Antarctica is a unique environment. It’s one of the most heavily protected places on earth and all visitors are required to adhere to strict environmentalmanagement requirements, including those set out in the Guideance for visitors.

Read the latest FCO Travel Advice on visiting Antarctica 

The FCO's Polar Regions Unit has teamed up with the Royal Geographical Society and British Antarctic Survey to create the Discovering Antarctica site, which has a range of multimedia material, from 'cool facts' and audio newsflashes to an extensive image library and video clips showing the Antarctic ice shelves. There is also a dedicated teachers' area with downloadable resource material.

Read the case study, Putting Antarctica on the Map, on the work the Unit is doing.

Warning

Carrying out activities in Antarctica without first obtaining a permit when required by legislation, or in breach of a permit condition, is a criminal offence punishable by up to two years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.

Tourism

The number of visitors to Antarctica is increasing. Last year (2006/07), just over 30,000 tourists set foot on the continent, while another 8,000 took part in cruise only visits or over-flights. This compares to a decade ago when just 7,413 landed in Antarctica.

The UK has taken a leading role within the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting -the decision making body for all countries which are party to the Antarctic Treaty - to ensure that safety and environmental concerns relating to tourism activities continue to be addressed.

This has included securing agreement on international regulations that require all tourism activities to have detailed search and rescue, insurance and contingency plans and on the development of Site Guidelines for sites visited by tourists.

The UK was also instrumental in securing agreement that vessels carrying more than 500 passengers should not be authorised to make landings in Antarctica. Such vessels should operate cruise only itineraries.

Tour operators

Most companies which offer tours to Antractica are members of the International Association of Antarctic Tour Companies (IAATO). The IAATO sets out strict environmental standards for Antarctic tourism operators, and manages the annual tourism traffic to Antarctica.

We work with the organisation to promote safe and environmentally responsible tourism in Antarctica. In light of the high standards the industry has set itself, the Government restricts access to UK Historic Sites and scientific bases operated by the British Antarctic Survey to IAATO operators only.

 

The FCO encourages all visitors to Antarctica to travel with IAATO affiliated companies.

Antarctic Treaty

The Antarctic Treaty 1959 preserves Antarctica for peace and science. The UK Government considers tourism to be a legitimate activity, providing it is undertaken safely and in line with the Antarctic Treaty, its Protocol on Environmental Protection 1991, all measures adopted under those instruments, and United Kingdom legislation.

These pages are intended for guidance only, and have no legal status. Anyone planning to visit Antarctica should consult the legislation, and if necessary, seek independent legal advice.

UK Legal Framework

The Antarctic Act 1994 implements the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty 1991 in UK law. It sets out a permitting system for all British activities undertaken in Antarctica. Permits are issued by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.

If you are intending to organise, or participate in, an expedition to Antarctica, take a vessel into Antarctic waters, or fly an aircraft to the continent you should contact us to find out if you need to apply for a permit from us. Contact details are on the right.

If you are joining a cruise ship it’s unlikely you’ll need individual permits as tour operators will normally apply for one on your behalf, but it’s your responsibility to check the position with the company you are travelling with.

See Guidance for visitors for more information on who needs a permit.

Antarctica and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

In Antarctica, the right to an extended continental shelf under the UN Law of the Sea has to be considered against the provisions of the Antarctic Treaty, suspending all territorial claims.

There are seven Claimant States in Antarctica.

Australia, made a submission to the UN Commission for the Limits of Continental Shelf (CLCS) in respect of the Australian Antarctic Territory in 2004.

Australia submitted full co-ordinates of its continental shelf margin, but asked that the CLCS simply store the data and not consider it (because of the Antarctic Treaty).

In 2006, New Zealand notified the CLCS that it was not submitting data for the continental shelf around its Ross Dependency in Antarctica, but that it reserved the right to do so in the future.

The UK followed the New Zealand’s example in May 2008. The UK expects that the remaining Claimant States will also follow one of these two approaches. 

We are fully committed to upholding the Antarctic Treaty - including the Protocol on Environmental Protection and its clear prohibition on minerals related activity.

This Protocol, agreed in 1991, prohibits all minerals related activity, other than for scientific research. Any change to this ban would need to be agreed by all Antarctic Treaty Parties and would first require adoption of a new and binding agreement.  This would include an agreed means for determining whether, and if so, under what conditions, any such activities would be acceptable.

We’re committed to upholding the indefinite ban and to ensuring the highest possible standards of environmental protection in Antarctica.