In which year was the Antarctic Treaty signed?

The Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959.

Twelve countries signed the treaty in Washington, D.C., on 1 December 1959, and it entered into force in 1961. The original signatories were the countries that had been active in Antarctic research during the International Geophysical Year of 1957–58, including Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union.

The treaty reserves Antarctica for peaceful purposes and scientific cooperation. It prohibits military measures such as establishing military bases or testing weapons, while allowing military personnel and equipment for scientific or other peaceful purposes.

The treaty does not settle territorial claims; instead, it places them in a legal freeze while the agreement remains in force. Later agreements created the broader Antarctic Treaty System, including environmental protections and rules governing mineral-resource activity.