Why do world powers seek ownership of the territory of Antarctica

Antarctica is the only continent of our planet whose territory does not belong to any state. But this state of affairs does not suit many. On the mainland, completely covered with ice and snow, there is no permanent population, state borders, roads and other infrastructure. But this does not stop many countries that seek to take possession of Antarctica and regularly remind of their territorial claims. Let's see which states want their land in the middle of the icy desert and why they need it.

Since the discovery of the continent by the Russian expedition in 1820, the leading world powers have repeatedly claimed their rights to Antarctica. France, Australia, Great Britain, Argentina, Chile - this is an incomplete list of countries that have declared their part of the continent. The competitors' appetites are so great that Antarctica wasn’t enough at all: the declared possessions of many states intersect. This is clearly visible on a map reflecting territorial claims to ice open spaces.

Russia and the USA acted wiser: they simply declared Antarctica a zone of their strategic interests. At the same time, neither the United States nor our country recognize the claims of other states. China also took a wait-and-see attitude, not directly declaring its rights to the territory of the coldest continent.

But all the dreams of competing countries are currently unrealizable. The fact is that territorial claims were frozen by an international document - the Antarctic Treaty, which entered into force in 1961. The continent and the entire territory from its shores to 60º south latitude are declared a zone free of military facilities, nuclear weapons and naval vessels.

Today, only research activities are allowed on the mainland, which are carried out by more than 15 states. But in the last decade, the countries party to the treaty increasingly raise the issue of revising its main provisions. Why is Antarctica so attractive that, despite the terrible cold and lack of infrastructure, the leading world powers seek to take possession of it?

It's all about natural resources. Yes, as it does not seem strange, Antarctica is the richest mineral depository in the world, which is hidden under a thick layer of centuries-old snow. But in modern conditions, this is not an obstacle to development. A number of countries have the necessary capabilities and technologies to enable them to start production today.