| Summary: | New Zealand claims 15 percent of the Antarctic continent, known as the Ross Dependency. New Zealand has enjoyed a benign security environment in the region since inheriting the claim from Britain in 1923. Despite the strategic tranquility, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has played a significant role in supporting New Zealand's civilian presence in Antarctica for many years. However, the relative harmony enjoyed in Antarctica during the twentieth-century is increasingly challenged due to a range of factors as diverse as climate change and great power competition. This thesis will contain an analysis of New Zealand's interests on the continent, examine the emerging security threats in the region, and the implications for the NZDF. "On Thin Ice" focuses on drawing recommendations for the strategic direction of the NZDF to be prepared for the Antarctica of the future.
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