Brazilian Antarctica
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| Antártica Brasileira Brazilian Antarctica
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| Motto: Ordem e Progresso (Portuguese) "Order and Progress" |
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| Anthem: Hino Nacional Brasileiro (Portuguese) |
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| Base | Comandante Ferraz, King George Island |
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| Official languages | Portuguese | |||
| Government | Presidential Federal republic | |||
| - | President | Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva | ||
| - | Vice President | José Alencar Gomes da Silva | ||
| Territory claim | by Brazil | |||
| - | designated | 1986 | ||
| Population | ||||
| - | 2007 estimate | 48 (winter) 100 (summer) | ||
| Currency | Real (R$) (de facto) (BRL) |
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Brazilian Antarctica (Antártica Brasileira) is the name of the Antarctic territory south of 60°S, and from 28°W to 53°W, designated by Brazil in 1986 as its 'Zone of Interest'. While the substance of that designation has never been precisely defined, it does not formally contradict the Argentine and British claims geographically overlapping with that zone.[1]
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[edit] History
In discussing Brazilian geopolitics, one must be careful to note that Brazil, in comparison to Argentina and Chile, has major geographic disadvantages with regards to Antarctica, and is generally considered the “newcomer” on the Antarctic geopolitical stage. In 1982 the Brazilian government launched their first Antarctic expedition, and a year later built their first base (named Comandante Ferraz, for a deceased naval officer active in Antarctica), which has been active year-round since then.
Despite their status as newcomers, Brazilian geopolitical writers have had considerable influence on the nation’s Antarctic policies (especially during the period of military dictatorship under a series of unelected general/presidents from 1964 to 1985), although there is not a national Brazilian Antarctic consciousness similar to that of Argentina or Chile.
Brazil's Antarctic geopolitics are reinforced by the notion of Brazilian grandeza which, Brazilians feel, will be part of the country's eventual status as a major world power. Brazilian analysts and officials have often stressed Brazil's special geopolitical status as a major power sitting astride key navigation sea lanes of communication in the Atlantic from the Equator to Antarctica.
[edit] Frontage concept
A Brazilian geostrategist, Therezinha de Castro, came up with the concept of a South American Quadrant of Antarctica: the notion of defrontação (frontage). Under this concept, in the South American sector of Antarctica (Greenwich 0 degree meridian to 90 degrees West) all non-South American nations would be required to remove their bases. The one-quarter piece of Antarctica as defined above would come under the control (although not necessarily sovereignty) of those six South American countries which had “open” meridians to the South Pole (i.e. north-south lines which did not touch or include any other nation’s South American territory). This approach would greatly diminish the sectors presently claimed by Argentina and Chile, would eliminate the British sector, and would give small, but significant, sectors to Uruguay, Peru and Ecuador (thanks to the Galapagos Islands). Brazil would have the largest sector.
Frontage concept was never an official Brazilian government position, but it was widely accepted by Brazilian geopoliticians and others with an interest in Antarctica. As might be expected, it was strongly opposed by British, Argentine and Chilean geopoliticians, and welcomed by those in Uruguay, Peru and Ecuador.
[edit] Facilities
Brazil maintains a permanent staffed research facility, the Comandante Ferraz Brazilian Antarctic Base (UN/LOCODE: AQ-CFZ), located in Admiralty Bay, King George Island, near the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, at .
[edit] Administration
The administration of Brazil's Antarctic policy and interests are shared by various government organizations. Several Federal universities and institutes also participate in the Antarctic research program. As is the case with Argentina and Chile, the military (especially the Air Force and the Navy) play a major role in Brazil's Antarctic program.
[edit] Comissão Interministerial para os Recursos do Mar (CIRM)
National agency responsible for the elaboration and implementation of the Brazilian Antarctic Programme, Programa Antártico Brasileiro (PROANTAR), and for maintaining the all-year station Comandante Ferraz. The commission is under the direct command of the Brazilian Navy.[2]
[edit] Brazilian National Committee on Antarctic Research (CONAPA)
National Member of SCAR. This committee is responsible for promoting the liaison between the Brazilian Antarctic Programme and international Antarctic research, co-ordinated by SCAR, and of following the activities and achievements of the research undertaken by other national Antarctic programmes. CONAPA is also an advisory body to other Brazilian organisms of the Brazilian Antarctic System, concerning scientific Antarctic politics. The committee is under the administration of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Brazil.[3]
[edit] National Commission on Antarctic Matters (CONANTAR)
National advisory board to the President of Brazil in charge of the formulation and implementation of the National Policy for Antarctic Affairs (Politica Nacional para Assuntos Antarticos - POLANTAR). The commission is directly linked to the Ministry of External Relations and the Presidency.[4]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
[edit] Bibliography
- Child, Jack. Antarctica and South American Geopolitics: Frozen Lebensraum. New York: Praeger, 1988, Chaper 6.
- Coelho, Aristides Pinto. "Novas tendências". Boletim Antártico, no. 4, Jan 1985.
- de Castro, Therezinha. "Antárctica: Assunto do Memento". Revista de Clube Militar (Brazil), 1958.
- de Castro, Therezinha. Atlas-Texto de Geopolítica do Brasil. Rio de Janeiro: Capemi Editora, 1982.
- Dodds, Klaus. Geopolitics in Antarctica : views from the Southern Oceanic Rim. Chichester ; New York : Published in association with Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge by J. Wiley, 1997.
- Moneta, Carlos J., ed. La Antártida en el Sistema Internacional del Futuro. Buenos Aires: Grupo Editor Lationoamericano, 1988.
- Schmied, Julie. La Política Antárctica de los Países Latinoamericanos. Madrid: Instituto de Cuestiones Internacionales, 1988.
- WorldStatesmen - Antarctica
- Flags of the World - Antarctica
- Map showing the Brazilizan Antarctica
- W.L. de Freitas, A Antártica no contexto do Sistema Interamericano e a paz nas Américas, Colégio Interamericano de Defesa, Washington, D.C.
[edit] External links
- Official website of the Brazilian Antarctic Programme
- Brazilian Navy's Antarctic Programme website
- National Meteorolgy Center at the Com. Ferraz Antarctic Station - Live webcams and weather data from the Brazilian Antarctic Base.
- Website of the Brazilian Ministry of Environment's Antarctic Project
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