History UsefulNotes / Antarctica

->There have also been various proposed designs including [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Proposed_flag_of_Antarctica_(Graham_Bartram).svg this popular one]] by British vexillologist Graham Bartram (which is used as the representative emoji for "Flag for Antarctica", 🇦🇶),[[note]]Windows and certain other unsupported users will only see an AQ.[[/note]] who used the colors of the flag of the United Nations for his rendition. Nevertheless, True South has quickly seen greater use among those directly involved with the continent than Bartram's design, usurping his design as the "most official" Antarctic flag proposal yet. It has been formally adopted by various National Antarctic Programs, Antarctic nonprofits, and expedition teams, and has been flown at over a dozen research stations across Antarctica along with several other locations on all the other continents. Most recently, on January 1, 2022, the marker stake for the geographic South Pole (i.e. the physical pole at the actual point of 90° south), which is moved every New Year's Day due to ice drift, was changed to use the True South symbol.\\\

However, these territorial claims are considered invalid by the majority of nations (signatories of the Antarctic Treaty, which include USA, Russia and China). Also, despite Russia being a signatory of the treaty and thus withholding any official claim, Russian nationalistic circles often unofficially claim the entire continent by right of first discovery (it was discovered by a Russian expedition).

Recently, Antarctica was named the most [[QueerAsTropes LGBT+]]-friendly continent on Earth. This most likely [[AsbestosFreeCereal has more to do with the inherent nature of Antarctica than anything else]]: there are no permanent human residents, no corporations or companies based in Antarctica, and no lawmaking bodies either in Antarctica or abroad making laws unfavorable (or, for that matter favorable) towards LGBT+ people. (It also helps that some penguins are known to form same-sex pair bonds, and even [[HasTwoMommies raise eggs together]].) In 2018, it held its first pride celebration.

* Creator/RalphVaughanWilliams wrote incidental music for the 1948 film ''Scott of the Antarctic'', and later expanded it into his Symphony No. 7 ''Sinfonia Antarctica'' of 1953.

People had generally figured ''something'' was down here for quite a while. Even the ancient Greeks thought so, if only to help balance the rest of the land mass up north. According to Website/TheOtherWiki, though, the first recognised discovery was around 1820 by a Russian expedition. And for most of the 19th century, that was about it. Even in 2014, it's a barren waste; imagine trying to live there in 1850.

See also MysteriousAntarctica for older depictions of Antarctica, EverythingsBetterWithPenguins for its main inhabitants and PolarBearsAndPenguins for the usual confusion between them, the polar bears and their respective habitats. If you're not careful, you risk to be ReassignedToAntarctica, also. Do not confuse with ''Literature/GreenAntarctica''.

See also Website/{{Wikipedia}}'s [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flags_of_Antarctica article on Flags of Antarctica.]]

There are many claims to the various parts of the country made by the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Chile. The current "government" of the continent is run by what is known as the Antarctic Treaty which was signed in 1959. The treaty [[{{Pun}} freezes]] all the territorial claims on the continent while setting it aside as a scientific reserve. It also bans all military activities on the continent, effectively making Antarctica a neutral country of sorts. And yes, the United States did sign this one, although 'reserving' the right to make a claim later if it feels like it. Right now it's just research stations. Still, it's nice to know that not bombing the place was worth the Antarctic Treaty System (there's a bunch now) being in general one of the first arms control treaties of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar.

See also Wiki/{{Wikipedia}}'s [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flags_of_Antarctica article on Flags of Antarctica.]]