Antarctic Treaty System

The Antarctic Treaty System is the collective name for the Antarctic Treaty and its related agreements, which together regulate international relations with respect to Antarctica, the only continent with no native human population. It was the first arms control agreement of the Cold War, setting the continent aside as a scientific preserve, guaranteeing freedom of scientific investigation and banning military activity. For treaty purposes Antarctica means all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees south latitude. The main treaty was opened for signature on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961. Its twelve original signatories were the countries active in Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year of 1957 to 1958: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States. The treaty had 58 parties as of 2024, and since September 2004 its Secretariat, which implements the system, has been headquartered in Buenos Aires.