>>4373915It's kinda complicated, but basically no one individual or national entity (nation or organization) can stake a claim to land or sovereignty on Antarctica after 1961. All the claims that were made before that are recognized as claims but not as a part of those nations, both the US and Russia also hold the right to stake a claim in the future event that the treaty is ever voided for one reason or another (such as in a war over Antarctic lands). Basically, you cannot make a claim anymore, or develop resources in the Antarctic.
The treaty also states that no one can place military equipment on Antarctic land, or mine resources on Antarctica, but the US and Russia have sent military submarines off of its shores, which is allowed. Pollution is also a big problem in the Antarctic, since the atmosphere is much more delicate over the poles and ozone can be depleted very fast there. One example of a research team accidentally contaminating an entire lake under the ice is the Lake Vostok contamination incident by a Russian drilling team. So the only thing that is allowed currently is scientific research of various types in the Antarctic.
