Antartica

ANTARCTICA

Antarctica is the only continent that has not seen war; in fact, it has seen little conflict, partly due to the 1961 Antarctic Treaty, signed at the height of the Cold War, which said that Antarctica was only to be used for peaceful purposes. But this peace may be imperiled by global warming, which has opened up the possibility of exploitation of mineral resources (ex. oil, copper) and fisheries (ex. krill).

When the 1961 treaty was signed the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, France and Norway claimed most of the continent, each receiving a slice. But neither the US nor the USSR recognized their claims, and the treaty allowed any nation to build a station in Antarctica as long as its purposes were peaceful. There are now 55 countries with permanent or seasonal research stations in Antarctica. Military personnel are allowed as long as they are attached to a research program, but there is nothing to stop military communications networks from operating. Mining has been banned until 2048 but not prospecting for minerals.

The world must be vigilant to guarantee that Antarctica does not become militarized or pillaged for its resources. 

Sources: The Economist, 11/12/24 and Wikipedia