Demographics of Antarctica

Antarctica has no indigenous inhabitants, but there are seasonally staffed research stations. 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 science 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 three children have been born in Antarctica. The first was Emilio Marcos Palma, born January 7, 1978 to Argentine parents on the Argentine Base Esperanza, near the tip of the Antarctic peninsula. In 1986, 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.

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	3
Australia	201	75	4	4
Belgium	13	-	-	-
Brazil	80	12	1	-
Bulgaria	16	-	-	1
Chile	352	129	4	7
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	-
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.)

See also : Antarctica