View source for Ross Dependency

{{Short description|New Zealand's territorial claim in Antarctica}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox dependency
| name = Ross Dependency
| settlement_type = [[Realm of New Zealand|Dependency]]
| official_name =
| image_map = Antarctica, New Zealand territorial claim.svg
| map_alt = Location of the Ross Dependency
| mapsize = 290px
| subdivision_type = [[Sovereign state]]
| subdivision_name = [[New Zealand]]
| established_title2 = Claimed by the United Kingdom
| established_date2 = 1841
| established_title3 = Claim transferred to New Zealand
| established_date3 = 1923
| established_title4 = Sector claim
| established_date4 = 160°E &ndash; 150°W
| official_languages     = [[New Zealand English|English]]
| capital_type = Main base
| capital = [[Scott Base]]
| coordinates = {{Coord|77.849132|S|166.768196|E|format=dms|region:AQ}}
| largest_settlement = capital
| largest_settlement_type = administrative centre
| government_type = [[Dependent territory|Dependency]] under a [[constitutional monarchy]]
| leader_title1 = [[Monarchy of New Zealand|Monarch]]
| leader_name1 = [[Charles III]]
| leader_title2 = [[Governor-General of New Zealand|Governor]]
| leader_name2 = [[Cindy Kiro|Dame Cindy Kiro]]
| area_km2 = 450,000
| area_sq_mi = 174,000<!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->
| area_land_km2 = 
| percent_water = 
| population_estimate = {{plainlist|
*10&ndash;80 ([[Scott Base]])
*200&ndash;1,000 ([[McMurdo Station]])
*85&ndash;200 ([[Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station|South Pole Station]])
*0&ndash;90 ([[Zucchelli Station]])
*20&ndash;60 ([[Jang Bogo Station]])
*30&ndash;80 ([[Qinling Station]])}}
| population_estimate_year = Seasonal
| population_density_km2 = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 
| pop_den_footnote = 
| currency = [[New Zealand dollar]] (NZ$)
| currency_code = NZD
| timezone = [[Time in New Zealand|NZST]]
| utc_offset = +12:00
| timezone_DST = [[Time in New Zealand|NZDT]]
| utc_offset_DST = +13:00
| drives_on = 
| iso_code = 
| calling_code = [[Telephone numbers in New Zealand|+64 2409]]
| cctld = {{hlist|[[.aq]]|[[.nz]]}}
}}

The '''Ross Dependency''' is a region of [[Antarctica]] defined by a [[circular sector|sector]] originating at the [[South Pole]], passing along longitudes [[160th meridian east|160° east]] to [[150th meridian west|150° west]], and terminating at latitude [[60th parallel south|60° south]]. It is claimed by [[New Zealand]], a claim mutually accepted only by [[Australia]], the [[United Kingdom|UK]], [[France]] and [[Norway]], which are countries that also have [[territorial claims in Antarctica]]. Under the 1961 [[Antarctic Treaty System|Antarctic Treaty]], of which all territorial claimants are signatories, including New Zealand, all claims are held in [[abeyance]].  Article IV states: "No acts or activities taking place while the present Treaty is in force shall constitute a basis for asserting, supporting or denying a claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica or create any rights of sovereignty in Antarctica".

The Dependency takes its name from [[James Clark Ross|Sir James Clark Ross]], who discovered the [[Ross Sea]] and includes part of [[Victoria Land]], and most of the [[Ross Ice Shelf]]. [[Ross Island|Ross]], [[Balleny Islands|Balleny]], [[Scott Island|Scott]] and [[Roosevelt Island, Antarctica|Roosevelt Islands]] also form part of the Dependency.

== History of claim ==
Following his discovery of [[Victoria Land]] in 1841, James Clark Ross took possession of this territory, along with the surrounding sea, on behalf of [[United Kingdom|Britain]]. On 30 July 1923, the [[Government of the United Kingdom|British Government]] passed an [[Order in Council]] under the British Settlements Act 1887, which defined the current borders of the Ross Dependency as follows:

{{quote|From and after the publication of this Order in the Government Gazette of the Dominion of New Zealand that part of His Majesty's Dominions in the Antarctic Seas, which comprises all the islands and territories between the 160th degree of East Longitude and the 150th degree of West Longitude which are situated south of the 60th degree of South Latitude shall be named the Ross Dependency.}}

The Order in Council then went on to appoint the [[Governor-General of New Zealand|governor-general]] and [[commander-in-chief]] of [[New Zealand]] as the governor of the territory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ross Dependency Boundaries and Government Order in Council 1923 (SR 1923/974) (as at 17 August 1923), Imperial Contents – New Zealand Legislation |url=https://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/imperial/1923/0974/latest/DLM1195.html |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=www.legislation.govt.nz}}</ref> This Order in Council was published in the ''[[New Zealand Gazette]]'' on 16 August 1923, and on 14 November 1923, the governor-general issued regulations extending New Zealand law to the Ross Dependency.

