Damon Mcknight
Australia claims sovereignty over 42% of the Antarctic continent, which is the largest sector of Antarctica claimed by any country. This claim is recognised by only four sovereign states: New Zealand, France, Norway, and the United Kingdom. The Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT) covers nearly 5.9 million square kilometres, which is about 80% of the size of Australia itself. Australia's claim to the AAT dates back to the transfer of sovereignty from Britain in 1933, and the country has a long history of Antarctic expeditions and exploration.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Area covered | 5.9 million square kilometres |
| Percentage of Antarctica | 42% |
| Size relative to Australia | 80% of mainland Australia |
| Size relative to other countries | Twice the size of Queen Maud Land, India, Argentina or Kazakhstan |
| Number of districts | 9 |
| Number of research stations | 3 (Mawson, Davis, and Casey) |
| Number of countries that recognise Australia's claim | 4 (New Zealand, France, Norway, and the United Kingdom) |
| Number of countries that reject Australia's claim | At least 2 (the US and Russia) |
| Number of countries with territorial claims in Antarctica | 7 (Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom) |
| Number of territorial claims in Antarctica | 8 |
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What You'll Learn
Australia claims 42% of Antarctica
Australia claims 42% of the Antarctic continent, which equates to nearly 5.9 million square kilometres. This claim is recognised by only four sovereign states: New Zealand, France, Norway, and the United Kingdom. The Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT) is a part of East Antarctica claimed as an external territory by Australia.
The territory's history dates back to a claim on Enderby Land made by the United Kingdom in 1841, which was subsequently transferred to Australia in 1933 and came into effect in 1936. Australia has a long association with this part of the continent, with Douglas Mawson leading a group of Australians and New Zealanders in the 1911–1914 Australasian Antarctic Expedition. They had bases at Commonwealth Bay (south of Tasmania) and the Shackleton Ice Shelf (south of Perth). Mawson also claimed sovereignty over the Australian Antarctic Territory as British territory during this expedition.
The AAT consists of all the islands and territories south of 60°S and between 44°38′E and 160°E, except for Adélie Land (136°E to 142°E), which is French territory. The territory is divided into nine districts, with the Australian Antarctic Division administering the area primarily within the Mawson, Davis, and Casey research stations. The population of the AAT is almost negligible, with only around 80 to 200 research staff inhabiting the territory in its research stations.
Australia's claim to the AAT has been questioned by some, with the Lowy Institute warning that Australia cannot adequately patrol its claim due to a lack of ski-planes needed to access certain areas. Additionally, states such as the US and Russia have disputed Australia's claim, possibly to reserve their rights to claim their own title in the future. However, Professor Shirley Scott of UNSW Canberra has argued that the lack of recognition by other states is irrelevant to Australia's legal claim.
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Only four countries recognise Australia's claim
Australia claims ownership of about 42% of the Antarctic continent, which is the largest sector of Antarctica claimed by any country by area. This claim, however, is recognised by just four sovereign states: New Zealand, the United Kingdom, France, and Norway. All of these countries have territorial claims in Antarctica and mutually accept each other's claims.
Australia's claim to the Australian Antarctic Territory dates back to a claim on Enderby Land made by the United Kingdom in 1841, which was subsequently transferred to Australia in 1933. Australia is one of seven states that claim territory in Antarctica, the others being the United Kingdom, Norway, New Zealand, France, Chile, and Argentina. These seven sovereign states have made eight territorial claims in Antarctica, with some overlap between the territories claimed by Argentina, Chile, and the United Kingdom.
The Antarctic Treaty, which entered into force in 1961, has been signed by 58 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union. The treaty set aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve, established freedom of scientific investigation, and banned military activity on the continent. It is important to note that signing the treaty does not constitute a renunciation of any previous territorial claim.
Despite Australia's claim to the Australian Antarctic Territory, there have been challenges and competing claims from other countries. For example, Japan does not recognise Australia's sovereignty over the Australian Whale Sanctuary in the Australian Antarctic Territory. Additionally, countries such as the United States, Russia, and Iran have disputed Australia's claim, with Iran's potential claim overlapping with Australia's.
The recognition of Australia's claim by only four countries has raised questions about the significance of its title to the Australian Antarctic Territory. However, according to Professor Shirley Scott, a Professor of International Law and International Relations, the lack of recognition by other countries may not necessarily weaken Australia's claim. Scott's study revealed that non-recognition by a third-party non-claimant has not been persuasive in determining territorial sovereignty in other cases.
