Queen Elizabeth Land
ABSTRACT This note considers the decision by the UK government to rename the southern portion of the Antarctic Peninsula - Queen Elizabeth Land. Named in honour of the UK Head of State, it was intended to be a ‘gift’ recognising her Diamond Jubilee. However, the 169,000 square mile territory in ques...
| Published in: | Polar Record |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2013
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247413000016 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247413000016 |
| Summary: | ABSTRACT This note considers the decision by the UK government to rename the southern portion of the Antarctic Peninsula - Queen Elizabeth Land. Named in honour of the UK Head of State, it was intended to be a ‘gift’ recognising her Diamond Jubilee. However, the 169,000 square mile territory in question is counter-claimed by Argentina and Chile. The circumstances surrounding this declaration, in December 2012, reveals both the contested politics of Antarctic place naming, and a growing willingness of the UK government to strengthen its ‘strategic presence’ in the Antarctic and wider South Atlantic/Falkland Islands region. This naming event provoked Argentina to issue a formal protest note to the UK Ambassador to Argentina. |
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