Antarctica territories

1 Territorial claims on the continent
2 Historic claims
3 Claims on antarctic and sub-antarctic islands
4 See also

Territorial claims on the continent

Territorial claims of Antarctica

Antarctica territories

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).

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