Adélie Land

Adélie Land Terre Adélie
Motto: Liberté, égalité, fraternité
Anthem: La Marseillaise
Capital		Dumont d'Urville Station(pop. c.50) 66°40′S 140°01′E / 66.667°S 140.017°E / -66.667; 140.017
Official language(s)		French
Government
-	President	François Hollande
-	Administrator	Rollon Mouchel-Blaisot[1]
French overseas territory
-	Discovered	1840
Area
-	Total	432,000 km2  166,796 sq mi
Population
-	census	33 (winter) ; less than 80 (summer)
Currency		euro (EUR)
Time zone		UTC+10
Internet TLD		.tf
Calling code		262

Adélie Land is a claimed territory in the continent of Antarctica. It stretches from a coastline area along the Great Southern Ocean back to the South Pole. The territory is claimed by France as one of five districts of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, although not all nations have given it diplomatic recognition.

Geography

Adélie Land lies between 136° E (near Pourquoi Pas Point at 66°12′S 136°11′E / 66.2°S 136.183°E / -66.2; 136.183) and 142° E (near Point Alden at 66°48′S 142°02′E / 66.8°S 142.033°E / -66.8; 142.033), with a shore length of 350 kilometres (220 mi) and with its hinterland extending as a sector about 2,600 kilometres (1,600 mi) toward the South Pole. It borders on the Australian Antarctic Territory both West and East, namely on Clarie Land (part of Wilkes Land) in the West, and George V Land in the East. The total land area, mostly ice covered, is estimated at 432,000 square kilometres (167,000 sq mi).

History

The coast was discovered in 1840 by French explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville (1790–1842) who named it after his wife, Adélie.^[2]

Research stations

Since January 12, 1956, there has been a permanently staffed French research base at 66°40′S 140°01′E / 66.667°S 140.017°E / -66.667; 140.017, Dumont d'Urville Station, with a winter population of 33, which goes up to 78 in the Antarctic summer. The first French station, Port Martin, was built April 9, 1950 at 66°49′04″S 141°23′39″E / 66.81778°S 141.39417°E / -66.81778; 141.39417, but destroyed by fire the night of January 22 to 23, 1952. Port Martin hosted a winter population of 11 in 1950 and of 17 in 1951.^[3]

France has also maintained an inland station on the Antarctic ice sheet, 320 km from the coast and from Dumont d'Urville Station, at an elevation of 2400 meters, Charcot Station (named after Jean-Baptiste Charcot) at 69°22′S 139°01′E / 69.367°S 139.017°E / -69.367; 139.017, built for the IGY 1957/1958, in operation from January 1957 to 1960, which housed only three men. The station was largely dug into the snow to protect it against the strong winds.

In popular culture

The Dumont d'Urville research station was the filming location of the documentary March of the Penguins (2005).^[4]

Discovery by Jules Dumont d'Urville, 1840

See also

• List of places named after people

References

External links

• Discover France - French Colonies - TERRE ADÉLIE

Coordinates: 75°00′S 139°00′E / 75°S 139°E / -75; 139

v t e Districts of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands Kerguelen Islands Crozet Islands Îles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam Adélie Land Scattered Islands

v t e Overseas departments and territories of France   Inhabited areas Overseas departments1 French Guiana Guadeloupe Martinique Réunion Mayotte2 Overseas collectivities French Polynesia St. Barthélemy St. Martin St. Pierre and Miquelon Wallis and Futuna Special status New Caledonia   Uninhabited areas Pacific Ocean Clipperton Island French Southern and Antarctic Lands Île Amsterdam Île Saint-Paul Crozet Islands Kerguelen Islands Adélie Land Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean Banc du Geyser4 Bassas da India4 Europa Island4 Glorioso Islands3, 4, 5 Juan de Nova Island4 Tromelin Island4, 5 1 Also known as overseas regions 2 Claimed by Comoros 3 Claimed by Madagascar 4 Claimed by Seychelles 5 Claimed by Mauritius

v t e Antarctic territorial claims Current Adélie Land Argentine Antarctica Australian Antarctic Territory British Antarctic Territory Chilean Antarctica Peter I Island Ross Dependency Queen Maud Land Proposed Brazilian Antarctica Former New Swabia

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