Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
tion, at least of land-based organisms, though animals such as penguins, whales, and al-
batrosses do migrate over sizeable distances, even connecting the Arctic and Antarctic in
terms of their migratory patterns.
Economically and politically, the two polar regions are very different. The Arctic region
is heavily exploited in terms of hydrocarbon commoditization alongside other forms of re-
source development, while the Antarctic is more limited to the realms of fishing and tour-
ism. There is no timber sector in the Antarctic, for example. Politically, the Antarctic is
governed by a treaty-based system, which prohibits all forms of mining, encourages sci-
ence, and ensures that the region is demilitarized. The Protocol on Environmental Protec-
tion bans all forms of mining, even if quantities of coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, and
uranium have been discovered. No one owns the Antarctic, and the international commu-
nity does not recognize the seven claimant states (Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New
Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom). The Arctic, by way of contrast, continues to
be militarized and governed by Arctic states such as Canada and Russia.
Summary
This overview is intended to provide a sense of how rich and varied our investigation of
the Antarctic will need to be. The polar continent and surrounding ocean enjoy a complex
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