Antarctica isn't owned by anyone.
There has never been a war on Antarctica
It is governed under a treaty which manages its use so that it is not exploited.
Since Antarctica does not have an indigenous population, it was left to the first people to find Antarctica to claim it. There were 7 claims made by various nations around the world. The Dec 1st 1959 treaty which was signed by 45 nations suspend the claims made by these 7 nations. The treaty designated Antarctica as a continent for science. The treaty came into full force in 1961
The treaty will remain in force indefinitely. And the member of nations agreeing to the treaty has risen to 51.
Some important parts of the treaty; (An original facsimile can be found HERE)
- Antarctica shall be used for peaceful purposes only (Art. I)
- Freedom of scientific investigation in Antarctica and cooperation toward that end … shall continue (Art. II).
- Scientific observations and results from Antarctica shall be exchanged and made freely available (Art. III).
- Among the signatories of the Treaty were seven countries - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom - with territorial claims , sometimes overlapping. Other countries do not recognise any claims. The US and Russia maintain a “basis of claim”. All positions are explicitly protected in Article IV, which preserves the status quo:
- No acts or activities taking place while the present Treaty is in force shall constitute a basis for asserting , supporting or denying a claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica or create any rights of sovereignty in Antarctica. No new claim, or enlargement of an existing claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica shall be asserted while the present Treaty is in force.
- To promote the objectives and ensure the observance of the provisions of the Treaty, "All areas of Antarctica, including all stations, installations and equipment within those areas … shall be open at all times to inspection " (Art. VII).
This is an incredibly important treaty. It saves Antarctica from any exploitation. There is no drilling for oil, or minerals with the idea of extracting them. There is no military presence or arms testing. All scientific research is made available to the word. The environment is protected, all rubbish must be cleared away. Decommissioned research stations removed so as not the pollute the environment with decaying metal, plastics and wood. Tourists are heavily regulated by the IAATO so as not to cause stress to wildlife or destroy the environment.
