activity rare and weak
Note:
the coldest, windiest, highest, and driest continent

*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

*Antarctica, Government

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 17th
Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was in Venice in November 1992.
Currently, there are 41 treaty member nations: 26 consultative and 15
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 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 v