The History Of The 20Th Century In Antarctica

Nations who focused efforts on whaling laid claim to major areas around the continent of Antarctica.The countries of Great Britain, Chile, and Argentina have competing territorial claims on the Antarctic Peninsula.There are also claims from Australia, New Zealand, France, and Norway.

In 1940, planes that were deployed by Nazi Germany claimed huge expanses of the continent for the motherland by dropping stakes with the swastika engraved upon them onto Antarctica.With the exception whaling, the world left Antarctica alone, so it could fight a second World War, and then a Cold War after that.But, it wouldn’t be long before heavenly happenings caused a scientific stir, prompting a mass return to The Ice.

In 1957, there was evidence of increased frequency of sunspots on our star, so the International Geophysical Year was begun then, allowing multinational efforts to look at the effects of solar radiation on the planet through Antarctica’s special place on the planet.67 nations sent scientists to Antarctica to study this phenomenon.Thanks to the high level of teamwork and cooperation among these visitors, negotiations soon began, which culminated in the Antarctic Treaty, an amazing international agreement still marveled at today.cruise travel to antarctica

This treaty was signed in 1959 by all the countries with major interests in Antarctica. It was an agreement that made this continent to be used solely for peaceful purposes.This treaty protects the land physically by banning nuclear testing or explosions, as well as any dumping of radioactive waste.While some military activities, they are strictly limited to the logistical support of scientific activities.Previous land claims were not addressed as a part of this treaty.

The major countries at that time showed a willingness to work together, which was exceptional during these years, and decided to forgo any claims. In addition, they did not acknowledge claims from other countries either.This agreement made it difficult for less powerful nations to assert their claims.trips to antarctica

By the 1960s, the minerals and oil that was believed to be in the Antarctic region became highly sought after.National bases began to spring up on the peninsula and nearby islands, and peak population still occurs in the summer with around 5,000 people who tend to fill up the dozens of science stations built like urban sprawl on the peninsula and some of the islands.

Countries opening bases on King George Island from the 1960s to the 1980s include Poland, Chile, Argentina, Britain, Italy, the United States, the Soviet Union, China, South Korea, Brazil, Uruguay and Peru.Although there was scientific research going on at these bases, they were actually more of a political statement, as the swastika stakes of the Nazis in the 1940′s.All of these countries decreed “squatters’ rights” to the continent.

However, by the time the 1980′s rolled around, the use of Antarctica moved toward scientific research and retracted from using the continent for its resources.The oceans have long been recognized as belonging to the world rather than any one country, and Antarctica is becoming the same way.At this time, a hole in the Earth’s atmosphere was discovered. British scientists at the Halley Bay Antarctic base found that due to the industrial advances most super powers had made caused a hole in the Earth’s atmosphere which allowed harmful UV rays in.

This discovery paved the way for an international accord that was signed in 1987. This agreement aimed to gradually eliminate those chemicals that have been found to degrade the ozone layer. This was to be done by the year 2000.All of this information increased the value of having Antarctic science bases, along with discovering the “greenhouse” effects due to carbon emissions that have caused damage since the Industrial Age started.In the 1980′s, whaling was falling out of favor, and the global Green campaign championed the idea of declaring Antarctica a world park.

The nations that participated in the Antarctic Treaty put forth a decree in 1991 that all gas and oil exploration would be stopped for the next half century, as well as mining; instead, the environment would be given higher priority.Now, Antarctica has a unique duty and place in the world, for it’s the one place where we can most accurately measure just how much damage we’ve done to the environment, and study how to stop it.