Australian Antarctic Territory

Infobox Country
conventional_long_name = Australian Antarctic Territory
common_name = the Australian Antarctic Territory

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map_caption = Map of Antarctica indicating Australian claim
largest_settlement_type = research station
largest_settlement = Mirny Station (Russia)
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area_km2 = 5896500
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population_estimate = less than 1,000
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calling_code = 672
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resize|120%|Highest elevation is Dome Argus (4030 m)
The Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT) is the part of Antarctica claimed by Australia and is the largest territory of Antarctica claimed by any nation. It consists of all the islands and territory south of 60° S and between 44°38' E and 160° E, except for Adélie Land (136°11' E to 142°02' E), which divides the territory into Western AAT (the larger portion) and Eastern AAT. It is bounded by Queen Maud Land in the West and by Ross Dependency in the East. The area is estimated at 5,896,500 km².cite web|title = National recovery plan for Albatrosses and Giant-petrels: Section 4.1.6 Australian Antarctic Territory, Geography |publisher= Australian Government, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts |url= http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/recovery/albatross/habitat.html |accessdate= 2008-07-16] The territory is inhabited only by the staff of research stations. The Australian Antarctic Division administers the area primarily by maintaining three year-round stations (Mawson, Davis and Casey), which support various research projects.

ubdivisions

The territory is divided into nine districts, which are from West to East:

History

Victoria Land was first claimed for Britain on 9 January 1841 and Britain claimed Enderby Land in 1930. In 1933, a British imperial order transferred territory south of 60° S and between meridians 160 E and 45 E to Australia. The borders with Adélie Land were fixed definitively in 1938. In 1947, Britain transferred Heard Island and McDonald Islands to the territory. On 13 February1954,cite web|title= A Brief History of Mawson |publisher= Australian Government - Australian Arctic Division |url= http://www.aad.gov.au/default.asp?casid=7041 |accessdate= 2008-07-16] Mawson Station was established as the first Australian station on the continent proper.

Australia's claim to sovereignty over the Australian Antarctic Territory is recognised by the United Kingdom, New Zealand, France and Norway.cite web |title= Chapter 6: Antarctic Territories |publisher= Parliament of Australia |url= http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/ncet/communication/report/chapter6.pdf |accessdate= 2008-07-16] As Australia is part of the Antarctic Treaty System, which accommodates differences of opinions over the status of Antarctic territorial claims which pre-dated the 1959 Antarctic Treaty - effectively placing claims in abeyance - Australia only exercises its sovereignty in ways that in its view are consistent with good relations under the Antarctic Treaty. Australia signed the treaty on 23 June1961.

Postage stamps

Australia issues postage stamps for the Australian Antarctic Territory. The first issues came in 1957, and sporadically thereafter, settling into a pattern of an annual issue by the 1990s. All have been Antarctic-themed, and all are valid for postage in Australia, so in practice they are just Australian stamps with a different inscription.

Telephone connections

Assigned the Country calling code +672, four Antarctic bases operated by Australia can be reached by direct calling from anywhere in the world. The area codes are 10-6 for Davis, 11-7 for Mawson, 12-8 for Casey and 13-9 for Macquarie Island, in each case followed by three additional digits.

References

External links

* [http://www.antarctica.gov.au/ Australian Antarctic Division]
* [http://aadc-maps.aad.gov.au/database/mapcat/antarctica/v4_99_00.pdf PDF-Map of the AAT]
* [http://aadc-maps.aad.gov.au/aadc/gaz/search_names.cfm Australian Antarctic Gazetteer]
* [http://south.aari.nw.ru/default_en.html Russian stations]

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