After the Order in Council was read in the [[New Zealand House of Representatives]] by the [[Prime Minister of New Zealand]] [[William Massey]], a clarification was made by the [[Attorney-General (New Zealand)|Attorney-General]] Sir [[Francis Bell (New Zealand politician)|Francis Bell]] in the [[New Zealand Legislative Council|legislative council]]. Bell stated:

{{quote|The boundaries of New Zealand are not extended to include the Ross sea and adjacent lands. His Majesty's delegation to the Governor-General of New Zealand did not confer upon the government or parliament of New Zealand the same powers as were vested by the [[New Zealand Constitution Act 1852|Constitution Act]] in respect of the Dominion itself. It might be assumed that in the administration of the Ross Dependency that he would invite advice from his New Zealand ministers and it was certain that details would be entrusted to the New Zealand Government. But his excellency was required in all matters of legislation and regulation for the Ross Territory to comply with instructions from the [[Chief Secretary (British Empire)|colonial secretary]]. There was no reason to believe that the [[Colonial Office]] would give such instructions without prior consultation with the Government of the Dominion, but the part which the New Zealand Government had agreed to take in enabling His Majesty to exercise jurisdiction in and over the Ross Territory must be taken on behalf of the Empire as a whole and not specially in the interests of New Zealand.}}

It has been said that the Order in Council contained no suggestion of a transfer to New Zealand of the United Kingdom's claim,<ref>See {{cite journal |title=New Zealand's Claims in the Antarctic |first=Ivor L. M. |last=Richardson |journal=New Zealand Law Journal |volume=33 |issue=9 |pages=38–42
|ssrn=2257655 |year=1957 }}</ref> but the fact remains that the territory is administered by the Government of New Zealand.<ref name="Colonial Law' 1966. P. 137">''Commonwealth and Colonial Law'' by [[Kenneth Roberts-Wray|Sir Kenneth Roberts-Wray]], London, Stevens, 1966. P. 137 (word for word quote as at 2 May 2015)</ref> Technically, the claim is that of the monarch and they can exercise it through any of their governments.<ref name="Colonial Law' 1966. P. 137"/>

At an [[1930 Imperial Conference|Imperial Conference in 1930]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.statusquo.org/aru_html/html/impconf.html|title=Imperial Conferences|website=www.statusquo.org|access-date=2019-02-10|archive-date=2016-03-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307124002/http://statusquo.org/aru_html/html/impconf.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> it was agreed that the governors-general of the [[British Dominions|Dominions]] would be appointed by the king on the advice of the Dominion in question. And following the passing of the [[Statute of Westminster 1931|Statute of Westminster]] in 1931 (which was adopted in full by New Zealand in 1947), the Government of the United Kingdom relinquished all control over the government of New Zealand. This however had no bearing on the obligations of the governor-general of New Zealand in their capacity as governor of the Ross Dependency on the appointment of the Government of the United Kingdom. Then in the year 1959, the [[Antarctic Treaty System|Antarctic Treaty]] was signed by twelve nations, which included both the United Kingdom and New Zealand.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.state.gov/antarctic-treaty/ |title=Antarctic Treaty |publisher=[[United States Department of State]] |access-date=2 May 2020}}</ref>

The New Zealand government began to take some interest in the territory in 1955. As reliance on the United Kingdom waned, New Zealand's exercise of authority began to rely on the United States, which maintained a much larger presence in the territory, despite the United States not recognising the New Zealand claim and reserving the right to make a claim of its own.  The New Zealand [[Scott Base]] was established close to the American [[McMurdo Station]], and Americans in the territory are exempt from taxation, customs, and criminal jurisdiction in minor matters.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sahurie |first1=Emilio J. |title=The International Law of Antarctica |date=27 November 2023 |publisher=Brill |isbn=9789004639287 |pages=17–19 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RMX7EAAAQBA}}</ref>

