Demographics of Antarctica
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Antarctica has no indigenous inhabitants, but there are permanently- and seasonally-staffed research stations, and former whaling settlements. The largest of these, McMurdo Station, has a population (summer) of about 1200 residents. Approximately 29 nations, all signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, send personnel to perform seasonal (summer) and year-round research on the continent and in its surrounding oceans; the population of persons doing and supporting scientific research on the continent and its nearby islands south of 60 degrees south latitude (the region covered by the Antarctic Treaty) varies from approximately 4,000 in summer to 1,000 in winter; in addition, approximately 1,000 personnel including ship's crew and scientists doing onboard research are present in the waters of the treaty region.
At least ten children have been born in West Antarctica. The first was Emilio Marcos Palma, born January 7, 1978 to Argentine parents at Esperanza, Hope Bay, near the tip of the Antarctic peninsula. In 1984, Juan Pablo Camacho was born at the Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva Base, becoming the first Chilean born in Antarctica. Soon after, a girl, Gisella, was born at the same station. In 2001, National Geographic reported that eight children had been born at Esperanza alone.
| Nation | Summer (January) population 3,687 total (1998-9) |
Winter (July) population 964 total (1998-9) |
Year-round Stations 42 total (1998-9) |
Summer-only Stations 32 total (1998-9) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 302 | 165 | 6 | 7 |
| Australia | 201 | 75 | 4 | 4 |
| Belgium | 13 | - | - | - |
| Brazil | 80 | 12 | 1 | - |
| Bulgaria | 16 | - | - | 1 |
| Chile | 352 | 129 | 4 | 7 |
| People's Republic of China | 70 | 33 | 2 | - |
| Finland | 11 | - | 1 | - |
| France | 100 | 33 | 1 | - |
| Germany | 51 | 9 | 1 | 1 |
| India | 60 | 25 | 1 | 1 |
| Italy | 106 | - | 1 | - |
| Japan | 136 | 40 | 1 | 3 |
| South Korea | 14 | 14 | 1 | - |
| Netherlands | 10 | - | - | - |
| New Zealand | 60 | 10 | 1 | 1 |
| Norway | 40 | - | 1 | - |
| Peru | 28 | - | - | 1 |
| Poland | 70 | 20 | 1 | - |
| Romania | 20 | 11 | - | - |
| Russia | 254 | 102 | 6 | 3 |
| South Africa | 80 | 10 | 1 | - |
| Spain | 43 | - | 1 | - |
| Sweden | 20 | - | - | 2 |
| Ukraine | 1 | - | ||
| UK | 192 | 39 | 2 | 5 |
| US | 1,378 | 248 | 3 | - |
| Uruguay | 1 | - |
In addition, during the austral summer some nations have numerous occupied locations such as tent camps, summer-long temporary facilities, and mobile traverses in support of research (July 2000 est.)
