Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Antarctica
Data code: AY
Government type: Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic
Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June
1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica.
Administration is carried out through consultative member meetings
- the 23rd Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was in Peru in
May 1999. At the end of 1999, there were 44 treaty member nations:
27 consultative and 17 acceding. Consultative (voting) members include
the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national
territory (some claims overlap) and 20 nonclaimant nations. The
US and some other nations that have made no claims have reserved
the right to do so. The US does not recognize the claims of others.
The year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was voted
to full consultative (voting) status, while no date indicates the
country was an original 1959 treaty signatory. Claimant nations
are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway,
and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil
(1983), Bulgaria (1998) China (1985), Ecuador (1990), Finland (1989),
Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987), Japan, South Korea (1989),
Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland (1977), Russia, South Africa,
Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Uruguay (1985), and the US. Acceding
(nonvoting) members, with year of accession in parentheses, are
- Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1988), Cuba (1984), Czech
Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991),
Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania
(1971), Slovakia (1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1995), Ukraine
(1992), and Venezuela (1999). Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful
purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited,
but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific
research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific
investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange
of information and personnel in cooperation with the UN and other
international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute,
or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted
while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions
or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the
treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south;
Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial
observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations,
and equipment; advance notice of all activities and of the introduction
of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction
over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent
consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10
- treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica
that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled
peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ;
Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending
the treaty among involved nations. Other agreements - some 200 recommendations
adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments
include - Agreed Measures for the Conservation of Antarctic Fauna
and Flora (1964); Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals
(1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living
Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988
but was subsequently rejected; the Protocol on Environmental Protection
to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into
force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection
of the Antarctic environment through five specific annexes on marine
pollution, fauna, and flora, environmental impact assessments, waste
management, and protected areas; it prohibits all activities relating
to mineral resources except scientific research.
Legal system: US law, including certain criminal offenses
by or against US nationals, such as murder, may apply to areas not
under jurisdiction of other countries. Some US laws directly apply
to Antarctica. For example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C.
section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties for
the following activities, unless authorized by regulation of statute:
the taking of native mammals or birds; the introduction of nonindigenous
plants and animals; entry into specially protected or scientific
areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants; and the importation
into the US of certain items from Antarctica. Violation of the Antarctic
Conservation Act carries penalties of up to $10,000 in fines and
one year in prison. The Departments of Treasury, Commerce, Transportation,
and Interior share enforcement responsibilities. Public Law 95-541,
the US Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, requires expeditions
from the US to Antarctica to notify, in advance, the Office of Oceans
and Polar Affairs, Room 5801, Department of State, Washington, DC
20520, which reports such plans to other nations as required by
the Antarctic Treaty. For more information, contact Permit Office,
Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, Arlington,
Virginia 22230; telephone: (703) 306-1031, or see their website
at www.nsf.gov.
|
