ica; other seismic activity rare and weak
international agreements:
NA
Note:
the coldest, windiest, highest, and driest continent; during summer
more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South Pole than is
received at the Equator in an equivalent period; mostly uninhabitable

@Antarctica, People

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are seasonally staffed
research stations
Summer (January) population:
over 4,115 total; 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, NZ 264, Norway 23, Peru 39, Poland NA, South Africa
79, Spain 43, Sweden 10, UK 116, Uruguay NA, US 1,666, former USSR 565
(1989-90)
Winter (July) population:
over 1,046 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, former USSR 313 (1989-90)
Year-round stations:
42 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, former USSR 6
(1990-91)
Summer only stations:
over 38 total; Argentina 7, Australia 3, Chile 5, Germany 3, India 1,
Italy 1, Japan 4, NZ 2, Norway 1, Peru 1, South Africa 1, Spain 1,
Sweden 2, UK 1, US numerous, former USSR 5 (1989-90); note - the
disintegration of the former USSR 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
Names:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Antarctica
Digraph:
AY
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 18th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was in Japan
in April 1993. Currently, there are 42 treaty member nations: 26
consultative and 16 acceding. Consultative (voting) members include
the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national
territory (some claims overlap) and 19 nonclaimant nations. The US and
some other natio