Treaty partners

Twelve countries were original signatories to the Antarctic Treaty in 1959. Of these, seven claim territory in Antarctica (claimants). The Treaty entered into force on 23 June 1961. Thirty-eight other countries have now become Parties to the Treaty by acceding, for a total of 50 Parties.

Consultative Parties are those Parties entitled to participate in Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings. These are the original 12 signatories to the Antarctic Treaty, and those that demonstrate their interest in Antarctica by "conducting substantial research activity there".

Sixteen of the acceding countries have had their activities in Antarctica recognised according to this provision, and consequently there are now 28 Consultative Parties in all. The other 22 Non-Consultative Parties are invited to attend the Consultative Meetings but do not participate in the decision-making.

Country		Consultative Party	Non–Consultative Party	Comments
	Argentina	23 Jun 1961		Claimant State Original Signatory
	Australia	23 Jun 1961		Claimant State Original Signatory
	Chile	23 Jun 1961		Claimant State Original Signatory
	France	16 Sep 1960		Claimant State Original Signatory
	New Zealand	1 Nov 1960		Claimant State Original Signatory
	Norway	24 Aug 1960		Claimant State Original Signatory
	United Kingdom	31 May 1960		Claimant State Original Signatory
	Belgium	26 Jul 1960		Original Signatory
	Japan	4 Aug 1960		Original Signatory
	Russian Federation	2 Nov 1960		Succeeding state1
	South Africa	21 Jun 1960		Original Signatory
	United States of America	18 Aug 1960		Original Signatory
	Brazil	12 Sep 1983	16 May 1975	Acceding state
	Bulgaria	25 May 1998	11 Sep 1978	Acceding state
	China	7 Oct 1985	8 Jun 1983	Acceding state
	Ecuador	19 Nov 1990	15 Sep 1987	Acceding state
	Finland	9 Oct 1989	15 May 1984	Acceding state
	Germany	3 Mar 1981	5 Feb 1979	Acceding state2
	India	12 Sep 1983	19 Aug 1983	Acceding state
	Italy	5 Oct 1987	18 Mar 1981	Acceding state
	Netherlands	19 Nov 1990	30 Mar 1967	Acceding state
	Peru	9 Oct 1989	10 Apr 1981	Acceding state
	Poland	29 Jul 1977	8 Jun 1961	Acceding state
	Korea (ROK)	9 Oct 1989	28 Nov 1986	Acceding state
	Spain	21 Sep 1988	31 Mar 1982	Acceding state
	Sweden	21 Sep 1988	24 Apr 1984	Acceding state
	Ukraine	27 May 2004	28 Oct 2002	Succeeding State3
	Uruguay	7 Oct 1985	11 Jan 1980	Acceding state
	Austria		25 Aug 1987	Acceding state
	Canada		4 May 1988	Acceding state
	Colombia		31 Jan 1989	Acceding state
	Cuba		16 Aug 1984	Acceding state
	Czech Republic		14 Jun 1962	Succeeding state4
	Korea (DPRK)		21 Jan 1987	Acceding state
	Denmark		20 May 1965	Acceding state
	Estonia		17 May 2001	Acceding state
	Greece		8 Jan 1987	Acceding state
	Guatemala		31 Jul 1991	Acceding state
	Hungary		27 Jan 1984	Acceding state
	Papua New Guinea		16 Mar 1981	Acceding state
	Romania		15 Sep 1971	Acceding state
	Slovak Republic		14 Jun 1962	Succeeding state4
	Switzerland		15 Nov 1990	Acceding state
	Turkey		24 Jan 1996	Acceding state
	Venezuela		24 Mar 1999	Acceding state
	Belarus		27 Dec 2006	Acceding state
	Monaco		31 May 2008	Acceding state
	Portugal		29 Jan 2010	Acceding state
	Malaysia		31 Oct 2011	Acceding state
	Pakistan		1 Mar 2012	Acceding state

1 Following the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), which was an original signatory state, Russia assumed the rights and obligations of being a party to the Treaty.

2 The German Democratic Republic (GDR) was united with the Federal Republic of Germany on 2 October 1990. GDR acceded to the Treaty on 19 November 1974 and was recognised as a Consultative Party on 5 October 1987.

3 Ukraine succeeded to the Treaty following the dissolution of the USSR.

4 The Czech and Sloval Republics inherited Czechoslovakia’s obligations as a non-consultative party with effect from 1 January 1993, the date of their succession to the Treaty.