# What's to stop me from starting a country in Antartica? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 16, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-stop-me-from-starting-a-country-in-antartica/571602 "2011-02-16T17:43:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Weeping\_Wyvern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@Weeping\_Wyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weeping_Wyvern)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-stop-me-from-starting-a-country-in-antartica/571602/41 "2013-02-21T15:19:10Z")
This has actually been a dream of mine for quite some time. In the event that I ever inherit some billions from a long-lost uncle, I shall try to establish a little antipodal despotism. I doubt any nation is going to bother sending soldiers over to conquer me; I’ll be more concerned about getting sick of penguin meat. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-stop-me-from-starting-a-country-in-antartica/571602/42 "2013-02-21T15:27:05Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > AFAIK there aren’t any islands left in Mediterranean or Pacific that haven’t been claimed. You’d have to [build](http://www.impactlab.net/2008/07/18/self-assembling-city-from-the-sea-autopia-ampere/) [one](http://principalityofnewutopia.com/) [yourself](http://www.tdrinc.com/nexus.html). Little to add other than a plug for one of my favorite books, **Island** by Thomas Perry. Some folk find an island - well, it is dry during low tide. They build it up, start signing obscure treaties, open up to bankers/investors… A fun read. ---
**Author:** ![FrankJBN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@FrankJBN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FrankJBN)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-stop-me-from-starting-a-country-in-antartica/571602/43 "2013-02-21T22:12:59Z")
Re those posts suggesting it wouldn’t be worth the trouble for a nation to force someone from less desirable areas of said country. Of course it’s worth the trouble. Nations are worse than individuals in terms of their possessions and most individuals, when some stranger to them takes somethig of theirs and declares it ‘liberated and free’ of the original owner will want to take it back. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-stop-me-from-starting-a-country-in-antartica/571602/44 "2013-02-21T22:40:25Z")
> [@Doggo](#): > > You need to read up on Antarctica. > Everything, like food has to be taken down there. There is no fuel, so all energy has to be imported. > Even Gates isn’t rich enough. > > Then there is the winter when no ships or planes can go there. > Most people can’t wait to go home after a year there. > > The only place it might work is in the “banana belt”, and that’s already well populated. This is what will stop you. Forget other countries kicking you out, Antarctica will do it itself. 😃 > [@wikipedia](#): > > The [lowest reliably measured temperature](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extremes_on_Earth) on Earth of −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F) was in Vostok on 21 July 1983 at [Vostok Station](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vostok_Station).[[2]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Antarctica#cite_note-2)[[3]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Antarctica#cite_note-3) For comparison, this is 11 °C colder than [subliming](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sublimation_(chemistry)) [dry ice](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_ice) (at sea level pressure). The highest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica was 14.6°C (58.3°F) in two places, [Hope Bay](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hope_Bay) and [Vanda Station](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanda_Station), on January 5, 1974.[[4]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Antarctica#cite_note-4) The mean annual temperature of the interior is −57°C (−70°F). The coast is warmer. Monthly means at [McMurdo Station](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMurdo_Station) range from −28°C (−18.4°F) in August to −3°C (26.6°F) in January.[_[citation needed](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)_] At the [South Pole](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pole), the highest temperature ever recorded was −12.3°C (9.9°F) on December 25, 2011.[[5]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Antarctica#cite_note-AMRC-5) Along the [Antarctic Peninsula](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Peninsula), temperatures as high as 15°C (59°F) have been recorded, though the summer temperature is usually around 2°C (36°F). Severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean. [East Antarctica](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Antarctica) is colder than [West Antarctica](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Antarctica) because of its higher elevation. The Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate. Higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing. At your best, taking an area on the outskirts of the penninsula, you are looking at freezing or just below for a summer high temp. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-stop-me-from-starting-a-country-in-antartica/571602/45 "2013-02-21T23:51:30Z")
> [@Doggo](#): > > You need to read up on Antarctica. > Everything, like food has to be taken down there. There is no fuel, so all energy has to be imported. > Even Gates isn’t rich enough. > > Then there is the winter when no ships or planes can go there. > Most people can’t wait to go home after a year there. Hey, it works for Phoenix, why not in Antarctica? ---
**Author:** ![NormalDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7993a0/32.png) [@NormalDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NormalDude)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-stop-me-from-starting-a-country-in-antartica/571602/46 "2013-02-23T02:00:10Z")
If I were a multi-billionare, I might build an artificial land mass in the southeast Pacific ocean. ---
**Author:** ![Nikki9doors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c77e96/32.png) [@Nikki9doors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nikki9doors)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-stop-me-from-starting-a-country-in-antartica/571602/47 "2013-02-23T05:14:11Z")
If you went for Marie Byrd Land which is the only unclaimed territory in Antarctica I’m sure you’d be fine ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-stop-me-from-starting-a-country-in-antartica/571602/48 "2013-02-23T06:24:06Z")
Even if you, as a billionaire, bought a tract of land from the government that claimed it, you would still have the possibility of Eminent Domain hanging over your head; i.e., they could boot you off your land anytime they think it would be to their benefit (compensation, if any, would depend on the laws of the country and the terms of the sale). Part of the definition of a sovereign country is that you have to be able to control your own territory, and this includes defending it. Only an international treaty granting you diplomatic recognition could legitimize a transfer of sovereignty. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-stop-me-from-starting-a-country-in-antartica/571602/49 "2013-02-23T20:02:11Z")
> [@Nikki9doors](#): > > If you went for Marie Byrd Land which is the only unclaimed territory in Antarctica I’m sure you’d be fine You’d have the [absolute coolest national anthem](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqashW66D7o). ---
**Author:** ![Doggo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/87869e/32.png) [@Doggo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doggo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-stop-me-from-starting-a-country-in-antartica/571602/50 "2013-02-24T13:00:48Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Even if you, as a billionaire, bought a tract of land from the government that claimed it, you would still have the possibility of Eminent Domain hanging over your head; i.e., they could boot you off your land anytime they think it would be to their benefit (compensation, if any, would depend on the laws of the country and the terms of the sale). > > Part of the definition of a sovereign country is that you have to be able to control your own territory, and this includes defending it. Only an international treaty granting you diplomatic recognition could legitimize a transfer of sovereignty. Territorial claims are not recognised in Antarctica. The largest American base, McMurdo, is in an area that was claimed by Britain. America and Russia have many bases all over the continent. While in the future, if minerals or significant quantities of oil are discovered, some countries may decide to enforce their claims by military means, at present, there is nothing to stop anyone with the means from going and setting up a base anywhere. Greenpeace did that at Cape Evans where they had a base for a few years. However, the facts of life down there are such that only countries can afford the cost involved in staying there long time. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-stop-me-from-starting-a-country-in-antartica/571602/51 "2013-02-24T13:22:56Z")
The only way the climate will permit this, is if the entire population lives underground. So name your country: **The Antarctic Subterranean Nation**. ---
**Author:** ![Semper\_Cogito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Semper\_Cogito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Semper_Cogito)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-stop-me-from-starting-a-country-in-antartica/571602/52 "2013-02-25T06:11:01Z")
\*\*\*\*Since there is no place on earth I know of named “AntARTica” but there is an AntARCtica, I think that the fact that AntARTica does not exist would be a major factor in preventing you from starting a country there! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-to-stop-me-from-starting-a-country-in-antartica/571602.md?page=2)