How many research stations has the country of Iceland had on Antarctica?”
Speculation over the existence of a “southern land” was not confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American commercial operators and British and Russian national expeditions began exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south of the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands. Several exploration “firsts” were achieved in the early 20th century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific research on the continent. A number of countries have set up year-round research stations on Antarctica. Seven have made territorial claims, but not all countries recognize these claims. In order to form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in 1959, it entered into force in 1961.
Antarctica is, by a very long shot, a lot colder than Iceland, which was just voted to best country in the world to live in based on 2005 figures from life expectancy, education and per-capita income (the study didn’t say anything about weather, though!). Further information The annual average temperature in Antarctica is -50°C (-58°F) compared to Iceland, where average temperatures in Reykjavic vary from -1°C in the winter months to 10°C in summer.
