British Overseas Territory
British Overseas Territory in United Kingdom
The
British Antarctic Territory
(
BAT
) is a sector of
Antarctica
claimed by the
United Kingdom
as one of its 14
British Overseas Territories
, of which it is by far the largest by area. It comprises the region south of
60°S latitude
and between longitudes
20°W
and
80°W
, forming a wedge shape that extends to the
South Pole
, overlapped by the Antarctic claims of
Argentina
(
Argentine Antarctica
) and
Chile
(
Chilean Antarctic Territory
). The claim to the region has been suspended since the Antarctic Treaty came into force in 1961.
The Territory was formed on 3 March 1962, although the UK's claim to this portion of the Antarctic dates back to
letters patent
of 1908 and 1917. The area now covered by the Territory includes three regions which, before 1962, were administered by the British as separate dependencies of the
Falkland Islands
:
Graham Land
, the
South Orkney Islands
, and the
South Shetland Islands
. The United Kingdom's claim to the region has been suspended since the
Antarctic Treaty
came into force in 1961, Article 4 of which states "No acts or activities taking place while the present Treaty is in force shall constitute a basis for asserting, supporting or denying a claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica. No new claim, or enlargement of an existing claim, to territorial sovereignty, shall be asserted while the present Treaty is in force." Most countries do not recognise territorial claims in Antarctica.
[3]
[
failed verification
]
The United Kingdom has
ratified
the treaty.
The territory is inhabited by the staff of research and support stations operated and maintained by the
British Antarctic Survey
and other organisations, and stations of Argentina, Chile and other countries. There are no native inhabitants. In 2012, the southern part of the territory was named
Queen Elizabeth Land
in honour of
Queen Elizabeth II
.
History
[
edit
]
The United Kingdom has had a continuous presence in the far
South Atlantic
since 1833 when it reasserted sovereignty over the
Falkland Islands
. In 1908, the UK extended its territorial claim by declaring sovereignty over "
South Georgia
, the
South Orkneys
, the
South Shetlands
, the
Sandwich Islands
, and
Graham's Land
, situated in the South Atlantic Ocean and on the Antarctic continent to the south of the
50th parallel of south latitude
, and lying between the
20th
and the
80th degrees of west longitude
".
[4]
All these territories were administered as
Falkland Islands Dependencies
from
Stanley
by the
Governor of the Falkland Islands
.
In 1917, the wording of the claim was modified, so as to, among other things, unambiguously include all the territory in the sector stretching to the
South Pole
(thus encompassing all of the present-day British Antarctic Territory). The new claim covered "all islands and territories whatsoever between the 20th degree of west longitude and the
50th degree of west longitude
which are situated south of the 50th parallel of south latitude; and all islands and territories whatsoever between the 50th degree of west longitude and the 80th degree of west longitude which are situated south of the
58th parallel of south latitude
".
[4]
The United Kingdom also claimed
Victoria Land
in 1841 and
Enderby Land
in 1930. However, all territory between 160°E and 45°E was transferred to Australia in 1933. In 1943, at the height of
World War II
, the UK undertook a military operation known as
Operation Tabarin
to provide reconnaissance and meteorological information in the South Atlantic Ocean. This "secret" wartime project became the civilian Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey and later the
British Antarctic Survey
(BAS). BAS is responsible for most of the United Kingdom's scientific research in Antarctica. In the 1950s, the
Antarctic Treaty
was negotiated to demilitarise the region and retain Antarctica ? defined as all land and ice shelves south of
60°S
latitude ? for peaceful research purposes. The treaty was passed in 1961.
[
citation needed
]
Recognition
[
edit
]
The
Antarctic Treaty
, signed by all relevant regional claimants, does not in itself either recognise or dispute any territorial claims, leaving this matter to individual signatories.
[3]
Most of the world's countries do not recognise any national claims to Antarctica.
[5]
Australia
,
France
,
New Zealand
,
Norway
and the
United Kingdom
, all of whom have territorial claims on the continent, mutually recognise each other's claims.
[6]
[7]
Argentina and Chile dispute the British claim, and have their own claims that overlap both Britain's and each other's (see
Argentine Antarctica
and
Chilean Antarctic Territory
).
Geography
[
edit
]
Topography
[
edit
]
The British Antarctic Territory includes the
Antarctic Peninsula
, the
South Shetland Islands
,
South Orkney Islands
and numerous other offshore islands, the
Ronne Ice Shelf
(
Weddell Sea
), and parts of
Coats Land
. A 437,000-square-kilometre (169,000 sq mi) triangle of central Antarctica converging on the
South Pole
was named
Queen Elizabeth Land
in December 2012, in honour of the
Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II
.
[8]
[9]
Over 99 per cent of the territory's land surface is covered by a permanent ice sheet, up to about 5,000 metres (16,000 ft) thick.
[10]
The highest peak in BAT was thought to be
Mount Jackson
, on the Antarctic Peninsula, at 3,184 metres (10,446 ft).
