Treaty Parties

Twelve countries were original signatories to the Antarctic Treaty in 1959. Of these, seven claim territory in Antarctica (claimants). The Treaty entered into force on 23 June 1961. Thirty-five more countries have now become Parties to the Treaty by acceding, for a total of 47 Parties. Consultative Parties are those Parties entitled to participate in Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings. These are the original 12 signatories to the Antarctic Treaty, and those that demonstrate their interest in Antarctica by "conducting substantial research activity there". Sixteen of the acceding countries have had their activities in Antarctica recognized according to this provision, and consequently there are now twenty-eight Consultative Parties in all. The other nineteen Non-Consultative Parties are invited to attend the Consultative Meetings but do not participate in the decision-making.

Country		Consultative Party	Non–Consultative Party	Comments
	Argentina	23/06/1961		Claimant State Original Signatory
	Australia	23/06/1961		Claimant State Original Signatory
	Chile	23/06/1961		Claimant State Original Signatory
	France	16/09/1960		Claimant State Original Signatory
	New Zealand	01/11/1960		Claimant State Original Signatory
	Norway	24/08/1960		Claimant State Original Signatory
	United Kingdom	31/05/1960		Claimant State Original Signatory
	Belgium	26/07/1960		Original Signatory
	Japan	04/08/1960		Original Signatory
	Russian Federation	02/11/1960		Succeeding state1
	South Africa	21/06/1960		Original Signatory
	United States of America	18/08/1960		Original Signatory
	Brazil	12/09/1983	16/05/1975	Acceding state
	Bulgaria	25/05/1998	11/09/1978	Acceding state
	China	07/10/1985	08/06/1983	Acceding state
	Ecuador	19/11/1990	15/09/1987	Acceding state
	Finland	09/10/1989	15/05/1984	Acceding state
	Germany	03/03/1981	05/02/1979	Acceding state2
	India	12/09/1983	19/08/1983	Acceding state
	Italy	05/10/1987	18/03/1981	Acceding state
	Netherlands	19/11/1990	30/03/1967	Acceding state
	Peru	09/10/1989	10/04/1981	Acceding state
	Poland	29/07/1977	08/06/1961	Acceding state
	Korea (ROK)	09/10/1989	28/11/1986	Acceding state
	Spain	21/09/1988	31/03/1982	Acceding state
	Sweden	21/09/1988	24/04/1984	Acceding state
	Ukraine	27/5/2004	28/10/2002	Succeeding State3
	Uruguay	07/10/1985	11/01/1980	Acceding state
	Austria		25/08/1987	Acceding state
	Canada		04/05/1988	Acceding state
	Colombia		31/01/1989	Acceding state
	Cuba		16/08/1984	Acceding state
	Czech Republic		14/06/1962	Succeeding state4
	Korea (DPRK)		21/01/1987	Acceding state
	Denmark		20/05/1965	Acceding state
	Estonia		17/5/2001	Acceding state
	Greece		08/01/1987	Acceding state
	Guatemala		31/07/1991	Acceding state
	Hungary		27/01/1984	Acceding state
	Papua New Guinea		16/03/1981	Acceding state
	Romania		15/09/1971	Acceding state
	Slovak Republic		14/06/1962	Succeeding state4
	Switzerland		15/11/1990	Acceding state
	Turkey		24/01/1996	Acceding state
	Venezuela		24/03/1999	Acceding state
	Belarus		27/12/2006	Acceding state
	Monaco		31/05/2008	Acceding state

1 Following the dissolution of the USSR, which was an original signatory state, Russia assumed the rights and obligations of being a party to the Treaty.

2 The German Democratic Republic was united with the Federal Republic of Germany on 2 October 1990. GDR acceded to the Treaty on 19/11/74 and was recognised as an ATCP on 05/10/87.

3 Ukraine succeeded to the Treaty following the dissolution of the USSR.

4 The Czech and Sloval Republics inherited Czechoslovakia's obligations as a non/consultative party with effect from 1 January 1993, the date of their succession to the Treaty.