Antarctica Economy - overview

Factbook > Countries > Antarctica > Economy

Economy - overview:

Scientific undertakings rather than commercial pursuits are the predominant human activity in Antarctica. Offshore fishing and tourism, both based abroad, account for Antarctica's limited economic activity.

Antarctic Fisheries, within the area covered by the Convention on Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources currently target Patagonian toothfish, Antarctic toothfish, mackerel icefish and Antarctic krill. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) manages these fisheries using the ecosystem-based and precautionary approach.  The Commission’s objective is conservation of Antarctic marine living resources and it regulates the fisheries based on the level of information available, and maintaining existing ecological relationships.  While Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing has declined in the Convention area since 1990, it remains a concern

A total of 51,707  tourists visited the Antarctic Treaty area in the 2017-2018  Antarctic summer, 17 percent greater than the 43,915 visitors in 2016-2017. These estimates were provided to the Antarctic Treaty by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators and do not include passengers on overflights. Nearly all of the tourists were passengers on commercial ships and several yachts that make trips during the summer.

Definition: This entry briefly describes five economic components for a given country:

* National Economy, including a brief economic history;

* Domestic Markets, including labor and wage markets as well as brief commentary on economic sector portfolios;

* Financial Power and Public Finance, including brief discussions of financial market strengths and security, lending/exchange rates (especially if abnormalities exist), and foreign direct investments;

* Trade Power and Influence, including brief commentary on chief imports and exports; and

* Regional Strategy and Efforts, including key partners, regional economic development efforts, and any underlying economic data integrity concerns.

Source: CIA World Factbook - This page was last updated on Saturday, September 18, 2021

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