This Day in History: December 1st
The Antarctic Treaty was signed by 12 countries, making the Antarctic continent a demilitarized zone to be preserved for scientific research.
The Antarctic Treaty and associated accords, known collectively as the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS), govern international relations regarding Antarctica, the world’s only continent without a native human population. It was the first Cold War weapons control pact, defining the continent as a scientific preserve, establishing freedom of scientific study, and prohibiting military involvement. For the purposes of the treaty system, Antarctica is defined as all land and ice shelves south of 60°S latitude. The Antarctic Treaty Secretariat, which implements the treaty system, has been based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, since September 2004.
The main treaty was made open for signing on December 1, 1959, and went into effect on June 23, 1961. Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States were the initial signatories during the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957–58. These nations had erected more than 55 Antarctic research stations during the IGY, and the treaty’s subsequent adoption was considered a diplomatic representation of the operational and scientific collaboration that had been accomplished. The treaty has 55 parties as of 2022.
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