Antarctica stands alone as the only continent devoid of permanent human habitation. Despite this, there are permanent human outposts where scientists and support staff inhabit these remote regions on a year-round rotating basis.
The continent of Antarctica encompasses the vast majority of the Antarctic expanse. This cold and remote area, located in the Southern Hemisphere, is bounded by the Antarctic Convergence—an irregular line of latitude where cold, southward-flowing Antarctic waters meet the warmer waters of the world’s oceans. Antarctica covers approximately 20 percent of the southern hemisphere.
Antarctica has no state, but seven different countries lay territorial claims over this frozen area.
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List of territorial ownership of countries in Antarctica
As mentioned earlier, seven nations claim territorial ownership in Antarctica. These nations include:
- France (Land Adélie)
- United Kingdom (British Antarctic Territory)
- New Zealand (depending on Ross)
- Norway (Peter I Island and Queen Maud Land)
- Australia (Australian Antarctic Territory)
- Chile (Chilean Antarctic Territory)
- Argentina (Argentine Antarctica)
While France first laid claim to part of the continent in 1840, most claims materialized in the early to mid-1900s, thanks to the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Norway, Australia, Chile, Argentina and Germany.
By 1959, twelve countries had jointly drafted the 1959 Antarctic Treaty: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the USSR (Russia), the United Kingdom, and the United States. This treaty entered into force in 1961 and collected the signatures of 54 countries by 2021. The Antarctic Treaty designates the continent as a neutral territory exclusively intended for peaceful scientific activities.
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Regions in Antarctica
Most of Antarctica is covered in perpetual snow, with winter temperatures dropping as low as -76°F (-60°C). The harsh climate and conditions of Antarctica have prevented human colonization, keeping the land an open space largely devoid of territorial disputes.
Here is a list of regions in Antarctica:
1. South Orkney Islands
Located in the Southern Ocean, 604 kilometers north of the Antarctic Peninsula, this region has been under British sovereignty as part of the British Antarctic Territory since 1962.
2. Enderby Land
Stretching from Edward VIII Bay in the east to Queen Maud Land in the west, this area comprises 2,000 square kilometers of ice-free coastal land. Due to its remoteness and limited visits, information on the flora and fauna of the region remains scarce. However, research has revealed the presence of spring worms, tardigrades and nematodes, over 20 species of liverworts and mosses, and 30 species of lichens.
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3. Ellsworth Land
Located between the Bellingshausen Sea and the Ronne Ice Sheet, this subregion was discovered by Lincoln Ellsworth and Herbert Hollick-Keyon during their pioneering Antarctic crossing. It boasts several isolated ice-free areas, primarily on mountain tops. Scientific research in this region has been rare, but data show low plant diversity, with only 40 species of lichens and five species of mosses.
4. Adélie Land
Stretching from the coast of the Southern Ocean to the South Pole, this subregion was discovered in 1840 by French explorer Jules Dumont D’Urville, who named it in honor of his wife. In 1952, France assumed administrative control over the French Southern Antarctic Districts and established a meteorological station in the area. Adélie Land experiences katabatic winds that push sea ice further offshore.
Marie Byrd Country
This expansive, uncharted territory covers over 1,600,000 square kilometers. It was named after the wife of Richard E. Byrd, the first naval officer to explore the region in the 20th century. Located south of the Pacific Ocean and east of the Ross Sea, the region has predominantly lichens and non-living aquatic algae as its vegetation. Among the notable organisms is the lichen Buellia frigida, known for its resistance in extreme conditions, often used in experiments simulating space conditions. Invertebrates in this Antarctic region include nematodes, springtails, mites and rotifers.
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Queen Maud Land
Covering a land area of 2.7 million square kilometers, this region borders the Australian Antarctic Territory to the east and the British Antarctic Territory to the west. Hjlmar Riiser-Larsen, a Norwegian citizen, is believed to have set foot in the area first. In 1939, the area was placed under the Norwegian administration of the protectorate. The vast majority of Queen Maud Land is covered by ice sheets, with limited pockets of flora growing primarily on mountain ranges.
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Source: vcmp.edu.vn