mobile View, to the German Version tap the flag
- possession of the United Kingdom
- consisting in the South-Shetland-Islands, South-Orkney-Islands and Grahamland
- common abbreviations: BAT / B.A.T.
• Explanation
• Flags
• Meaning/Origin of the Flag
• Coat of Arms
• Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms
• Map
• Numbers and Facts
• History
• Origin of the Country's Name
The British Antarctic Territory, is internationally only partially recognized. The British possession of this area goes back to the appropriation of the South Shetland Islands in 1819, the South Orkney Islands in 1821 and the peninsula of Graham Land in 1832. The until today existing British possessions of the Falkland Islands, South Georgia Islands and the South Sandwich Islands (South Antillas) allowed the appropriation of a whole sector of Antarctica, between 20° and 80° W, in 1908. Between 1940 and 1942, Chile and Argentina raised claims on the British territory, which were without foundation, not only because of the property of the British South Antillas. The Antarctic Treaty of 1st of December in 1959 froze all claims, and helds below 60° S become no longer displayed on maps. The British claimed ownership of the Antarctic sector are recognized by Australia, France, New Zealand and Norway, but not by the United Nations, Argentina, Chile, USA and Russia and many other countries.
Source: Volker Preuß
National flag,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of all Nations
Governmental flag,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of all Nations
Flag of the Commissioner of the B.A.T.,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of all Nations
The national flag of the British Antarctic Territory (BAT) is the so called "White Ensign", a white flag cloth with a flag design – the British Union Jack – in the upper staff quadrant. The Union Jack points to the connexions to the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom introduced a flag system in 1864 in which:
• war ships fly the "White Ensign" (naval flag), a white flag often with an uninterrupted red St. George's-Cross and with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag,
• merchant ships fly a "Red Ensign" (also named "Civil Ensign" => civil flag, the real merchant flag), a red flag with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag, and
• governmental ships fly the "Blue Ensign" (flag for the use by the gouvernment => the actual state flag), a blue flag with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag.
Since 1865 ships of colonial governments were permitted to fly the Blue Ensign with a badge in the flying end of the flag. The respective governments were asked to design appropriate badges. Merchant ships and seafaring persons from colonies were only permitted to use the Red Ensign with a badge, then also named Civil Ensign, if permission has been given to the respective colony by the British admiralty. Because there BAT are no permanent inhabitants, such a permission in missing. But why the BAT uses as national flag a ”White Ensign”, is unknown.
In British colonies and dependent territories, the representation of the badge (respectively of the coat of arms) was often placed on a white disc in the flying end of the ensigns. That regulation – with the white disc – was officially abolished in 1999, and the arms of the colony is then represented enlarged. However, there are still many flags in the old design in use, especially on land.
The BAT has in its flags the coat of arms resp. the shield of the coat of arms. The coat of arms shows antarctic motifs, ice, sparse vegetation, a ship and as shield-holder a penguin and the British Lion. The inscription is: "Research and Discovery". The Government Ensign is flown by vessels of the National Environmental Research Council when engaged in British Antarctic inspection work.
The flag of the BAT-commissioner is a standard-design of older styling, for all Governors, Lieutenant-Governors, Commissioners, High-Commissioners and other administering government officials of that adminsitrative level, if no newer designs are in use. Within the wreath the respective badge or coat of arms is always positioned.
Source: Die Welt der Flaggen,
Flaggen und Wappen,
Flaggen Wappen Hymnen
Coat of arms of the British Antarctic Territory,
Source: Corel Draw 4
The shield of the coat of arms is silver (white, it stands for the eternal ice) and shows in the upper part blue wavy lines (the Antarctic waters) and a red wedge, which is covered with a shining, golden torch (research, discovery). The coat of arms shows Antarctic motifs such as ice and sparse vegetation as a pedestal. A penguin and the British lion stand on the pedestal as supporters (shield holders). The coat of arms is crowned by a helmet and a grey mantling with a white torse, and on it, as crest, a sailing ship. The Motto is: "Research and Discovery".
Source: Corel Draw 4,
Volker Preuss
Source: Freeware, University of Texas Libraries,
modyfied by: Volker Preuss
Area (excluding the Antarctic Sector): 150.000 square miles, thereof South-Shetland-Islands 1.800 sq.mi., South-Orkney-Islands 240 sq.mi., Grahamland 147.880 sq.mi.
Area (including the Antarctic Sector): 660.000 square miles
Inhabitants: ca. 200 inhabitants and crews of scientific stations
Local administrative seat: Station Rothera
Seat of the Commissioner: Stanley (Falkland-Inseln)
Time Zone: on the South-Orkney-Islands: GMT – 3 hours, otherwise: GMT
Source: Wikipedia (D)
1819 · appropriation of the South Shetland Islands by the United Kingdom
1821 · appropriation of the South Orkney Islands by the United Kingdom
1832 · appropriation of the peninsula of Graham Land by the United Kingdom
1903–1904 · first British research station on the South Orkney Islands
1908 · the United Kingdom claims the Antarctic sector south of 50° S and between 20° W and 80° W, the South Shetland Islands and the South Orkney Islands become Dependencies of the British Falkland Islands
1940 · the South Shetland Islands are claimed by Chile
1942 · the South Shetland Islands are claimed by Argentina
1943–1945 · British research mission, establishment of scientific stations
1st of December 1959 · Antarctic Treaty between Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, Soviet Union, Britain and USA
3rd of March 1962 · separation of the South Shetland Islands and the South Orkney Islands from the Falkland Islands, creation of the British Antarctic Territory with South Shetland Islands, South Orkney Islands and Graham Land
Source: World Statesmen,
Wikipedia (D)
The South Shetland Islands and the South Orkney Islands were named as a counterpart to the Shetland Islands and Orkney Islands in the north, on the coast of Britain. Graham Land was discovered in 1832 and is named after the Admiral of the Royal Navy of those years: James Robert George Graham.
Source: Wikipedia (D),
Volker Preuss