The Antarctic Treaty reserves the continent for peaceful purposes and sets aside territorial claims

Background

The Antarctic Treaty was signed in Washington on 1 December 1959 by the twelve countries whose scientists had been active in and around Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957-58. It entered into force in 1961 and has since been acceded to by many other nations. Article I provides that Antarctica shall be used for peaceful purposes only. Article II provides that freedom of scientific investigation in Antarctica and cooperation toward that end shall continue, and Article III that scientific observations and results from Antarctica shall be exchanged and made freely available. Seven of the signatories - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom - had territorial claims, sometimes overlapping, and other countries do not recognize any claims. Article IV preserves the status quo: no acts or activities taking place while the treaty is in force shall constitute a basis for asserting, supporting or denying a claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica, and no new claim or enlargement of an existing claim shall be asserted while the treaty is in force. Under Article VII all areas of Antarctica, including all stations, installations and equipment within those areas, shall be open at all times to inspection.