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) Administrative Seat: Oslo, Norway Chief Stations: Troll (from 17 Feb 1990), and  Tor (from 1992); (Norway Station 1956-1960, Maudheim 1949-1952) Currency: Norwegian Krone (NOK)  National Holiday: 17 May (1814) Constitution Day Population: Uninhabited Seasonal Research Staff Summer (Dec.-Feb.): 60 Winter (Jun.-Aug.):  7 (2024) Total Armed Forces: N/A Defense is the Responsibility of Norway Merchant marine: None (2024) Number of Year-round Stations: 1 Summer-only Stations: 1 (2024) GDP: $N/A International Organizations/Treaties: None Norwegian Antarctic Territory Index Chronology  1 Jan 1739                Bouvet Island is discovered by French Capt. Jean-                              Baptiste Charles Bouvet de Lozier (b. 1705 -                              d. 1785), of the Aigle. 27 Jan 1820                Queen Maud Land was the first part of Antarctica to                              be sighted, by Russain Adm. Fabian Gottlieb von                              Bellingshausen (Faddey Faddeyevich Bellinsgauzen)                              (b. 1778 - d. 1852). 21 Jan 1821                Peter I Island discovered by Russian explorer Adm.                              Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen (Faddey                              Faddeyevich Bellinsgauzen)(s.a.) and named after                              the former Emperor Pyotr (Peter) I (O.S. date                              9 Jan 1821). 16 Dec 1825                Bouvet Island claimed for Britain by Capt. George                              Norris, of the sealer Sprightly, he lands on the                              island and names it Liverpool Island, after the                              Prime Minister. Nov 1893 - Mar 1894        Carl Anton Larsen (b. 1860 - d. 1924) discovers                              and named Foyn Coast in Graham Land, King Oscar II                              Coast, Mount Jason, and Robertson Island. 24 Jan 1895                Carsten Egeberg Borchgrevink (b. 1864 - d. 1934)                              made the first landing on Antarctica. Three years                              later he led the first party to winter on the                              continent. 14 Dec 1911                Antarctic Plateau was claimed for Norway by Roald                              Amundsen (b. 1872 - d. 1928), as the King Haakon                              VII Plateau when his expedition was the first to                              reach the South Pole. It was mapped as a circular                              territory comprising the plateau around the South                              Pole, including all the land above latitude 85°S                              (not officially claimed by the Norway).  1 Dec 1927                Bouvet Island (Bouvetøya) claimed for Norway by Lars                              Christensen (b. 1884 - d. 1964).  1 Mar 1928                Norwegian Svalbard and Arctic Ocean Survey (Norges                              Svalbard- og Ishavsundersøkelser) founded. 19 Nov 1928                The British government waives its claim to Bouvet in                              favor of Norway. 1929 - 1930                Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen leads the first expedition to                              use aircraft for research purposes, conducting                              several successful reconnaissance trips over Queen                              Maud Land. The first flyover of the South Pole is                              executed by another Norwegian air pioneer, Bernt                              Balchen, on 28-29 Nov 1929.  2 Feb 1929                Peter I Island (Peter I Øy) first recorded landing on                              the island by the Norvegia expedition, which then                              claims the island for Norway. 29 Apr 1929                 The first Norwegian territorial claims in Antarctica                              are made, following many years of Norwegian                              involvement in the exploration and survey (further                              claims are made 1931 and 1936-37). 28-29 Nov 1929             The first flyover of the South Pole is executed by                              Norwegian air pioneer, Bernt Balchen (b. 1899 - d.                              1973). Jan 1930                   Queen Maud Land named for the King Haakon VII's wife. 27 Feb 1930                Bouvet Island (Bouvetøya) is declared a Norwegian                              dependency.  1 May 1931                A royal proclamation places Peter I Island under                              Norwegian sovereignty (annexed 24 Mar 1933). 14 Jan 1939                Queen Maud Land (Dronning Maud Land) in Antarctica                              (45°E to 20°E), between the British and Australian                              claims, formally placed under the sovereignty of                              Norway. 19 Jan - 15 Feb 1939       The area 20°E to 10°W is explored by a German                              expedition led by Alfred Ritscher (b. 1879 - d.                              1963).  Aug 1939                   Germany announces the formation of a German Antarctic                              sector between 4°59' E and 16°30' E, called                              Neuschwabenland (New Swabia Land), which lays                              completely within the area that Norway already                              annexed; this claim never receives international                              approval and is not raised again after World War II 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 founded (part of Ministry                              of Trade and Industry, from 1978 the Ministry                               of the Environment) assigned to administer the                              Norwegian territories in the Arctic and Antarctic,                              including Queen Maud Land. Feb 1950 - May 1951        The Norwegian-British-Swedish Maudheim expedition                              explores the area. 1956 - 1960                The Norwegian Antarctic Expedition has its base at                              Norway Station (about 70°30' S, 2°30' W). This                              station is afterwards taken over by South Africa. 21 Jun 1957                Norway declares Dronning Maud Land, Bouvet and                               Peter I Islands subject to Norwegian sovereignty                              as a dependency (Norwegian Antarctic Territory).  1 Dec 1959                Norway is an original signatory of the Antarctic                              Treaty (effective 23 Jun 1961). Norway upholds its                              claim to sovereignty, but supports international                              cooperation. 23 Jun 1961                Peter I Island becomes subject to the Antarctic                              Treaty, but Bouvet Island remains outside is area. 1967                       Norway's role in the Antarctic whaling industry ends.                              Due to over-exploitation of whale stocks in the                              Southern Ocean. 19 Dec 1971                A royal decree declares Bouvet Island and its                              adjoining territorial waters a nature reserve.  1 Jan 1978                The Polar Affairs Department (Polaravdelingen) of the                              Ministry of Justice and the Police, in Oslo,                               assigned the administration of the Norwegian                              polar areas including Queen Maud Land, with the                              advice of the Norsk Polarinstitutt. Feb 1990                   Troll research station opened. 1992                       Tor research station opened.  5 May 1995                Norwegian law has required all Norwegian activity in                              Antarctica, including on Peter I Island, to follow                              international environmental law for Antarctica. 12 Feb 2005                Troll research station, previously suitable only for                             summer use, reopens as an all-year station. 12 Jun 2015                Norwegian Foreign Ministry report to the Storting                              notes that Norwegian authorities "have not opposed"                              any interpretation of the Norwegian claim as                              extending all the way to the South Pole (previously                              the southern extent of the territory was often                              depicted as undefined, ending in a diffuse or wavy                              line a short distance from the pole or with a                              coloring "fading out" toward the south). Bouvet Island Peter I Island Map of Bouvet Island Map of Peter I Island

