Argentine Antarctica

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75°00′S 49°30′W / 75.000°S 49.500°W / -75.000; -49.500

Argentine Antarctica Antártida Argentina
Department
Argentine Antarctica map since 1950. Orcadas base from 1904.
Seal
Location in Antarctica
Country	Argentina
Province	Tierra del Fuego
First expedition	1901–1904
Founded by	José María Sobral
Government
• Governor	Gustavo Melella
Area
• Total	1,461,597 km2 (564,326 sq mi)
• Land	965,597 km2 (372,819 sq mi)
	[1]
Population  (2010 Census)[1][2]
• Total	469
• Density	0.00032/km2 (0.00083/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-3
Argentine Postal Code	9411
Area codes	0054 + 02901 Esperanza and Marambio Stations: 0054 + 02964
First base	Orcadas Base (1904)[3]
Number of bases	13 bases (6 permanents and 7 seasonals) 64 others (huts, refuges, camps)
Website	DNA.gov.ar

Argentine Antarctica (Spanish: Antártida Argentina or Sector Antártico Argentino)^[4] is an area on Antarctica claimed by Argentina as part of its national territory. It consists of the Antarctic Peninsula and a triangular section extending to the South Pole, delimited by the 25° West and 74° West meridians and the 60° South parallel.^[5] This region overlaps with British and Chilean claims in Antarctica. None of these claims have widespread international recognition.

Argentina's Antarctic claim is based on its presence on a base on Laurie Island in the South Orkney Islands since 1904, along with the area's proximity to the South American continent, and is subject to the Antarctic Treaty.^[6][7]

Administratively, Argentine Antarctica is a department of the province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica, and South Atlantic Islands. The provincial authorities are based in Ushuaia.^[8] Argentine activities in Antarctica are coordinated by the Instituto Antártico Argentino (IAA) and Argentine Antarctic Program.

The Argentine exploration of the continent started early in the 20th century. José María Sobral was the first Argentine to set foot on Antarctica in 1902, where he spent two seasons with the Swedish Antarctic Expedition of Otto Nordenskiöld. Shortly afterward, in 1904, the Orcadas Permanent Base was established. Years later, other permanent and seasonal bases were constructed. The first Argentine expedition to reach the South Pole was the 1965 Operación 90.

The estimated area of Argentine Antarctica is 1,461,597 km² (564,326 sq mi), of which 965,597 km² (372,819 sq mi) is land. The ice of the glaciers over the territory's surface has an average thickness of 2 kilometres. Temperatures fall in a typical range from 0°C in summer to -60°C in winter, although in certain points the temperature may drop to as low as -82°C and may rise to 18°C.^[9]

Time zone UTC-3 is used in the area, as in Argentina.

Argentina has six permanent Antarctic stations and seven summer stations.

According to the Argentine national census, in October 2010, Argentine Antarctica had 230 inhabitants (including 9 families and 16 children) at six permanent bases: 75 at Marambio, 66 at Esperanza, 33 at Carlini, 20 at San Martín, 19 at Belgrano II, and 17 at Orcadas.^[10] Provisional results of the 2022 Argentine national census indicate 130 inhabitants for Argentine Antarctica.^[11] Residents take part in general elections within Tierra del Fuego Province.^[12]