seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica
as national territory (some claims overlap) and 21 non-claimant
nations; the US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims;
the US does not recognize the claims of others; Antarctica is
administered through meetings of the consultative member nations;
decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member
nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in
accordance with their own national laws; the year in parentheses
indicates when an acceding nation was accepted as a consultative
member, 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), Ukraine (1992), Uruguay (1985), and the US;
non-consultative members, with year of accession in parentheses, are
- Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech
Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987),
Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New
Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1993), Switzerland (1990),
Turkey (1995), 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, 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 and reserves high seas rights;
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 expedi