microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands
Antilles)
#
3
1
0
2000
1
?
?
#
#
#
#
105
65 km
#
40 km (1992 est.)
#
?
?
?
?
Blowing Point, Road Bay
#
?
?
?
?
#
2
2
?
?
?
1
1
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
#
?
#
?
?
?
?
?
none
#
?
#
@Antarctica
0
#
Antarctic Treaty Summary: The Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica. Administration is carried out through consultative member meetings - the 18th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was in Japan in April 1993. Currently, there are 42 treaty member nations: 26 consultative and 16 acceding. Consultative (voting) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 19 nonclaimant nations. The US and some other nations that have made no claims have reserved the right to do so. The US does not recognize the claims of others. The year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was voted to full consultative (voting) status, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory. Claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1983), China (1985), Ecuador (1990), Finland (1989), Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987), Japan, South Korea (1989), Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland (1977), South Africa, Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Uruguay (1985), the US, and Russia. Acceding (nonvoting) members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Bulgaria (1978), Canada (1988), Colombia (1988), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1993), Switzerland (1990), and Ukraine (1992).
Article 1: area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose
Article 2: freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue
Article 3: free exchange of information and personnel in cooperation with the UN and other international agencies
Article 4: does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force
Article 5: prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes
Article 6: includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south
Article 7: treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all activities and of the introduction of military personnel must be given
Article 8: allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states
Article 9: frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations
Article 10: treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty
Article 11: disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ
Articles 12, 13, 14: deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations
#
continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle
#
14000000
14000000
?
?
?
#
17968
?
?
#
?
?
?
severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance
from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of
its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher
temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below
freezing
#
about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average
elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to about 5,000
meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes
Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound;
glaciers form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating
ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent
#
Indian Ocean 0 m
Vinson Massif 5,140 m
none presently exploited; iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel,
platinum and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in
small, uncommercial quantities
#
0
0
0
0
100
0
katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior;
frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form
over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception
Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare
and weak
#
in 1995 it was reported that the ozone shield, which protects the Earth's
surface from harmful ultraviolet radiation, had dwindled to the lowest level
recorded over Antarctica since 1975 when measurements were first taken
#
none of the selected agreements
#
none of the selected agreements
#
the coldest, windiest, highest, and driest continent; during summer,
more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South Pole than is received
at the Equator in an equivalent period; mostly uninhabitable
#
0
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
#
?
#
?
#
?
#
?
?
?
none
Antarctica
?
?
Antarctic Treaty Summary - The Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December
?
?
#
?
#
?
?
#
US law, including certain criminal offenses by or against US nationals,
such as murder, may apply to areas not under jurisdiction of other countries.
Some US laws directly apply to Antarctica. For example, the Antarctic Conservation
Act, 16 U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties
#
?
#
?
?
#
?
#
?
#
?
#
?
#
?
#
?
#
?
#
?
#
?
#
?
#
?
#
No economic activity at present except for fishing off the coast and
small-scale tourism, both based abroad.
#
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
#
?
?
?
?
#
?
?
?
?
?
#
?
?
#
?
#
?
?
#
?
#
?
?
#
?
#
?
#
?
?
?
NA
#
NA
#
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
#
#
#
#
?
?
#
?
#
?
?
?
?
none; offshore anchorage
#
?
?
?
?
#
42
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
#
?
#
?
?
?
?
?
Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctic Treaty Summary above);
sections (some overlapping) claimed by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France
(Adelie Land), New Zealand (Ross Dependency), Norway (Queen Maud Land), and
UK; the US and most other nations do not recognize the territorial claims
of other nations and have made no claims themselves (the US reserves the right
to do so); no formal claims have been made in the sector between 90 degrees
west and 150 degrees west
#
?
#
@Antigua and Barbuda
0
#
#
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
#
440
440
0
?
?
#
153
24
200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
#
200
?
