Norwegian Antarctic Territory 
 

Adopted 14 Jan 1938     Map of Queen Maude Land  Hear National Anthem "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (Yes, We Love This Country) Text of National Anthem  Constitution   (17 May 1814) Chief  Stations: Troll, Tor Currency: Norwegian Krone (NOK)  National Holiday: 17 May (1814) Constitution Day Population: Uninhabited Seasonal Research Staff Summer (Jan): 44 Winter (Jul):  7 (2006-2007) Total Armed Forces: N/A Defense is the Responsibility of Norway Merchant marine: N/A Number of Year-round Stations: 1 Summer-only Stations: 1 (2006-2007) GDP: $N/A International Organizations/Treaties: None Norwegian Antarctic Territory Chronology  1 Jan 1739                Bouvet Island discovered by Jean-Baptiste Lozier                              Bouvet. 21 Jan 1821                Peter I Island discovered by Russian explorer                              Fabian von Bellinghausen. 10 Dec 1825 - 1929         Bouvet Island claimed for Britain by Capt. Norris                              named Liverpool Island. 1893                       Carl Anton Larsen discovered and named Foyn Coast                              in Graham Land, King Oscar Land, Mount Jason                               and Robertson Island. 24 Jan 1895                Carsten Borchgrevink made the first landing on                               Antarctica. Three years later he led the first                               party to winter on the continent. 14 Dec 1911                Five Norwegians, under the leadership of Roald                               Amundsen, are the first to reach the South Pole.  1 Dec 1927                Bouvet Island claimed (formally in 23 Jan 1928;                               in 1971 made a natural reserve).  2 Feb 1929                Peter I Island claimed (formally in 1930). 14 Jan 1938                Dronning Maud Land (Queen Maude Land) in                               Antarctica (45°E to 20°E) formally claimed as                              a Norwegian possession. 19 Jan 1939 - 23 May 1945  The area 20°E to 10°W claimed as German New Swabia                              (Deutsche Neuschwabenland) by Germany, not                              recognized by Norway or any other nation. 13 Jan 1941                German commandos board and capture two                               Norwegian factory ships in the sea north of                               Queen Maude Land. By the end of the next day,                               the Germans had taken possession of three                               factory ships and eleven catchers. The German                               Navy subsequently used the waters of the                               Peninsula and the sub-Antarctic islands as a                               haven from which they could venture forth to                              attack allied shipping. Their main base was an                              obscure harbor on Kergulen Island. 1948                       Norwegian Polar Institute (part of the Ministry                               of the Environment) assigned to administer                              Queen Maude Land. 1957                       Dronning Maud Land becomes subject to Norwegian                              sovereignty as a dependency.

Directors of the Norwegian Polar Institute (Norsk Polarinstitutt)
1948 - 1957                Harald Ulrik Sverdrup
1957 - 1960                Anders K. Orvin
1960 - 1983                Tore Gjelsvik
1983 - 1991                Odd Rogne
1991 - 1993                Nils Are Øritsland (acting)
1993 - 2005                Olav Orheim
2005 -                     Jan-Gunnar Winther                 (b. 1962)

Territorial Dispute: Norwegian Antarctic claim has not been recognized by the United Nations, U.S., Russia or by most other countries.