Who owns antarctica?

Question

Who do I buy land from? I'm tired of shelling out half my salary to 60 year old crystal meth addicts. Will global warming eventually stir things up if I decide to move to this tax-free wintry paradise?

Answer 1

Nobody - it is protecte4d by treaty, much in the same way as the moon is.

Answer 2

There is no indigenous government, management of the Antarctic is organised through the legal framework of the Antarctic Treaty of 1959. Forty-three nations are now party to this agreement, and seven of those - the UK, Norway, Chile, France, Australia, Argentina and New Zealand - have historic claims on parts of the continent as national territory. The 1959 Antarctic Treaty preserves the status quo of the continent by neither recognizing nor rejecting the claims of these countries and by not allowing expansion in any way on the continent.

There are no indigenous people on Antarctica. The population varies from fewer than 1,000 in winter to over 30,000 in summer: 5,000 scientists from 27 of the countries party to the Antarctic Treaty, plus 27,324 tourists last season - 2004/2005.

Antarctica surrounds the South Pole. The nearest landmass is South America, which is over 620 miles from the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Surface area 14 million square miles (36 million square kilometres).



Antarctica currently has no economic activity apart from offshore fishing and tourism, and these are run by other nations (i.e. not the continent of Antarctica)

Tourism in the Antarctic is mainly by around 20 vessels carrying 45 to 280 passengers each.

The ships are ice strengthened and sail primarily to the Antarctic Peninsula region sometimes also including South Georgia and the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas).

There have been occasional voyages to Antarctica by larger passenger vessels (up to 960 tourists), some of which conduct sightseeing cruises only without landings. Yacht travel is also very popular, and gives a smaller scale more intimate contact, though often without the luxuries and facilities of the larger Antarctica cruise ship.

Several expeditions take place outside the Peninsula region each season. Voyages have been made to the Weddell Sea, Ross Sea region and, on occasion, East Antarctica including islands of the Indian Ocean sector. These expeditions have included visits to emperor penguin colonies, historical huts, the Dry Valleys and other remote areas.

Weather and ice, not clocks and calendars, set the schedule for a journey here. No matter what the reason for your visit, you'll be at the mercy of the continent's changing moods and weather patterns.

Answer 3

No one owns it as such but countries such as the UK, USA and others have made claims to parts of it. However the USA being the typical country they are do not recognise any other claims other than their own.

Answer 4

I used to own it but then I gave it away to chariteeeeeee
It now belongs to the penguin society. That is why they have to make and sell penguin biscuits - it's to pay for the council tax

Answer 5

no one country owns it but a treaty is in place that limits the ammount of people that can visit / do research there

hope this helps

Answer 6

I do, would you like to lease an ice flow or two?
Just simple levity, with respect....

Answer 7

the abominable snow monster owns it, watch out!

Answer 8

No one.

If you can afford to, you can go live there right now (I think)

Answer 9

the goverment probably. they seam to own everything.

Answer 10

no one owns it!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctica#Politics