Abstract
This year marks the two hundredth anniversary of the discovery of Antarctica. This paper describes the development of the legal regime from the perspective of international law.
However, the paper cannot refer to all legal issues pertaining to the continent around the South Pole. The aim of this text is to summarise the development which preceded the conclusion of the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, particularly the claims of the seven countries to parts of Antarctica.
The paper summarises the development of the relation to Antarctica and analyses the international legal regime of Antarctica as a contributing factor in view of other comparable international legal regimes. The paper also points to some negative features of this regime.
The part of the Czech Republic in maintaining the international legal regime of Antarctica and its incorporation into domestic law are an important part of the text.