Antarctic Treaty System
The Antarctic Treaty System is a set of agreements about the continent of Antarctica. It was signed in December 1, 1959 and took effect in 1961. So far, it has been signed by 58 countries.[1]
The ATS is used for governing the continent. The main idea of the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) is to make sure that Antarctica is:
- is used peacefully and taken care of.
- is not exploited or used for animal hunting.
- is not involved with military use unless for peaceful purposes.
- is not owned by one group.
- is not ruled by any country and/or continent.
- is not used for violence e.g. testing nuclear missiles.
Antarctic Treaty System Media
A 2002 satellite composite image of Antarctica
Map of research stations and territorial claims in Antarctica (2015)
1957 poster of Antarctica IGY projects
Disposal of waste by simply dumping it at the shoreline, as at the Russian Bellingshausen Station on King George Island, is no longer permitted by the Protocol on Environmental Protection.
This 1959 cover commemorated the opening of the Wilkes post office in the Australian Antarctic Territory.
References
- ↑ The Antarctic Treaty | Antarctic Treaty. www.ats.aq. Retrieved 2025-12-24.
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