== Geography and habitation ==
[[File:Dry Valleys and McMurdo Sound - LIMA image.png|thumb|Mosaic of Landsat images, showing McMurdo Sound (right) and the Dry Valleys (left). Part of Ross Island is visible upper right.]]
[[File:Mount Erebus Aerial 2.jpg|thumb|Aerial photo of [[Mount Erebus]] on Ross Island]]
The actual amount of land mass claimed is not large; most of the area defined as being in the Ross Dependency is either in the Ross Sea or the [[Southern Ocean|Antarctic Ocean]]. It is the second-smallest of the claims which were made before the implementation of the Antarctic Treaty System and the suspension of all territorial claims to Antarctica proper. Officers of the Government of the Ross Dependency are annually appointed to run the Dependency. The [[New Zealand Geographic Board]] has named many features within the Dependency.<ref>{{cite web |title=Southern Ocean and Ross Dependency |url=https://www.linz.govt.nz/sea/charts/paper-charts/nz202-chart-catalogue/region-southern-ocean-and-ross-dependency |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804134231/https://www.linz.govt.nz/sea/charts/paper-charts/nz202-chart-catalogue/region-southern-ocean-and-ross-dependency |archive-date=4 Aug 2021 |access-date=2 May 2020 |website=Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) |language=en-NZ}}</ref>

The scientific bases of [[Scott Base]] (New Zealand), [[McMurdo Station]] (US), [[Zucchelli Station]] (Italy) and [[Jang Bogo Station]] (South Korea) are the only permanently occupied human habitations in the area, though [[Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station]] (US) is partially within the territory and dependent on logistics operations based in New Zealand. China is establishing a year-round research station at [[Inexpressible Island]] in [[Terra Nova Bay]] of the Ross Sea that opened in 2024.<ref>{{cite news |first=Nengye |last=Liu |title=What does China's fifth research station mean for Antarctic governance? |work=The Diplomat |date=28 June 2018 |url=https://thediplomat.com/2018/06/what-does-chinas-fifth-research-station-mean-for-antarctic-governance/ }}</ref> The Dependency has access to [[US Antarctic Program]]-maintained snow runways at [[Williams Field]] and [[Phoenix Airfield]]. This guarantees accessibility by wheeled and ski-equipped aircraft year-round.

From 1969 to 1995 New Zealand operated a summer-only base called [[Vanda Station]] in the [[McMurdo Dry Valleys|Dry Valley]] area of the Dependency.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vanda Station |url=https://antarctica.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/37814 |website=Antarctica NZ |access-date=2 May 2020}}</ref>

The [[New Zealand Defence Force]] is tasked with providing support for New Zealand programmes in Antarctica. This is provided by the [[Royal New Zealand Air Force]]'s [[Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules|C-130J]] and [[Boeing 757]] aircraft. New Zealand military personnel also fulfill communications, logistics and other duties at Scott Base.<ref>{{cite web |title=Our history: Decades of flying to the ice |url=https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/media-centre/news/our-history-decades-of-flying-to-the-ice/ |access-date=23 August 2023 |date=27 January 2023 |website=New Zealand Defence Force |language=en-NZ}}</ref> In 2020, the [[Royal New Zealand Navy]] commissioned a new logistics support ship, {{HMNZS|Aotearoa}}, which is a Polar-class Level 6 vessel (Summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice)<ref>{{cite web |title=HMNZS Aotearoa: How the Royal New Zealand Navy's Largest Ship Uses ISR Mission Software to Power Global Sustainment |url=https://cartenav.com/case-study/hmnzs-aotearoa/ |access-date=23 August 2023 |website=CarteNav |date=7 June 2023 |language=en-NZ}}</ref> capable of berthing at McMurdo Station (ten minutes by jeep from Scott Base)<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Where U.S., Kiwis Are Neighbors |url=https://www.wired.com/2001/12/where-u-s-kiwis-are-neighbors/ |access-date=23 August 2023 |date=6 December 2001 |last=Griggs |first=Kim |magazine=Wired}}</ref> for resupply purposes.<ref>{{cite web |title=Successful resupply mission to Antarctica proves capability of NZ Navy ship |url=https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/media-centre/news/successful-resupply-mission-to-antarctica-proves-capability-of-nz-navy-ship/  |date=16 February 2022 |access-date=23 August 2023 |website=New Zealand Defence Force |language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=HMNZS Aotearoa |url=https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/nzdf/our-equipment/ships-and-watercraft/hmnzs-aotearoa/ |access-date=23 August 2023 |website=New Zealand Defence Force |language=en-NZ}}</ref> 

