At the southernmost point of the earth, there is a vast expanse of land, which is Antarctica. As one of the seven continents of the world, Antarctica has a total area of about 142450,000 square kilometers, of which the continental area is as high as 1,23930,000 square kilometers. However, this vast land is still not owned by any one country and remains an unclaimed territory.
Antarctica's environment is extremely harsh, with extremely low temperatures, heavy snowfall, and a wide area of ice and snow cover, and human life here is facing great challenges. But despite the harsh conditions, Antarctica is rich in resources and has a unique ecosystem. It is home to the world's largest freshwater lake, Lake Bennett, and the world's largest iron ore mine, the Prince Charles Mountains iron ore deposit. In addition, Antarctica is also rich in biological resources, such as penguins, seals, whales, etc., which not only play an important role in the balance of the ecosystem, but also provide abundant food for humans**.
The development of Antarctica's resources has always attracted the attention of various countries. Due to the depletion of global resources and the intensification of environmental change, the importance and strategic position of Antarctica has become even more prominent. Some countries, such as Japan, the United States, and Russia, have strengthened their exploration and layout of Antarctica, hoping to occupy an advantageous position in the future development and utilization of resources.
However, Antarctica's ecological environment is very fragile, and any damage to the environment could trigger a chain reaction that could lead to the collapse of the entire ecosystem. Therefore, the international community has developed a series of provisions and treaties, such as the Antarctic Treaty and the Environmental Protection Treaty, to protect Antarctica's ecological environment and resources. These treaties stipulate that countries shall not make territorial claims on Antarctica or carry out activities such as the exploitation and utilization of mineral resources, and must take measures to protect the ecological environment and resources, and shall not carry out any form of destructive and polluting activities.
Despite this, some countries still have a strong interest in Antarctica's resources, and Japan is one of them. Over the years, Japan has been actively exploring and laying out the development and utilization of Antarctica's resources. Japan has not only established a number of scientific research stations and observation points in Antarctica, but also explored and understood the distribution of resources and reserves in Antarctica through various means. Japan's actions have aroused widespread concern and concern in the international community. Some environmental groups have also strongly opposed and condemned Japan's actions, believing that they have caused threats and damage to Antarctica's ecological environment and resources.
China is also one of the countries actively participating in Antarctic scientific expeditions. Since 1985, when China began to establish a research station in Antarctica, China has established a number of research stations and observation points. China's scientific research stations have provided important research platforms and facilities for Chinese scientists, and have made important contributions to promoting China's scientific research in Antarctica.