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Whaling in Australian Antarctic territorial waters
Australia claims ownership of about 42% of the Antarctic continent, which is the largest sector of Antarctica claimed by any country. This area, known as the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT), is an external territory claimed by Australia and administered by the Australian Antarctic Division. It covers nearly 5.9 million square kilometres, which is roughly twice the size of Queen Maud Land, India, Argentina or Kazakhstan.
Australia has passed anti-whaling legislation that applies to its territorial waters. However, its claims of sovereignty over the Australian Antarctic Territory are only recognised by the United Kingdom, New Zealand, France and Norway. This recognition is mutual, as Australia also recognises the territorial claims of these four countries in Antarctica.
In 2014, the International Court of Justice ruled on a case brought by Australia against Japan regarding whaling in the Antarctic. The Court found that it had jurisdiction despite Japan's arguments to the contrary. It interpreted Article VIII of the 1946 Convention, which allows parties to grant special permits for the killing, taking, and treating of whales for scientific research purposes. The Court concluded that Japan's JARPA II programme did not fall under this provision, as it was not designed or implemented reasonably to achieve its stated scientific research objectives. As a result, the Court ordered Japan to revoke any existing authorisations and refrain from granting further permits for the killing or taking of whales under this programme.
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Australia's claim is safe for now
Australia has laid claim to nearly 5.9 million square kilometres of Antarctica, which is about 42% of the continent. This makes it the largest sector of Antarctica claimed by any country. The Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT) is a part of East Antarctica claimed by Australia as an external territory. It is administered by the Australian Antarctic Division, an agency of the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Despite Australia's historical connection to the territory, only four countries recognise its sovereignty claim: New Zealand, France, Norway, and the United Kingdom. The United States, Russia, and other countries have rejected Australia's claim. However, Professor Shirley Scott of UNSW Canberra argues that the lack of recognition from other countries is irrelevant to Australia's claim under international law. Scott theorises that countries disputing Australia's claim may be doing so to reserve their future rights to claim territory in Antarctica.
Australia's claim to the AAT dates back to a claim on Enderby Land made by the United Kingdom in 1841, which was subsequently transferred to Australia in 1933 and came into effect in 1936. Australia's connection to the territory further dates back to the Antarctic expeditions of the 1910s, conducted jointly with the British and New Zealanders, in which geologist Sir Douglas Mawson claimed sovereignty over the territory as British territory.
The AAT consists of all islands and territories south of 60°S and between 44°38'E and 160°E, excluding the French sector of Terre Adelie. The territory is divided into nine districts and is inhabited primarily by research staff in three year-round stations: Mawson, Davis, and Casey. The Australian government has also launched the Australian Antarctic Strategy and 20-Year Action Plan to foster economic opportunities and develop a tourism sector in the Antarctic.
Australia's claim to the AAT is safe for now due to the lack of legal precedent and the protection afforded by the ATS. However, the global treaty banning resource exploitation becomes reviewable in 2041, and some states may decide to withdraw from it considering Antarctica's valuable mineral deposits.
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Australia's first Antarctic station was Mawson
Australia claims ownership of about 42% of the Antarctic continent, which is the largest sector of Antarctica claimed by any country. This claim is recognised by only four sovereign states, namely New Zealand, the United Kingdom, France, and Norway. Australia's claim to sovereignty over the Australian Antarctic Territory is recognised only by these four countries.
Mawson Station is an active base for scientific research programs, including an underground cosmic ray detector, various long-term meteorological aeronomy and geomagnetic studies, and ongoing conservation biology studies. The Mawson region is one of the richest areas for seabirds in the Australian Antarctic Territory, with breeding colonies of emperor and Adélie penguins, snow petrels, cape petrels, and many other bird species.
The Australian Antarctic Division administers the area primarily by maintaining three year-round stations: Mawson, Davis, and Casey, which support various research projects. The territory is divided into nine districts, with George V Land and Oates Land lying to the east of the French Territorial claim of Adélie Land. The Australian Antarctic Division also operates the Aurora Australis, which provides air logistical support to Wilkins airfield in Antarctica.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia claims ownership of about 42% of Antarctica, which is nearly 5.9 million square kilometres.
No, Australia is one of seven states that claim territory in Antarctica. The others are the United Kingdom, Norway, New Zealand, France, Chile, and Argentina.
Only four countries recognise Australia's sovereignty claim to the territory: New Zealand, France, Norway, and Britain.
The Australian Antarctic Division administers the area primarily within the Mawson, Davis, and Casey research stations.
The territory's history dates to a claim on Enderby Land made by the United Kingdom in 1841, which was subsequently expanded and eventually transferred to Australia in 1933.
