International Territorial Disputes of The United States - Antarctica

Antarctica

Further information: Territorial claims of Antarctica

The Antarctic Treaty System, formed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica and provides administration for the continent, which is carried out through consultative member meetings. It freezes the territorial claims of all signatories (all claimants have acceded) for as long as the treaty is in force. However, it is not a final settlement; parties can choose to withdraw from the System at any time. Furthermore, only a minority of states have signed it, and it is not formally sanctioned by the United Nations. Thus, Antarctica remains the only part of the planet any (non-signatory) state can still lay claim to as terra nullius (on the grounds of it not having been part of any existing state's legal and effective territory).

Territory	Claimants	Antarctic territory
Area between 25°W and 53°W	United Kingdom Argentina	British Antarctic Territory Argentine Antarctica
Area between 53°W and 74°W	United Kingdom Argentina Chile	British Antarctic Territory Argentine Antarctica Antártica Chilena Province
Area between 74°W and 80°W	United Kingdom Chile	British Antarctic Territory Antártica Chilena Province