Antarctica has no official government or owner due to the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, which allows for peaceful scientific exploration by a cooperative of nations. There are no official laws, and people must follow the laws of their own countries. Antarctica holds 70% of Earth’s freshwater supply and 90% of freshwater ice. Tourists have increased to 35,000 in 2013, causing environmental concerns. Antarctica also holds the record for the coldest temperature on Earth.
Antarctica is not owned by any specific country or group and has no official government, because it has no permanent residents. Under the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, it was stipulated that the continent should not be owned by any country, but rather used only for peaceful scientific exploration through a cooperative of nations. The original agreement was signed by 12 nations, but as of 2014, 50 countries had accepted the treaty. There are no official laws of Antarctica, so people stationed in Antarctica must follow the laws of their own countries.
Read more about Antarctica:
About 70% of Earth’s freshwater supply is found in Antarctica, as is about 90% of Earth’s freshwater ice.
About 35,000 tourists visited Antarctica in 2013, up from an average of 2,000 a year in the 1980s, which has environmentalists concerned about tourists bringing in trash and other pollutants.
Antarctica set the record for the coldest temperature on Earth when it reached minus-128.56° Fahrenheit (minus-89.2° Celsius) on July 21, 1983.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
