Polar Regions

Question 1

What is the main regulation for Antarctica?

Answer 1

The Antarctic Treaty of 1959

Question 2

What is the main regulation for the Arctic?

Answer 2

UNCLOS + customary law

Question 3

Which are the Arctic States?

Answer 3

Five coastal States: Canada,Denmark, US, Norway, and Russia
Three regional States: Iceland, Sweden, and Finland

Question 4

Which Arctic State is not part of UNCLOS?

Answer 4

The United States of America

Question 5

To what extension does the continental shelf reach?
To which extension can it be prolonged counting from where?

Answer 5

200 nautic miles
350 nautic miles from the territorial sea

Question 6

What mechanism is created by UNCLOS in order to solve disputes regarding the continental shelf?
What are its duties?
Are its resolutions binding?

Answer 6

The UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf
To evaluate extension requests
Yes

Question 7

According to Art. 77 of UNCLOS, the legal purposes of the Continental Shelf are…

Answer 7

Exploring and exploiting natural resources

Question 8

Antarctica is regulated by which legal frameworks?

Answer 8

The Antarctic Treaty of 1959
The Convention on the Regulation of the Mineral Resources Activities of 1988
The 1991 Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty