Territorial Claims over Antarctica

Traditionally, the poor in raw materials countries of Southern Europe, were turning to Africa for resources. France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, but also England and the Netherlands, had established colonies in Africa, in order to exploit their vast resources. Germany did not have the time to do so, because she was created as a nation in 1871, and her tremendous rise made the English, the French and the Russians to leave their differences aside, and destroy Germany in the First World War 1914-1918.

Even today the countries of Southern Europe are getting most of their raw materials from Africa, and they are terrified to see China trying to replace them. Even though the Europeans do not have colonies any more, they have kept under their control some small islands, which will allow them to play a role in case oil and natural gas is discovered in the future.

Madagascar was a French colony. At the following map you can see some of the islands near Madagascar that France keeps under her control to this day. The volcanic islands of Kerguelen, located at Africa’s southeast, are almost equidistance from Africa, Australia and Antarctica, allowing France to have claims over the Indian and South Oceans, but also over Antarctica, which is the least explored piece of the earth. See map 1.

Picture 1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:France_on_the_globe_(French_Southern_and_Antarctic_Lands_special)_(Madagascar_centered).svg

At the following map you can see the islands controlled by France over the globe.  See map 2.

Picture 2

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overseas_departments_and_territories_of_France#/media/File:Outre-mer_en.png

At the following map you can see the islands controlled by England over the globe. See map 3.

Picture 3

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:British_Overseas.png

There are 7 nations that have official claims over Antarctica i.e. Chile, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, which are countries near Antarctica, and England, France and Norway. At the following map you can see each country’s claims, with Australia and Norway claiming the most (orange and green). See map 4.

Picture 4

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Antarctica_territorial_claims.png

At the following Wikipedia table you can see the 7 countries that have official claims over Antarctica.

Picture 5

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_claims_in_Antarctica#Official_claims