Who's Who - Polar Acronyms
Who's Who - Polar Acronyms
SANAP
South African National Antarctic Program
South Africa has long been involved and has built an impressive infrastructure around the South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP). This programme includes the infrastructure on Antarctica, SANAE IV as well as bases in the South Atlantic Ocean on Marion and Gough Islands (collectively, the Islands). South Africa is a founder member of the Antarctic Treaty and remains a leading nation and the only African representative in the administration of the treaty.
The research expeditions themselves are undertaken by the South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE) under the auspices of the Department of Environmental Affairs, with the first trip in 1959 to build a permanent base. During the first season, the South Africans utilized an abandoned Norwegian station in Queen Maud Land then in 1961, the new station SANAE was completed. Since then, several stations have been built to replace older stations that had to be abandoned due to snow drift. The latest station SANAE IV, finished in 1997 on Vesleskarvet nunatak, maintains a year round population with a maximum of 80 people there in the summer and 10 in the winter.
The research expeditions themselves are undertaken by the South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE) under the auspices of the Department of Environmental Affairs, with the first trip in 1959 to build a permanent base. During the first season, the South Africans utilized an abandoned Norwegian station in Queen Maud Land then in 1961, the new station SANAE was completed. Since then, several stations have been built to replace older stations that had to be abandoned due to snow drift. The latest station SANAE IV, finished in 1997 on Vesleskarvet nunatak, maintains a year round population with a maximum of 80 people there in the summer and 10 in the winter.