Note: Queen Maud Land (Dronning Maud Land) is the sector of the Antarctic continent lying between longitudes 20° W and 45° E claimed by Norway. It is divided into the Princess Martha Coast, Princess Astrid Coast, Princess Ragnhild Coast, Prince Harald Coast and Prince Olav Coast. It borders the claimed British Antarctic Territory 20 degrees West, specifically the Caird Coast, Coats Land on the West, and the Australian Antarctic Territory 45 degrees East, specifically Enderby Land on the East. In addition, a small unclaimed area from 1939 was annexed in Jun 2015. Positioned in East Antarctica, it makes out about one-fifth of the continent. It is composed of a total area of 2,700,000 km sq (1,000,000 sq mi). Peter I Island (Peter I Øy), a volcanic island located located in the Bellingshausen Sea, some 450 km (280 mi) north of the Antarctic mainland is also part of the Norwegian Antarctic claim. Bouvet Island is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean, some 2,400 km southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa), but only 1,600 km north of Antarctica, south of the Antarctic Convergence (thus by some definitions within the Southern Ocean). Lying north of 60° S. Bouvetis not encompassed by the terms of the Antarctic Treaty.

Director Generals (Ekspedisjonssjef) of the Polar Affairs Department (in Oslo)
1978 - ....                ....
.... -                     Øystein Mortensen

Heads of the Norwegian Svalbard and Arctic Ocean Survey
 1 Mar 1928 - 1945         Adolf Hoel                         (b. 1879 - d. 1964)
1945 - 1948                Anders Kristian Orvin              (b. 1889 - d. 1980)
Directors, Norwegian Polar Institute (Norsk Polarinstitutt)
(in Oslo; from 1998 Tromsø, Norway)
1948 - 21 Aug 1957         Harald Ulrik Sverdrup              (b. 1888 - d. 1957)
1957 - 1960                Anders Kristian Orvin              (s.a.)
1960 - 1983                Tore Gjelsvik                      (b. 1917 - d. 2006)
 1 Nov 1983 - Mar 1991     Odd Reidar Rogne                   (b. 1942 - d. 2024)
1991 - 1993                Nils Are Øritsland (acting)        (b. 1939 - d. 2006)
1993 - 2005                Olav Orheim                        (b. 1942)
2005 - 2017                Jan-Gunnar Winther                 (b. 1962)
 1 Sep 2017 - 2023         Ole Arve Misund                    (b. 1957)
Sep 2023 -                 Camilla Brekke (f)                 (b. 1977)

Territorial Dispute: Norwegian territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maude Land and its continental shelf) is not recognized by the United Nations, U.S., Russia, or by most other countries (other than Australia, France, New Zealand, and U.K.).

Peter I Island