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In the Antarctic
Polar Politics
T
he Antarctic Treaty
has brought peace to
Antarctica. At the South
Pole station flags of
Treaty members fly as a
reminder of the benefits
to be had from
co-operation.
T
he politics of Antarctica could
not be more different from the
Arctic. No countries border Antarctica
as they do the Arctic.
How to Claim a New Land
Various countries claim parts of
Antarctica. Some areas, such as the
Antarctic Peninsula, are claimed by
more than one country. Different ways
are used to prove a piece of land
belongs to you. One is to say you were
the first to discover it. In Antarctica
most explorers claimed the place
where they landed for their country.
Another way is to say how much
you have seen. In 1960 the USA
claimed that their explorers had flown
over more of Antarctica than any other
nation. Dropping markers from
aircraft was also used. Wherever the
markers fell, land was claimed.
Slices of the Cake
The first formal claim to part of
Antarctica was made by the British
government in 1908. In all seven
nations have made claims, some of
which overlap. In 1950 much of
Antarctica was still unknown, yet
anger was building between various
countries with overlapping claims. The
USA and former USSR were also
thinking of making claims. The USA
wanted to claim all Antarctica.
The Scientists’ Success
Fortunately, scientists took the lead
and worked together for the
International Geophysical Year (see
page 38). The scientists agreed they
had no interest in claiming land.
The year was so successful that
the scientists wanted to continue. They
formed the Scientific Committee for
Antarctic Research, SCAR for short,
in 1958. This group has kept nations
working together for Antarctic science.
The scientists’ success led
directly to the Antarctic Treaty. Twelve
countries worked very hard for two
years to prepare the Treaty. It was
signed on December 1, 1959 and came
into force in 1961. The Treaty is one of
the great international agreements. It
brought peace to Antarctica.
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