Queen Maud Land
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Queen Maud Land (Norwegian: Dronning Maud Land) is the part of Antarctica lying between the terminus of Stancombius-Willson Glacier, at 20°W and Shinnan Glacier, at 44°38'E in the area claimed by Norway on January 14, 1938 as a dependent territory. This claim, like all others in the Antarctic, is not universally recognized and is subject to the terms of the Antarctic Treaty System. It has a land area of approximately 2.5 million km², mostly covered by the Antarctic ice sheet.
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[edit] Regions
Queen Maud Land is divided into five coastal regions which can be thought of extending as sectors to the South Pole, from west to east (clockwise)[1]:
| No. | Region | Area (km²) | Western Border | Eastern Border | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kronprinsesse Märtha Kyst | 970 000 | 020°00' W | 005°00' E | ||
| 2 | Prinsesse Astrid Kyst | 580 000 | 005°00' E | 020°00' E | ||
| 3 | Prinsesse Ragnhild Kyst | 540 000 | 020°00' E | 034°00' E | ||
| 4 | Prins Harald Kyst | 230 000 | 034°00' E | 040°00' E | ||
| 5 | Prins Olav Kyst | 180 000 | 040°00' E | 044°38' E | ||
| 6 | Haakon VII's Vidde | The Polar Plateau is considered as sixth region, with an undefined northern border (approx. 80°S) its area is contained in sectors 1 through 5 |
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| Dronning Maud Land | 2,500,000 | 020°00' W | 044°38' E | |||
The area was first visited in 1930 by Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen as part of efforts to map the Antarctic. Roald Amundsen had previously named it in honour of Queen Maud of Norway and the entire plateau surrounding the South Pole Haakon VII's Vidde in honour of King Haakon VII of Norway. The area originally identified by Amundsen as Queen Maud Land lay between 37° and 50° E.
[edit] Research stations
Norway operates two research stations in Antarctica, both in Queen Maud Land:
Research Stations of other nations include:
- SANAE IV "Vesles" (South Africa), Princess Martha Coast
- Sarie Marais (South Africa), Princess Martha Coast
- Novolazarevskaya Station (Russia), Princess Astrid Coast
- Showa Station (Japan), Prince Harald Coast
- Dome Fuji Station (Japan), Prince Harald Coast
- Mizuho (Japan), Prince Olav Coast
- Neumayer Station, Princess Martha Coast
- Kohnen (German summer station), Princess Martha Coast (interior)
- SANAE E (South African summer station), Princess Martha Coast
- Svea Station (Swedish summer station) 1987/1988, Princess Astrid Coast
- Nordenskiöld Base, Princess Astrid Coast
- Wasa Station (Swedish summer station)
- Aboa Station (Finnish summer station)
- Asuka Station (Japanese unmanned station) Princess Ragnhild Coast
| Station | type | Nation | year established |
Region | Area | Coordinates | Elevation | km from coast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SANAE IV "Vesles" | year- round |
South Africa | 1994 | Princess Martha Coast | Vesleskarvet | . | 10 | |
| Neumayer Station | year- round |
Germany | 1992 | Princess Martha Coast | Atka Bay | . | 8 |
[edit] Chronology
| 1832 | John Biscoe's expedition claims to sight Graham Land, although one source states it was Anvers Island. |
| 1893 | Carl Anton Larsen discovers and names Graham Land's Foyn Coast; also King Oscar Land, Mount Jason and Robertson Island. |
| 1895-01-24 | Carsten Borchgrevink makes what is claimed to be the first landing on Antarctica. Three years later he leads the first party to winter on the continent. |
| 1911-12-14 | Five Norwegians, led by Roald Amundsen, are the first to reach the South Pole. |
| 1930 | Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen flies over the area previously named Dronning Maud Land (Queen Maud Land) by Roald Amundsen. |
| 1938-01-14 | Dronning Maud Land, identified as the area lying from 45° to 20°E, is formally claimed by Norway. |
| 1939-01-19 –1945-05-23 |
The area 20°E to 10°W is claimed by Nazi Germany as "German New Swabia" (Deutsche Neuschwabenland). It is not recognized by any other nation. |
| 1941-01-13 | German commandos board and capture two Norwegian factory ships in the sea north of Queen Maud Land. By the end of the next day, the Germans had taken possession of three factory ships and eleven catchers. The German Navy subsequently uses a harbor on Kerguelen Island as a base from which to attack Allied shipping. |
| 1948 | The Norwegian Polar Institute, as part of the Norwegian Ministry of the Environment, is assigned the administration of Dronning Maud Land. |
| 1957 | In Norway, Dronning Maud Land becomes subject to Norwegian sovereignty as a dependency. |
[edit] See also
- Peter I Island, the other Antarctic territory claimed by Norway.
[edit] External links
Alpinist Magazine Climbing Notes-First Ascents in Queen Maud Land
- Windmill Spire
- West Summit of Fernis
- Wohlthat Massif
- Collection of photographs, maps and documents about the geology of western Dronning Maud Land
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| Current | Adélie Land · Argentine Antarctica · Australian Antarctic Territory · Brazilian Antarctica · British Antarctic Territory · Antarctic Chilean Territory · Ross Dependency · Queen Maud Land · Peter I Island |  |
| Former | New Swabia | |
Bouvet Island · Jan Mayen · Queen Maud Land · Peter I Island · Svalbard
1 Sovereignity over territories in Antarctica currently suspended under the Antarctic Treaty System.
