The 2004 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations; other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unratified; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through five specific annexes: 1) environmental impact assessment, 2) conservation of Antarctic fauna and flora, 3) waste disposal and waste management, 4) prevention of marine pollution, and 5) area protection and management; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research

      Legal system:

       Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative

       member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by

       these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and

       operations) in accordance with their own national laws; US law,

       including certain criminal offenses by or against US nationals, such

       as murder, may apply extra-territorially; some US laws directly

       apply to Antarctica; for example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16

       U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties

       for the following activities, unless authorized by regulation of

       statute: the taking of native mammals or birds; the introduction of

       nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into specially protected

       areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants; and the importation

       into the US of certain items from Antarctica; violation of the

       Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up to $10,000 in

       fines and one year in prison; the National Science Foundation and

       Department of Justice share enforcement responsibilities; Public Law

       95–541, the US Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended in

       1996, requires expeditions from the US to Antarctica to notify, in

       advance, the Office of Oceans, Room 5805, Department of State,

       Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans to other nations as

       required by the Antarctic Treaty; for more information, contact

       Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs, National Science

       Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone: [phone], or

       visit their website at www.nsf.gov

      Economy Antarctica

      Economy - overview:

       Fishing off the coast and tourism, both based abroad, account for

       the limited economic activity. Antarctic fisheries in 2000–01 (1

       July-30 June) reported landing 112,934 metric tons. Unregulated

       fishing, particularly of Patagonian toothfish, is a serious problem.

       The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living

       Resources determines the recommended catch limits for marine

       species. A total of 13,571 tourists visited in the 2002–03 antarctic

       summer, up from the 11,588 who visited the previous year. Nearly all

       of them were passengers on commercial (nongovernmental) ships and

       several yachts that make trips during the summer. Most tourist trips

       last approximately two weeks.

      Communications Antarctica

      Telephones - main lines in use:

       0

       note: information for US bases only (2001)

      Telephones - mobile cellular:

       NA

      Telephone system:

       general assessment: local systems at some research stations

       domestic: NA

       international: country code - 672; via satellite (mobile Inmarsat

       and Iridium system) from some research stations

      Radio broadcast stations:

       AM NA, FM 2, shortwave 1

       note: information for US bases only (2002)

      Radios:

       NA

      Television broadcast stations:

       1 (cable system with six channels; American Forces Antarctic

       Network-McMurdo)

       note: information for US bases only (2002)

      Televisions:

       several hundred at McMurdo Station (US)

       note: information for US bases only (2001)

      Internet country code:

       .aq

      Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

       NA

      Transportation Antarctica

      Ports and harbors:

       there are no developed ports and harbors in Antarctica; most

       coastal stations have offshore anchorages, and supplies are

       transferred from ship to shore by small boats, barges, and

       helicopters; a few stations have a basic wharf facility; US coastal

       stations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E), Palmer (64 43 S, 64 03

       W); government use only except by permit (see Permit Office under

       "Legal System"); all ships at port are subject to inspection in

       accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; offshore anchorage is

       sparse and intermittent

      Airports:

       there are no developed public access airports or landing

       facilities; 30 stations, operated by 16 national governments party

       to the Antarctic Treaty, have restricted aircraft landing facilities

       for either helicopters and/or fixed-wing aircraft; commercial

       enterprises operate two additional aircraft landing facilities;

       helicopter pads are available at 27 stations;