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Antarctica - CIA 1992
Antarctica
The following is the entry for Antarctica from the CIA World Fact Book,
1992 edition.
:Antarctica Geography
Total area:
14,000,000 km2 (est.)
Land area:
about 14,000,000 km2
Comparative area:
slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US; second-smallest continent
(after Australia)
Land boundaries:
none, but see entry on Disputes
Coastline:
17,968 km
Maritime claims:
none, but see entry on Disputes
Disputes:
Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctic Treaty Summary below);
sections (some overlapping) claimed by Argentina,
Australia,
Chile, France (Adelie Land),
New Zealand
(Ross Dependency), Norway (Queen Maud Land), and
UK; the US and Russia do not recognize the territorial claims of other
nations and have made no claims themselves (but reserve the right to do so);
no formal claims have been made in the sector between 90. west and 150.
west, where, because of floating ice, Antarctica is unapproachable from the
sea
Climate:
severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the
ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher
elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher
temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below
freezing
Terrain:
about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average
elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to 4,897
meters high; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land,
Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and Ross Island on McMurdo Sound;
glaciers form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating
ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent
Natural resources:
none presently exploited; iron, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum,
and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small,
uncommercial quantities
Land use:
no arable land and no plant growth; ice 98%, barren rock 2%
Environment:
mostly uninhabitable; katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from
the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; a
circumpolar ocean current flows clockwise along the coast as do cyclonic
storms that form over the ocean; during summer more solar radiation reaches
the surface at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an
equivalent period; in October 1991 it was reported that the ozone shield,
which protects the Earth's surface from harmful ultraviolet radiation, had
dwindled to its lowest level ever over Antarctica; active volcanism on
Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic
activity rare and weak
Note:
the coldest, windiest, highest, and driest continent
:Antarctica People
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants; staffing of research stations varies seasonally
Population:
Summer (January) population:
4,115; Argentina 207,
Australia
268, Belgium 13, Brazil 80, Chile 256, China
NA, Ecuador NA, Finland 11, France 78, Germany 32, Greenpeace 12, India 60,
Italy 210, Japan 59, South Korea 14, Netherlands 10,
New Zealand 264,
Norway 23, Peru 39, Poland NA, South Africa 79, Spain 43, Sweden 10, UK 116,
Uruguay NA, US 1,666, Russia 565 (1989-90)
Summer only stations:
over 40; Argentina 7,
Australia 3,
Chile 5, Germany 3, India 1, Italy 1, Japan 4,
New Zealand 2,
Norway 1, Peru 1, South Africa 1, Spain 1, Sweden 2,
UK 1, US numerous, Russia 5 (1989-90); note - the disintegration of the
former Soviet Union has placed the status and future of its Antarctic
facilities in doubt. Stations may be subject to closings at any time because
of ongoing economic difficulties.
Winter (July) population:
1,066 total; Argentina 150,
Australia 71,
Brazil 12, Chile 73, China NA,
France 33, Germany 19, Greenpeace 5, India 1, Japan 38, South Korea 14, NZ
11, Poland NA, South Africa 12, UK 69, Uruguay NA, US 225, Russia 313
(1989-90)
Year-round stations:
43 total; Argentina 6,
Australia 3,
Brazil 1, Chile 3, China 2, Finland 1,
France 1, Germany 1, India 1, Japan 2, South Korea 1, NZ 1, Poland 1, South
Africa 3, UK 5, Uruguay 1, US 3, Russia 6 (1990-91)
:Antarctica Government
Long-form name:
none
Type:
Antarctic Treaty Summary: 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 purposes
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. 00' 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
Article 12, 13, 14:
deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved
nations
Other agreements:
more than 170 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; in 1991 the Protocol on Environmental
Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed and awaits ratification; 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 also prohibits
all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research
:Antarctica Economy
Overview:
No economic activity at present except for fishing off the coast and
small-scale tourism, both based abroad.
:Antarctica Communications
Ports:
none; offshore anchorage only at most coastal stations
Airports:
41 airport facilities at different locations operated by 14 national
governments party to the Treaty; one additional air facility operated by
commercial (nongovernmental) tourist organization; helicopter pads at 28 of
these locations; runways at 9 locations are gravel, sea ice, glacier ice, or
compacted snow surface suitable for wheeled fixed-wing aircraft; no paved
runways; 16 locations have snow-surface skiways limited to use by
ski-equipped planes - 9 runways/skiways 1,000 to 3,000 m, 4 runways/skiways
less than 1,000 m, 5 runways/skiways greater than 3,000 m, and 7 of
unspecified or variable length; airports generally subject to severe
restrictions and limitations resulting from extreme seasonal and geographic
conditions
:Antarctica Defense Forces
Note:
none; Article 7 of the Antarctic Treaty states that advance notice of all
military activities and the introduction of military personnel must be given
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