[10]
However, in 2017
Mount Hope
was calculated to be taller at 3,239 metres (10,627 ft).
[11]
Vegetation
[
edit
]
There are very few plants in the British Antarctic Territories; most of them are
mosses
and
lichens
, but there are also two flowering plants: the
Antarctic hairgrass
and
Antarctic pearlwort
.
[12]
Wildlife
[
edit
]
Many bird species, including seven species of
penguin
breed in the British Antarctic Territories. The British Antarctic Territories are also home to six species of
seals
.
[12]
Oil and gas reserves
[
edit
]
In May 2024, it was reported that
Russia
had discovered extensive
oil
and
gas
reserves in the Antarctic, with a significant portion found in areas claimed by the United Kingdom. The estimated reserves, totaling 511 billion barrels of oil, raise concerns about potential drilling in a region protected by the Antarctic Treaty, which prohibits mineral and oil developments. While the UK's Foreign Office has expressed trust in Russia's assurance of conducting scientific research, critics argue that Russia's activities resemble oil and gas prospecting rather than genuine scientific endeavors and questioned The Foreign Office's management of the United Kingdom's Antarctic interests.
[13]
Administration
[
edit
]
The British Antarctic Territory is administered by the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
(FCO). A
Commissioner
is appointed and is always the Director of the FCO's Overseas Territories Directorate.
The Territory has a full suite of laws and legal and postal administrations. Given the provisions of the
Antarctic Treaty System
, the Territory does not enforce its laws on foreign nations who maintain scientific bases within the Territory. It is self-financing, with income from the sale of postage stamps and income tax.
The
Royal Navy
deploys the ice patrol ship,
HMS Protector
, in South Atlantic and Antarctic waters during the regional summer. The ship fulfills a variety of roles, including support for the
British Antarctic Survey
.
[14]
The British Antarctic Survey also operates the
RRS Sir David Attenborough
in the region during the Antarctic summer, a ship owned by the
Natural Environment Research Council
.
[15]
Nationality law
[
edit
]
The territory is fully a part of the British Overseas Territories for nationality purposes. It is possible to hold
British Overseas Territories citizenship
(BOTC) by virtue of a connection with the territory. Additionally, since the relevant provisions of the
British Overseas Territories Act 2002
came into force on 21 May 2002, a BOTC connected with the territory would also hold British citizenship.
Although this territory's
immigration
laws would not allow for
naturalisation
, a person born in the territory before 1983 would hold BOTC (and British citizenship) on that basis. British citizenship and BOTC would also extend to the first generation born overseas. Since
Emilio Palma
was born in the Antarctic territories claimed by the UK prior to 1983, he automatically had British nationality at birth. Since his parents were both Argentine citizens and he was born at an Argentine base, he was automatically granted Argentine citizenship by the Argentine government.
Changes to
British nationality law
from 1 January 1983 mean that a child born in the territory can only gain BOTC and/or British citizenship if his/her father or mother holds BOTC and/or British citizenship
or
if his/her father or mother is "ordinarily resident" in the territory in compliance with the relevant immigration legislation.
[16]
This effectively prevents any more children born in Argentine or Chilean bases within the area of the British claim being able to claim BOTC or British citizenship by virtue of being born within the territory.
Research stations
[
edit
]
The
British Antarctic Survey
has two permanently staffed facilities in the Territory:
Halley Research Station
and
Rothera Research Station
.
[17]
[18]
Signy Research Station
was operated from 1947 until 1996 and now is only staffed in the summer.
[19]
There are also two summer-only forward operating stations at
Fossil Bluff
and
Sky Blu
.
Faraday
was maintained until 1996, when it was sold to Ukraine and renamed
Akademik Vernadsky Station
.
[20]
Since 1996, the historic base at
Port Lockroy
on Goudier Island has been staffed by the
UK Antarctic Heritage Trust
during the Antarctic summer. Receiving about 10,000 visitors a year, it is one of the most visited sites on the continent. Visitors can tour the museum, buy souvenirs, post mail, and view the large
gentoo penguin
colony.
[21]
Argentine presence in the territory dates to the foundation of the
Orcadas Base
,
South Orkney Islands
, in 1903. A number of other nations maintain bases in the territory, many in the South Shetland Islands.
[10]
Postage stamps and coins
[
edit
]
Despite the lack of permanent inhabitants, the British Antarctic Territory issues its own postage stamps. While some are actually used by visiting tourists and resident scientists, the bulk are sold overseas to collectors. The first issue came in 1963, an engraved set with 15 values ranging from ½d to one pound, featuring a portrait of Queen Elizabeth overlooking various scenes of human activity in Antarctica. Several additional issues in the 1960s were followed by a decimalisation issue in 1971 produced by overprinting the 1963 stamps.
In 2008–2009, as part of the celebrations of the centenary of the 1908 British territorial claim, the British Antarctic Territory issued its first ever legal-tender coin.
