South African National Antarctic Programme
Encyclopedia
The South African National Antarctic Programme (or SANAP) is the South Africa
n government's program for research in the Antarctic
and Subantarctic
. Three research stations fall under this program, the Antarctica research station SANAE IV
, and two stations named after the subantartic island that they can be found on, Gough Island
and Marion Island. These bases are managed and administered by the Directorate: Antarctic and Islands of the Department of Environmental Affairs.
South Africa is one of the original signatory states of the Antarctic Treaty
.
through appropriate science and technology.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n government's program for research in the Antarctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
and Subantarctic
Subantarctic
The Subantarctic is a region in the southern hemisphere, located immediately north of the Antarctic region. This translates roughly to a latitude of between 46° – 60° south of the Equator. The subantarctic region includes many islands in the southern parts of the Indian Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and...
. Three research stations fall under this program, the Antarctica research station SANAE IV
SANAE IV
SANAE IV is the current research base of the South African National Antarctic Expedition and is part of the South African National Antarctic Program...
, and two stations named after the subantartic island that they can be found on, Gough Island
Gough Island
Gough Island , also known historically as Gonçalo Álvares or Diego Alvarez, is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a dependency of Tristan da Cunha and part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha...
and Marion Island. These bases are managed and administered by the Directorate: Antarctic and Islands of the Department of Environmental Affairs.
South Africa is one of the original signatory states of the Antarctic Treaty
Antarctic Treaty System
The Antarctic Treaty and related agreements, collectively called the Antarctic Treaty System or ATS, regulate international relations with respect to Antarctica, Earth's only continent without a native human population. For the purposes of the treaty system, Antarctica is defined as all of the land...
.
Mission
The mission of the South African National Antarctic Programme is to increase understanding of the natural environment and life in the Antarctic and Southern OceanSouthern Ocean
The Southern Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions...
through appropriate science and technology.
See also
- AntarcticAntarcticThe Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
- SANAESANAESANAE is the South African National Antarctic Expedition. The name refers both to the overwintering bases, and the team spending the winter . The current base, SANAE IV, is located at Vesleskarvet in Queen Maud Land, Antarctica...
- SANAE IVSANAE IVSANAE IV is the current research base of the South African National Antarctic Expedition and is part of the South African National Antarctic Program...
- Gough IslandGough IslandGough Island , also known historically as Gonçalo Álvares or Diego Alvarez, is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a dependency of Tristan da Cunha and part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha...
- Marion Island
- List of research stations in Antarctica
- South African Weather ServiceSouth African Weather ServiceThe South African Weather Service is the meteorological service under the South African government's Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. SAWS is a member of the World Meteorological Organization. The agency is similar to the United States' National Weather Service.Under the South...