Adélie Land

This article is about the French-claimed sector of Antarctica. For the French colonies in South America, see France Antarctique.

Adélie Land Terre Adélie
Motto: Liberté, égalité, fraternité
Anthem: La Marseillaise
Capital		Dumont d'Urville Station 66°40′S 140°01′E / 66.667°S 140.017°E / -66.667; 140.017
Official language(s)		French
Government
-	President	Nicolas Sarkozy
-	Administrator	Rollon Mouchel-Blaisot[1]
French overseas territory
-	Discovered	1840
Area
-	Total	432,000 km2  166,796 sq mi
Population
-	census	33 (winter)
Currency		euro (EUR)
Time zone		UTC+10
Internet TLD		.tf
Calling code		262

Adélie Land is the portion of the Antarctic coast between 136° E (near Pourquoi Pas Point at 66°12′S 136°11′E / 66.2°S 136.183°E / -66.2; 136.183) and 142° E (near Point Alden at 66°48′S 142°02′E / 66.8°S 142.033°E / -66.8; 142.033), with a shore length of 350 km and with its hinterland extending as a sector about 2,600 km toward the South Pole. It is claimed by France as one of five districts of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, although not all nations recognize this claim. The land area, mostly ice covered, is estimated at 432,000 km².

Since January 12, 1956, there has been a permanently staffed French research base at 66°40′S 140°01′E / 66.667°S 140.017°E / -66.667; 140.017, Dumont d'Urville Station, with a winter population of 33, which goes up to 78 in the Antarctic summer. The first French station, Port Martin, was built April 9, 1950 at 66°49′04″S 141°23′39″E / 66.81778°S 141.39417°E / -66.81778; 141.39417, but destroyed by fire the night of January 22 to 23, 1952. Port Martin hosted a winter population of 11 in 1950 and of 17 in 1951.

France has also maintained an inland station on the Antarctic ice sheet, 320 km from the coast and from Dumont d'Urville Station, at an elevation of 2400 meters, Charcot Station (named after Jean-Baptiste Charcot) at 69°22′S 139°01′E / 69.367°S 139.017°E / -69.367; 139.017, built for the IGY 1957/1958, in operation from January 1957 to 1960, which housed only three men. The station was largely dug into the snow to protect it against the strong winds.

Adélie Land borders on the Australian Antarctic Territory both West and East, namely on Clarie Land (part of Wilkes Land) in the West, and George V Land in the East.

The coast was discovered in 1840 by French explorer Jules Sébastien César Dumont d'Urville, who named it after his wife, Adélie.

Adélie Land was the filming location of the documentary March of the Penguins.

See also

• List of places named after people

References

• Fire destroys station in Antarctica, French expedition's loss, The Times, January 26, 1952.

1. ^ "Mesures d’ordre individuel" (in French). Portail du Gouvernement - site du Premier ministre. Government of France. 3 September 2008. http://www.premier-ministre.gouv.fr/acteurs/gouvernement/conseils_ministres_35/conseil_ministres_3_septembre_1374/mesures_ordre_individuel_60928.html. Retrieved 2009-01-31. 

External links

• http://www.discoverfrance.net/Colonies/Terre_Adelie.shtml

Coordinates: 75°00′S 139°00′E / 75°S 139°E / -75; 139