
Territorial claims of Antarctica

Antarctica territories

Brazil's Antarctica Territory
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. Brazil maintains the
Comandante Ferraz (the Brazilian Antarctic Base) and has proposed a theory to delimiting territories using meridians, which would give territories to Argentina, Uruguay, Peru and Ecuador too.
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.
List of Antarctic territories
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. The UK, France, Australia, New Zealand and Norway all recognise each others claims, which do not overlap.
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.
Non-officialized claims
Historic claims
See also
★
Antarctic Treaty System
★
Antarctica
★
History of Antarctica
★
List of antarctic and sub-antarctic islands
★
Brazil Antarctic Geopolitics