Marie Byrd Land

Marie Byrd Land is the portion of Antarctica lying east of the Ross Ice Shelf and the Ross Sea and south of the Pacific Ocean, extending eastward approximately to a line between the head of the Ross Ice Shelf and Eights Coast. The inclusion of the area between the Rockefeller Plateau and Eights Coast is based upon the leading role of Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd in the exploration of this area. The name was originally applied by Admiral Byrd in 1929, in honor of his wife, to the northwestern part of the area, the part that was explored in that year. Due to its relative inhospitableness, even by Antarctic standards, most of Marie Byrd Land has not been claimed by any sovereign nation, making it by far the largest single unclaimed territory on Earth.

Related Topics:
Antarctica - Ross Ice Shelf - Ross Sea - Pacific Ocean - Richard E. Byrd - Sovereign - Nation - Territory - Earth

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