What is the capital city of Antarctica?

Antarctica has no capital city. It is a continent governed through international agreements and national research programs, not an independent country with a single national capital.

The Antarctic Treaty, signed in 1959 and entering into force in 1961, established Antarctica as a zone devoted to peaceful purposes and scientific cooperation. It also placed territorial claims in abeyance, meaning existing claims were neither erased nor allowed to become the basis for new sovereignty while the treaty remains in force.

Instead of a capital, Antarctica has research stations operated by countries such as the United States, Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, and the United Kingdom. McMurdo Station, Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station, and other bases can function like small communities, but none is the continent’s capital.

Cities sometimes described as “Antarctic capitals,” including Ushuaia or Punta Arenas, are gateway cities in South America. They support Antarctic travel and research but are not located on the continent itself.