Norwegian Antarctic Territory
 

Adopted 14 Jan 1938     Map of Queen Maude Land  Hear National Anthem "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (Yes, We Love This Country) Text of National Anthem  Constitution   (17 May 1814) Chief  Stations: Troll, Tor Currency: Norwegian Krone (NOK)  National Holiday: 17 May (1814) Constitution Day Population: Uninhabited Seasonal Research Staff Summer (Jan): 44 Winter (Jul):  7 (2007-2008) Total Armed Forces: N/A Defense is the Responsibility of Norway Merchant marine: N/A Number of Year-round Stations: 1 Summer-only Stations: 1 (2007-2008) GDP: $N/A International Organizations/Treaties: None Norwegian Antarctic Territory Chronology  1 Jan 1739                Bouvet Island discovered by French Capt.                              Jean-Baptiste Charles de Lozier Bouvet. 21 Jan 1821                Peter I Island discovered by Russian explorer                              Fabian von Bellinghausen. 10 Dec 1825                Bouvet Island claimed for Britain by Capt. Norris                              renamed Liverpool Island (claim cancelled 1929). Nov 1893 - Mar 1894        Carl Anton Larsen discovered and named Foyn Coast                              in Graham Land, King Oscar II Coast, Mount Jason                               and Robertson Island. 24 Jan 1895                Carsten Borchgrevink made the first landing on                               Antarctica. Three years later he led the first                               party to winter on the continent. 14 Dec 1911                Five Norwegians, under the leadership of Roald                               Amundsen, are the first to reach the South Pole.  1 Dec 1927                Bouvet Island claimed for Norway by Lars                              Christensen (Bouvetøya formally annexed 23 Jan                              1928).  2 Feb 1929                Peter I Island claimed (Peter I Øy formally annexed                              27 Feb 1930). 14 Jan 1939                Queen Maud Land (Dronning Maud Land) in                               Antarctica (45°E to 20°E) formally claimed as                              a possession of Norway. 19 Jan - 15 Feb 1939       The area 20°E to 10°W is explored by a German                              expedition led by Alfred Ritscher and named                               New Swabia (Neu-Schwabenland) but not claimed.  13 Jan 1941                German commandos board and capture two                               Norwegian factory ships in the sea north of                               Queen Maud Land. By the end of the next day,                               the Germans had taken possession of three                               factory ships and eleven catchers. German                               Navy subsequently used the waters of the                               Peninsula and the sub-Antarctic islands as a                               haven from which they could venture forth to                              attack allied shipping.  1 Mar 1948                Norwegian Polar Institute (part of the Ministry                               of the Environment) assigned to administer                              Queen Maud Land. 21 Jun 1957                Norway declares Dronning Maud Land, Bouvet and                               Peter I Islands subject to Norwegian sovereignty                              as a dependency (Norwegian Antarctic Territory).

Directors of the Norwegian Polar Institute (Norsk Polarinstitutt)
1945 - 1948                Anders K. Orvin (1st time)         (b. 1889 - d. 1980)
1948 - 1957                Harald Ulrik Sverdrup              (b. 1888 - d. 1957)
1957 - 1960                Anders K. Orvin (2nd time)         (s.a.)
1960 - 1983                Tore Gjelsvik                      (b. 1917 - d. 2006)
1983 - 1991                Odd Rogne
1991 - 1993                Nils Are Øritsland (acting)        (b. 1939 - d. 2006)
1993 - 2005                Olav Orheim                        (b. 1942)
2005 -                     Jan-Gunnar Winther                 (b. 1962)

Territorial Dispute: Norwegian Antarctic claim is recognized by Australia, France, New Zealand, and U.K., but it is not recognized by the United Nations, U.S., Russia or by most other countries.