Australian Antarctic Territory
Australian Antarctic Territory | |
|---|---|
|
Flag | |
Map of Antarctica indicating Australian territorial claim (red area) | |
| Sovereign state | Australia |
| British claim | 1841 |
| Claim transferred to Australia | 1933 |
| Main base and administrative centre | Davis Station 68°34′36″S 77°58′03″E / 68.576667°S 77.9675°E |
| Official languages | English |
| Government | Dependency under a constitutional monarchy |
• Monarch | Charles III |
| Sam Mostyn | |
• Minister responsible | Murray Watt |
• Chief Scientist | Nicole Webster |
| Area | |
• Total | 5,896,500 km2 (2,276,700 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 3,490 m (11,450 ft) |
| Population | |
• Estimate | less than 1,000 |
| Currency | Australian dollar (AU$) (AUD) |
| Calling code | +672 1x |
| Internet TLD | |
The Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT) is a part of East Antarctica claimed by Australia as an external territory. It is administered by the Australian Antarctic Division, an agency of the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. It is the largest sector of Antarctica by area claimed by any country. Australia is an original signatory to the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, under which all territorial claims are held in abeyance. Only four other countries accept Australia's claim to sovereignty, being New Zealand, the United Kingdom, France, and Norway, all of which have territorial claims in Antarctica and mutually accept one another's claims.