Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Summary
The Antarctic Treaty stabilized the deeply divisive problem of territorial sovereignty.
Article 4 'froze' sovereignty positions and facilitated the emergence of science to be the
determining factor in shaping access to terrain and scientific data. The treaty protected the
colonial
status quo ante
. Unlike in other parts of the world, it was still possible to be a good
colonizer, albeit one signed up to the Antarctic Treaty. After its entry into force, all the
claimant states continued to believe that their territorial claims were intact and fundament-
ally unchanged. Stamps continued to be issued, textbooks authored, and maps drpographic
form