About 1.12 million square kilometres of the Ross Sea region have been declared a Marine Protected Area (MPA). In this regard, the Navy is tasked with conducing Southern Ocean patrols during the fishing season to enforce international rules and fight against illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing.<ref>{{cite web |title=Antarctic Haven |url=https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/environment/antarctica-and-the-southern-ocean/antarctic-haven/ |access-date=23 August 2023 |website=New Zealand - Foreign Affairs and Trade |language=en-NZ}}</ref>

[[Greenpeace]] maintained its Antarctic station in the Ross Dependency called [[World Park Base]] from 1987 to 1992, which was on Ross Island. As this base was a non-governmental entity, the official policy of the signatory nations of the Antarctic Treaty was not to give any support or assistance to it.

==Other events==
[[File:Flag of the Ross Dependency (unofficial).svg|thumb|Unofficial flag of the Ross Dependency since 1995]]
In 1979, an [[Air New Zealand]] sightseeing flight crashed into the slopes of [[Mount Erebus]] killing all 257 people on board. It was the most deadly air crash in the history of both Antarctica and New Zealand (see [[Mount Erebus disaster]]).

In the summer of 1985, when the British non-governmental exploratory vessel ''Southern Quest'' sank in the Ross Sea, the [[United States Coast Guard]] helicopters rescued the crew, who were taken to McMurdo Station. The British expedition was criticised by scientists in the Antarctic because the rescue and return of the crew disrupted their work.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gdl.cdlr.strath.ac.uk/scotia/gooant/gooant0207.htm|title=Robert Swan Expedition 1984-85|publisher=Glasgow Digital Library|access-date=2007-03-25}}</ref>

In 2006, the New Zealand police reported that jurisdictional issues prevented them from issuing warrants for potential American witnesses who were reluctant to testify during the Christchurch Coroner's investigation into the poisoning death of [[Rodney Marks]] at the [[South Pole]] base.

== Postage stamps ==
{{Further|Postage stamps and postal history of the Ross Dependency}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|New Zealand}}
* [[Territorial claims in Antarctica]]
* [[Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica]]

== References ==
{{reflist|group=n}}
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Ross Dependency}}
* [https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/environment/antarctica-and-the-southern-ocean/ Antarctica and the Southern Ocean] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807072606/http://www.mfat.govt.nz/Foreign-Relations/Antarctica/index.php |date=2011-08-07 }} – [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (New Zealand)|NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade]]. Outline of NZ's involvement
* [https://www.antarcticanz.govt.nz/ Antarctica New Zealand] – Crown entity charged with administering, developing, and managing Ross Dependency
* [http://www.scottbase50years.co.nz/ 50 years of Scott Base] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309140245/http://www.scottbase50years.co.nz/ |date=2014-03-09 }}
* [http://www.anta.canterbury.ac.nz/resources/history.html History – From University of Canterbury]
* [http://stamps.nzpost.co.nz/Cultures/en-NZ/Stamps/OtherCountriesAndTerritories/RossDependency/ Stamps of Ross Dependency]
* [http://www.100megsfree3.com/glaw/scott/maps.htm Map of Ross Dependency (central part)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080501171945/http://www.niwa.cri.nz/rc/antarctica Scientific Research by NIWA in Antarctica]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080417041623/http://piction.imagelab.co.nz/dompost/index.html ''Dominion Post'' Photos of Antarctica: enter, go to Categories:Places;Antarctica]
* [https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/antarctica-and-nz Antarctica and New Zealand], [[Ministry for Culture and Heritage|NZ Ministry for Culture and Heritage]]
* [[iarchive:nz-antarctica-1971-all|Quartermain, L. B. (1971) New Zealand and the Antarctic. Wellington.]]

{{Administrative divisions of New Zealand}}
{{British overseas territories}}
{{Antarctic territorial claims}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|75|00|S|175|00|W|scale:40000000|display=title}}

[[Category:Ross Dependency| ]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1923]]
[[Category:Dependent territories of New Zealand]]
[[Category:1923 establishments in Antarctica]]