they too became a separate overseas territory. Official claims south of 60° S Overlapping claims Unclaimed Official claims of Antarctic islands north of 60° S Four island territories on the Antarctic Plate located north of the 60° South circle of latitude are associated with the continent of Antarctica. They are not subject to the Antarctic Treaty System. None of these territories has an indigenous population. (Dependency of Norway) (Overseas territory of France) (External territory of Australia) Prince Edward Islands (Overseas possession of South Africa) Another island territory, partly located on the South Sandwich Plate and partly on the Scotia Plate, is sometimes associated with the continent of Antarctica (since both of those are minor tectonic plates that border the major Antarctic Plate). (British Overseas Territory) Possible future claims There has been speculation about possible future claims. The United States and Russia (as a successor state of the Soviet Union) maintain they have reserved the right to make claims. There has also been speculation on Brazil making a claim bounded by 53° W and 28° W, thus overlapping with the Argentine and British claims but not with the Chilean claim. Peru made a reservation of its territory rights under the principle of Antarctic defrontation and due to influence on its climate, ecology and marine biology, adducing, in addition, geological continuity and historical links. Uruguayan adhesion to the Antarctic Treaty System includes a declaration that it reserves its rights in Antarctica in accordance with international law. In 1967, Ecuador declared its right over an area bounded by 84°30' W and 95°30' W, thus overlapping with the Chilean claim and Norway's claim of Peter I Island. The claim was ratified in 1987. Antarctic Treaty The Antarctic Treaty and related agreements regulate international relations with respect to Antarctica, Earth's only continent without a native human population. The Treaty has now been signed by 54 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and the now-defunct Soviet Union. The Treaty set aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve, established freedom of scientific investigation and banned military activity on that continent. This was the first arms control agreement established during the Cold War. The Antarctic Treaty states that contracting to the treaty: is not a renunciation of any previous territorial claim does not affect the basis of claims made as a result of activities of the signatory nation within Antarctica does not affect the rights of a