Antarctic territorial claims

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Territorial claims of Antarctica

Antarctica territories

Currently there are seven claimant nations who maintain a territorial claim on eight territories in Antarctica. These countries have tended to site their scientific observation and study facilities in Antarctica within their claimed territory.

It is sometimes stated that the Antarctic Treaty defers or suspends these claims. However, Article IV of the treaty, which deals with the issue of territorial claims, merely specifies that previously asserted claims are not affected by the treaty.

It states that:

Contracting to the Treaty is not a renunciation of any previous territorial claim.
Does not affect the basis of claims made as a result of activities of the signatory nation within Antarctica.
Does not affect the rights of a State under customary international law to recognise (or refuse to recognise) any other territorial claim.

What the treaty does affect are new claims:

No activities occurring after 1961 can be the basis of a territorial claim.
No new claim can be made.
No claim can be enlarged.

The Soviet Union and the United States both filed reservations against the restriction on new claims, and the United States and Russia assert their right to make claims in the future if they so choose.

In general, territorial claims below the 60° S parallel have only been recognised between those countries making claims in the area. However, claims are often indicated on maps of Antarctica - this does not signify de jure recognition.

All claim areas except Peter I Island (see below) are sectors, the borders of which are defined by degrees of longitude. In terms of latitude, the northern border of all sectors, except the Norwegian, is the 60° S parallel which does not cut through any piece of land, continent or island, and is also the northern limit of the Antarctic Treaty. The southern border of all sectors, except the Norwegian, collapses in one point, the South Pole.

[edit] List of Antarctic territories

Flag	Territory	Claimant	Claim limits	Date
	Adelie Land	France	142°2′E to 136°11′E	1924
	Argentine Antarctica	Argentina	25°W to 74°W	1943
	Australian Antarctic Territory	Australia	160°E to 142°2′E and 136°11′E to 44°38′E	1933
	Antártica Chilena Province	Chile	53°W to 90°W	1940
	British Antarctic Territory	United Kingdom	20°W to 80°W	1908
	Dronning Maud Land	Norway	44°38′E to 20°W	1939
	Peter I Island	Norway	68°50′S 90°35′W	1929
	Ross Dependency	New Zealand	150°W to 160°E	1923
Unclaimed territory			90°W to 150°W (except the Peter I Island)

The South Orkney Islands fall within the territory claimed by Argentina and United Kingdom; and the South Shetland Islands fall within the areas claimed by Argentina, Chile, and the United Kingdom.

Prior to 1962, British Antarctic Territory was a dependency of the Falkland Islands and also included South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The Antarctic areas became a separate overseas territory following the ratification of the Antarctic Treaty. South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands remained a dependency of the Falkland Islands until 1985 when they too became a separate overseas territory.