The colonization of Antarctica is associated with an attempt to populate this continent. Until now, there are no permanent settlements on Antarctica , and temporary ones are represented by a number of polar stations , which are inhabited by scientists sent here. Antarctica is the only continent where there is no local population.
In the 19th century, several whaling bases existed on the Antarctic Peninsula and adjacent islands. Subsequently, they were all abandoned [1] . Known base of whalers on the island of Deception , which existed at the beginning of the XX century .
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Territorial claims
After the First World War, a number of countries began to make territorial claims on Antarctica. Thus, in 1917, Great Britain declared rights to lands south of the Falkland Islands up to the South Pole, France declared Adele Earth its territory in 1924 , Australia in 1933 appropriated by decree the lion's share of the adjacent Antarctic territory, and in 1939 Norway declared its territory Queen Maud Land
Antarctic stations
To date, there are 37 permanent stations on the continent that represent 20 countries: Australia , Argentina , Brazil , Great Britain , Germany , India , Italy , China , New Zealand , Norway , Poland , Russia , the USA , Ukraine , Uruguay , France , Chile , South Africa , South Korea , Japan [2] .
Population
The population of Antarctica ranges from 4000 people in the summer to 1000 people in the winter [3] . 11 births were registered at the Argentinean ( Esperanza ) and Chilean ( President Eduardo Frey Montalva ) bases.
Colonization of Antarctica is hampered by the harsh climate (98% of the territory is covered with ice) and international obligations to ban the military and industrial use of its territories.