12
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
#
mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands with some higher volcanic
areas
#
Caribbean Sea 0 m
Boggy Peak 402 m
negligible; pleasant climate fosters tourism
#
18
0
9
11
62
?
hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts
#
water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh
water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase
crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Federal Police Force)
#
18 years of age
#
790838
424962
20584
1590000000
4.30
location and status of boundary with Saudi Arabia is not final, de facto
boundary reflects 1974 agreement; no defined boundary with most of Oman, but
Administrative Line in far north; claims two islands in the Persian Gulf occupied
#
growing role as heroin transshipment and money-laundering center due
to its proximity to southwest Asian producing countries and the bustling free
trade zone in Dubai
#
@United Kingdom
0
0$London$5150$-017$6794000$
1$Birmingham$5250$-192$992000$
1$Leeds$5383$-158$712000$
1$Sheffield$5339$-147$525000$
1$Liverpool$5342$-292$468000$
1$Bradford$5347$-175$462000$
1$Manchester$5350$-225$446000$
1$Bristol$5143$-260$375000$
1$Wakefield$5368$-150$319000$
1$Coventry$5242$-152$310000$
1$Dudley$5250$-208$306000$
1$Edimburg$5593$-318$434000$
1$Glasgow$5586$-423$689000$
1$Belfast$5458$-593$303000$
#
Formerly a part of the continent of Europe, Britain became an island about
6000 BC. Celts arrived about 3,000 years ago and their language survives in
Wales and parts of Scotland and Ireland. England (not Scotland or Wales)
became part of the Roman Empire in 43 BC. Later the land was overrun by
successive waves of Jutes, Angles, Saxons, and Danish vikings.
French-speaking Normans conquered the country in 1066, the last occasion of
a successful invasion. The thirty-year long War of the Roses between the
houses of York and Lancaster (1455-85) established the Tudor monarchy. Wales
became part of the kingdom in 1536. Because the pope would not grant Henry
VIII a divorce from Catherine of Aragon, he placed the Church of England
outside the control of Rome. The country was a republic under Oliver
Cromwell from 1649 until 1660. The 'Glorious Revolution' of 1688 confirmed
the sovereignty of Parliament and brought the protestant William of Orange
to the throne, replacing the catholic James II. Scotland united with England
and Wales in 1707 to form a single kingdom. In 1801, the United Kingdom was
formed with Ireland. The United Kingdom became the most important nation in
the world during the reign of Victoria (1837-1901), with empires in Canada
and India and with colonies in much of the rest of the world. The Industrial
Revolution of the 19th century was accompanied by the formation of trade
unions, public education, increased franchise, and other social
advancements. Ireland became independent in 1921, leaving only the
north-eastern part of the island as part of the UK. After World War II,
Britain was no longer the main world power and many of her colonies chose
independence. The UK became a member of the EC in 1973. The British
constitution is largely unwritten, based on precedent and tradition. There
is no separation of powers (that is, of the legislature and the executive).
Parliament consists of two houses, the Lords and the Commons. Members of the
House of lords are hereditary and life peers, as well as law lords and
representatives of the Anglican church; there are over 1000 members. The
House of Commons has 650 members, chosen by general election for a term of 5
years: it is here that the real power lies.
England and Wales consist of 47 non-metropolitan counties and 6 metropolitan. Scotland is divided into 9 regions and 3 island areas. Northern Ireland is made up of 26 districts.
#
GB
Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island
of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of
France
#
244820
241590
3230
360
Ireland 360 km
#
12429
?
as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed
upon boundaries
#
?
200
12
temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic
Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast
#
mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east
and southeast
#
Fenland -4 m
Ben Nevis 1,343 m
coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay,
chalk, gypsum, lead, silica
#
25
0
46
10
19
1080
NA
#
sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants contribute to air pollution;
some rivers polluted by agricultural wastes and coastal waters polluted because
of large-scale disposal of sewage at sea
#
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur
94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
