Ross Dependency
The Ross Dependency in the
Antarctic comprises all the islands and territories south of 60°S latitude
between 160°E and 150°W longitude.
From the early 18th century European explorers ventured into the waters of
the far south. In 1700 astronomer and explorer Edmond Halley, encountering
icebergs, described them as 'great islands of ice of so incredible a height and
magnitude'. Among subsequent explorers, James Cook reached the high latitude of
71°S in 1774. From the late 18th century commercial interests took off with the
hunting of wildlife. In 1821–1822 alone some 320.000 fur seals were killed;
elephant and fur seals were slaughtered almost to extinction. Whales were
similarly hunted and fell victim to the improving technology of harpooning.
James Ross, leading a British expedition in the mid-19th century, explored
the embayment of what is now known as the Ross Sea. He saw the volcano of Mt
Erebus and the ice barrier, collected numerous marine specimens (subsequently
lost or damaged), and conducted experiments, advanced for their time, on ocean
depths and temperatures.
In the 20th century, Antarctic expeditions, both for polar exploration and
scientific purposes, were sponsored by various nations. In 1911, the Norwegian
Roald Amundsen, camped on the eastern side of the Ross Sea, reached the South
Pole. A month later, Captain Robert Scott's British team reached the Pole from
their camp on the western side of the Ross Sea, but perished on the return
journey, victims of atrocious weather and faulty planning. Later explorers
include the American Richard Byrd, the first to fly over the Pole.
After the Second World War, the International Whaling Commission banned the
hunting of certain species of whales, but the numbers of right, humpback, blue
and fin whales remain vestigial in the Southern Ocean. Seals are protected
under a convention of 1971.
In 1923 steps were taken to assent sovereignty over the Antarctic territory
by vesting administration in the New Zealand Government by an order in council
under the British Settlements Act of 1887. The New Zealand Antarctic Expedition
established Scott Base on Ross Island in 1957; the following year, the Ross
Dependency Research Committee was appointed to co-ordinate all New Zealand
activity in the dependency.
In 1959, 12 nations, including New Zealand, signed the Antarctic Treaty,
which reserves the Antarctic for peaceful purposes. The parties have agreed to
freeze territorial claims, conduct scientific research according to accepted
international standards, to share research and not to test nuclear or other
weapons. By 2008, the treaty had been signed by 46 countries.
In 1995 the government
concluded a year-long review of New Zealand's Antarctic structure. Key outcomes
included the establishment of a New Zealand Antarctic Institute (Antarctica New
Zealand), and the continuation of the Officials’ Antarctic Committee (OAC) with
enhanced terms of reference.
The OAC is an
interdepartmental committee that contributes policy advice on Antarctic affairs
to the government. Antarctica New Zealand is responsible for developing and
managing New Zealand's national activities in the Ross Dependency and New
Zealand's activities generally in Antarctica, and is a Crown entity managed by
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Capital: -
Government: dependency of New Zealand
Area: 413.530
km˛
Population: 300 - 1500 (four bases)
Currency:
Internet TLD: .nz / .aq
Dialling code: +64 2409
Links
Ross Dependency in Wikipedia.
Flag of Ross Dependency in Flags of the
World.
The website of the Philatelic Service (
Description of
Official website of Antarctica
New Zealand.
Stamp catalogue
date:
designer: Cue Design,
printer: Southern Colour Print,
perforated: 14
size souv. sheet: 120 x 80 mm
1 $ 4.50 souvenir
sheet, map of
Commonwealth /
TRANS-ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION"
$ 2.00 Southern
Party Tractor, text "50th Anniversary of The Commonwealth /
TRANS-ANTARCTIC
EXPEDITION"
$ 2.50 HMNZS
Endeavour, penguins, text "50th Anniversary of The Commonwealth /
TRANS-ANTARCTIC
EXPEDITION"
multicoloured
(cat.
Michel block 2/SG MS 109/Yvert BF 1)
last revised: