Antarctica stands as a vague idea to the majority of Americans, even to those who are great travelers. Granted, Antarctica is a dark, frigid, obscured void littered with stations set up to conduct research. In many ways this continent is very unique. For one thing, war and even weapons have been banned there by agreement of the world's nations, the United States included.
Antarctica covers a complete continent which is basically unknown to man 163 years after sealers first discovered it in the early 1800's. Antarctica proves to be as big as both Mexico and the United States together. A humongous icecap covers 98 percent of the land. Antarctica has untold and undiscovered resources and this makes the continent extremely unusual as compared to any other.
Those resources include oil and minerals that may be buried under Antarctica's ice covering or offshore, plus the krill that abound in the waters around Antarctica and are high in protein. Another characteristic of Antarctica is the sheer repose as far as the eye can see. For years Antarctica has been ruled peacefully with no conflicts. So far there is nothing on the political horizon that seems to be at risk for threatening that.
From the 1940s, to the 30s and then the 20s, Antarctica experienced a time of competing international activities rather that just its quiet scientific studies. A majority of the governments who were sending explorers into Antarctica eventually reached the conclusion that battling for resources in the dark, cold, and tempestuous oceans was simply too high of a price to pay. Military actions in Antarctica would be very expensive and difficult in Antarctica's hostile environment. Even though there was an informal agreement, a treaty was finally formalized between the nations in 1959 with the signing of the Antarctic Treaty.
The Antarctic Treaty was signed by the twelve countries whose scientists had been active in Antarctica during the 1957-1958 International Geophysical Year (IGY). During that year, the nations decided that it was better to work together in Antarctica, with science as the defining goal of their cooperation.
As a result, The Antarctic Treaty demilitarized the region. The only time that military forces can be sent to Antarctica is to give support to scientific studies. The storage of radioactive wastes, explosion of atomic weapons and all military action is strictly precluded. The agreement further has a clause allowing unilateral on-site inspection, which is the only such arms control treaty provision in force. Scientific expeditions are permitted to travel to any section of the continent, such that, even with present unresolved territorial claims, there is no prohibition of anyone traveling to any portion of the continent or anywhere in the offshore waters.
Antarctica is largely unaffected by the United Nations. The members of the treaty have actually opposed U.N. involvement on the continent. Those who designed and abide by the treaty devised a highly workable system of administration, which handles expeditions, environmental protection, and science. The treaty also negotiates resource allocation quite adeptly.
It was not long ago that Antarctica had the potential to be a point of serious contention among wealthier nations and the areas of the world which were developing. Recent political evolutions have proven interesting. Additional nations are beginning to request admission into the Antarctic Treaty, including China, India, and some Latin countries as well.
In the very recent past some of the Latin countries have joined the treaty as "acceding powers." This means that they have agreed to the terms of the treaty without voting rights as they have no scientific activity underway in Antarctica. These developing countries are now involved with protecting Antarctica.
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