdom: 20°W to 80°W; overlaps Argentine and Chilean claims; claimed 1908 as British Antarctic Territory, one of the British overseas territories
No formal claims have been made in the sector between 90°W and 150°W, except for the Norwegian claim to Peter I Island (see above).
Besides, Brazil declared in 1986 the sector between 28°W to 53°W (Brazilian Antarctica (Antártica Brasileira) [1][2][3]; overlaps Argentine and British claims) as its Zone of Interest (informal claim).
Historic claims
- Germany (as the Third Reich): 20°E to 10°W; overlapped Norwegian claim; claimed 1939–1945 as New Swabia (Neuschwabenland)
- South Africa: unverified claim; supposed period 1963–1994 as South African Antarctica. Location unknown. [4][5]
Claims on antarctic and sub-antarctic islands
- Alexander Island, claimed by the United Kingdom, Chile and Argentina
- Amsterdam Island (FR)
- Antipodes Islands (NZ)
- Auckland Islands (NZ)
- Balleny Islands claimed by New Zealand
- Bounty Islands (NZ)
- Bouvet Island (NO)
- Coulman Island, claimed by New Zealand
- Crozet Islands (FR)
- Falkland Islands (UK claimed by Argentina
- Heard Island (AUS)
- Kerguelen Islands (FR)
- Macquarie Island (AUS)
- McDonald Islands (AUS)
- Peter I Island, claimed by Norway
- Roosevelt Island, claimed by New Zealand
- Ross Island, claimed by New Zealand
- Saint-Paul Island (FR)
- Scott Island, claimed by New Zealand
- Snares Islands (NZ)
- South Georgia (UK de facto claimed by ARG)
- South Orkney Islands (under the Antarctic Treaty, ARG de facto claimed by UK)
- South Sandwich Islands (UK claimed by ARG)
- South Shetland Islands (claimed by ARG/CHI/UK under the Antarctic Treaty)
See: List of antarctic and sub-antarctic islands
See also
Sources and References
![[2]](http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/islands_oceans_poles/antarctica_research_station.gif){kind=link}
