Colonization of Antarctica

The colonization of Antarctica means people trying to control land in Antarctica for use or living there. For many years, different countries said parts of Antarctica belonged to them. This became especially big in the early 1900s when people first explored the inside of Antarctica and built camps and bases.

Today, rules like the Antarctic Treaty from 1959 help keep Antarctica peaceful and protect its environment. Right now, about 4,000 people live there in the summer and about 1,000 in the winter. These people are scientists and workers from about 30 countries, staying at around 70 bases. Two of these bases, Esperanza Base from Argentina and Villa Las Estrellas from Chile, are places where people live year-round.

History

For broader coverage of this topic, see History of Antarctica and Research stations in Antarctica § History.

The Antarctic region has been claimed by countries since the 1500s. The rough Southern Ocean made it hard to explore for many years, but in the early 1800s, sealers and explorers found new lands far south. By the early 1900s, whalers began hunting there, and polar explorers went deeper into the land, reaching the South Pole in 1911. Countries set up whaling stations and Antarctic research bases to support their claims.

Today, rules set by the Antarctic Treaty in 1959, along with its Antarctic Treaty System and Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, limit what countries can do in Antarctica.

Settlement concepts

In the 1950s, people thought about building cities in Antarctica inside big glass domes. These domes would stay warm and powered by special generators. Some scientists tried using small nuclear reactors, but they had many problems and were later closed.

A famous designer, Buckminster Fuller, suggested using dome shapes to create cities with a comfortable climate. One of the stations at the South Pole looked a bit like this idea, though much smaller. Later, in 1971, another architect studied how to build an enormous air-supported dome that could hold thousands of people. Some people are still exploring these ideas today.

Environmental impact

Further information: Research stations in Antarctica § Impact and pollution, and Climate change in Antarctica

In 2023, scientists found that pollution from research stations in Antarctica was as bad as in some of the world’s busiest ports.

Though Antarctica is a very cold and tough place today, its climate might change in the future. By the year 2100, some parts of West Antarctica could become as warm as places like Alaska and Northern Scandinavia. This could even make farming possible in some areas.

Scientists have noticed that plants and fungi grow well around Antarctica’s volcanoes, which might be good spots for early farming. Antarctica has about 110 native moss species and two types of small plants. However, with warmer weather, these native plants might disappear as stronger outside plants arrive. Humans have brought about 200 to 300 new species to the continent.

Recent studies near the South Pole show that heat from deep inside Earth rises to the surface there.

Births and deaths on Antarctica

Main article: Demographics of Antarctica

The population of Antarctica is made up of people who work at research stations. Most of these stations are open all year, while some are only open during the summer. A very small number of people live at civilian bases.

Emilio Marcos Palma, born on January 7, 1978, is the first person known to have been born in Antarctica. He was born at a research base called Esperanza near the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Since then, about ten more babies have been born there.