Adélie Land

Adélie Land is the portion of the Antarctic coast between 136° E (near Pourquoi Pas Point at 66°12′S 136°11′E) and 142° E (near Point Alden at 66°48′S 142°02′E), with a shore length of 350 km and with its hinterland extending as a sector about 2,600 km toward the South Pole.

Adélie Land borders on the Australian Antarctic Territory both West and East, namely on Clarie Land (part of Wilkes Land) in the West, and George V Land in the East.

It is claimed by France as one of five districts of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, although not all nations recognize this claim.

The land area, mostly ice covered, is estimated at 432,000 km².

Since January 12, 1956, there has been a permanently staffed French research base at 66°40′S 140°01′E, Dumont d'Urville Station, with a winter population of 33, which goes up to 78 in the Antarctic summer.

The first French station, Port Martin, was built April 9, 1950 at 66°49′04″S 141°23′39″E, but destroyed by fire the night of January 22 to 23, 1952. Port Martin hosted a winter population of 11 in 1950 and of 17 in 1951.

France has also maintained an inland station on the Antarctic ice sheet, 320 km from the coast and from Dumont d'Urville Station, at an elevation of 2400 meters, Charcot Station (named after Jean-Baptiste Charcot) at 69°22′S 139°01′E, built for the IGY 1957/1958, in operation from January 1957 to 1960, which housed only three men. The station was largely dug into the snow to protect it against the strong winds.

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