[22]
Queen Elizabeth Land
[
edit
]
On 18 December 2012, the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
announced that the southern part of British Antarctic Territory has been named Queen Elizabeth Land in honour of
Queen Elizabeth II
in her
Diamond Jubilee
year. The area, the southern third of the territory, has an area of about 437,000 square kilometres (169,000 sq mi) – almost twice the size of the United Kingdom – and is roughly triangular in shape, with the
South Pole
at one apex and with the
20°W
and
80°W
lines of longitude forming the eastern and western boundaries. The northern boundary is formed by the
Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf
on the west and by
Coats Land
on the east.
The name "Queen Elizabeth Land" will be used in future on all British maps, but due to the unique status of Antarctica, it will be up to other countries to recognise the name if they see fit.
[23]
Argentina, which lays claim to part of the area, criticised the naming.
[24]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Who We Are"
.
British Antarctic Territory
. Retrieved
25 November
2022
.
- ^
Hendry, Ian; Dickson, Susan (2011).
British Overseas Territories Law
. Oxford: Hart Publishing. p. 299.
ISBN
9781849460194
.
- ^
a
b
"The Antarctic Treaty"
.
National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs
.
Archived
from the original on 19 May 2019.
- ^
a
b
Casarini, Maria Pia (1996).
"Activities in Antarctica Before the Conclusion of the Antarctic Treaty"
. In Francioni, Francesco; Scovazzi, Tullio (eds.).
International Law for Antarctica
(Second ed.). Kluwer Law International. p. 652.
ISBN
90-411-0364-3
.
LCCN
96054217
.
- ^
"The World Factbook ? Central Intelligence Agency"
. Retrieved
19 March
2017
.
- ^
Headland, Robert K. (1989).
Chronological List of Antarctic Expeditions and Related Historical Events
. Cambridge University Press.
ISBN
0-521-30903-4
.
LCCN
88037622
. Retrieved
13 August
2012
.
- ^
Cahoon, Ben.
"British Antarctic Territory"
.
Worldstatesmen.org
. Retrieved
13 August
2012
.
- ^
"UK to rename part of Antarctica Queen Elizabeth Land"
.
BBC News
. 18 December 2012.
Archived
from the original on 15 April 2014
. Retrieved
18 December
2012
.
- ^
Rayner, Gordon (18 December 2012).
"Part of Antarctica named 'Queen Elizabeth Land' as gift for Diamond Jubilee"
.
The Telegraph
.
Archived
from the original on 25 September 2015
. Retrieved
18 December
2012
.
- ^
a
b
c
British Antarctic Territory, Country Facts
Archived
12 March 2011 at the
Wayback Machine
, Foreign & Commonwealth Office
- ^
New satellite imagery reveals new highest Antarctic Peninsula Mountain
British Antarctic Survey
, 11 December 2017
- ^
a
b
Commonwealth Secretariat Website
Archived
5 June 2011 at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
Leake, Jonathan (11 May 2024).
"Russia finds vast oil and gas reserves in British Antarctic territory"
.
The Telegraph
.
ISSN
0307-1235
. Retrieved
13 May
2024
.
- ^
"HMS Protector (A173) | Royal Navy"
.
- ^
"RRS Sir David Attenborough"
.
British Antarctic Survey
. Retrieved
31 December
2022
.
- ^
British Nationality Act 1981, s.1, s.15 & s.50
- ^
"Research Stations in Antarctica"
.
British Antarctic Survey
. Retrieved
7 September
2008
.
- ^
Extreme Engineering: the challenges of working in Antarctica
Archived
2 October 2011 at the
Wayback Machine
,
Ingenia
, September 2005.
- ^
"Signy Research Station"
.
British Antarctic Survey
. Archived from
the original
on 3 March 2011
. Retrieved
7 September
2008
.
- ^
"Faraday Station - History"
.
British Antarctic Survey
. Archived from
the original
on 18 May 2013
. Retrieved
7 September
2008
.
- ^
"Port Lockroy"
.
UK Antarctic Heritage Trust
. Archived from
the original
on 21 May 2008
. Retrieved
7 September
2008
.
- ^
"The British Antarctic Territory Currency"
.
United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust
.
Archived
from the original on 19 April 2010.
- ^
"The Foreign Secretary has announced that the southern part of British Antarctic Territory has been named Queen Elizabeth Land"
.
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
. 18 December 2012.
Archived
from the original on 7 July 2013
. Retrieved
18 December
2012
.
- ^
"Argentina angry after Antarctic territory named after Queen"
.
BBC News
. 22 December 2012.
Archived
from the original on 15 January 2013
. Retrieved
22 December
2012
.
External links
[
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]
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- 23. Since 2009 part of
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
; Ascension Island (1922?) and Tristan da Cunha (1938?) were previously dependencies of Saint Helena.
- 24. Claimed in 1908; territory formed 1962; overlaps portions of Argentine and Chilean claims, borders not enforced but claim not renounced under the
Antarctic Treaty
.
- 25. Claimed in 1908; territory formed 1985
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