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Antarctica. Introduction

ANTARCTICA

LAST COLONIZATION
ANTARCTICA
LAST COLONIZATION
ANTARCTICA
LAST COLONIZATION
ANTARCTICA IS THE LAST OFFICIALLY UNINHABITED CONTINENT.
ANTARCTICA IS THE LAST OFFICIALLY UNINHABITED CONTINENT.
A place where people go to experience loneliness, but find instead crowds of tourists and ‘locals’ in varying degrees of constancy. During the 2019-2020 season, the number of tourists visiting the continent totalled 73 670 (according to IAATO). On top of that number, there are also the employees of 90 permanent and seasonal scientific stations and bases and, of course, those who work in tourism.
A place where people go to experience loneliness, but find instead crowds of tourists and ‘locals’ in varying degrees of constancy. During the 2019-2020 season, the number of tourists visiting the continent totalled 73 670 (according to IAATO). On top of that number, there are also the employees of 90 permanent and seasonal scientific stations and bases and, of course, those who work in tourism.

In the vast majority of cases, these tourists are passengers on the liners which sail along the coast and rarely venture onto the land, instead exploring the shelf and islands. During the 2019-2020 season, just 731 people travelled from the coast into the interior of the continent. So, there is still a chance to take routes untravelled, as is the case with our expedition—from Union to the South Pole, and then on to the Pole of Inaccessibility and Novo route, from South America to South Africa, was undertaken for the first time.

In the vast majority of cases, these tourists are passengers on the liners which sail along the coast and rarely venture onto the land, instead exploring the shelf and islands. During the 2019-2020 season, just 731 people travelled from the coast into the interior of the continent. So, there is still a chance to take routes untravelled, as is the case with our expedition—from Union to the South Pole, and then on to the Pole of Inaccessibility and Novo route, from South America to South Africa, was undertaken for the first time.
Right here and right now, the colonization of the last large tract of land, which as yet does not belong to anyone, is taking place. True, this is a particular kind of colonization, and the new ‘conquerors’ cannot be said to be interested in the continent’s material wealth. Nature here tests one’s ability to survive, without offering up its plentiful resources. In the twenty-first century, modern colonization of this kind is carried out by people from all over the world who come here for other purposes, and, more often than not, they waste these very benefits instead of acquiring them.

ALE’s Union Glacier Camp.

ALE’s Union Glacier Camp
ALE’s Union Glacier Camp.
Right here and right now, the colonization of the last large tract of land, which as yet does not belong to anyone, is taking place. True, this is a particular kind of colonization, and the new ‘conquerors’ cannot be said to be interested in the continent’s material wealth. Nature here tests one’s ability to survive, without offering up its plentiful resources. In the twenty-first century, modern colonization of this kind is carried out by people from all over the world who come here for other purposes, and, more often than not, they waste these very benefits instead of acquiring them.
ALE’s Union Glacier Camp
ALE’s Union Glacier Camp.
Just a few years ago, the situation looked completely different, both in terms of the number of people and infrastructure development. And with each year, the impact of ‘settling in’ and developing these territories is becoming increasingly evident.
ALE’s Union Glacier Camp.
Just a few years ago, the situation looked completely different, both in terms of the number of people and infrastructure development. And with each year, the impact of ‘settling in’ and developing these territories is becoming increasingly evident.
TOURISM IN ANTARCTICA BEGAN TO DEVELOP IN EARNEST IN 2010.
TOURISM IN ANTARCTICA BEGAN TO DEVELOP IN EARNEST IN 2010.
Since then, several tourist camps of different levels of comfort and service have appeared, alongside new runways, well-thought-out infrastructure to support tourists, and various forms of transport have appeared here. Essentially, it has become a small, but fully-fledged and developing, country specialising in pleasurable and extreme activities for the elite. Races, marathons, and swims are held here. Corporate parties are commonplace. People go on glacier picnics (prepared by famous chefs), enjoy saunas, and shuttle in and out by private jet for the weekend.
Since then, several tourist camps of different levels of comfort and service have appeared, alongside new runways, well-thought-out infrastructure to support tourists, and various forms of transport have appeared here. Essentially, it has become a small, but fully-fledged and developing, country specialising in pleasurable and extreme activities for the elite. Races, marathons, and swims are held here. Corporate parties are commonplace. People go on glacier picnics (prepared by famous chefs), enjoy saunas, and shuttle in and out by private jet for the weekend.

IN THE 2019-2020 SEASON, THE ANTHROPOGEOS TEAM WENT ON AN EXPEDITION ACROSS THE CONTINENT, JOINING THE COLONIALIST MOVEMENT. THIS TRIP BECAME THE BASIS FOR THE PROJECT ANTARCTICA. THE LAST COLONIZATION. WE DROVE 4500 KM THROUGH THE WHITE DESERT AND WE WANT TO SHARE OUR EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS EXPLORING THE INS AND OUTS OF TOURISM AND LIFE IN ANTARCTICA.

IN THE 2019-2020 SEASON, THE ANTHROPOGEOS TEAM WENT ON AN EXPEDITION ACROSS THE CONTINENT, JOINING THE COLONIALIST MOVEMENT. THIS TRIP BECAME THE BASIS FOR THE PROJECT ANTARCTICA. THE LAST COLONIZATION. WE DROVE 4500 KM THROUGH THE WHITE DESERT AND WE WANT TO SHARE OUR EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS EXPLORING THE INS AND OUTS OF TOURISM AND LIFE IN ANTARCTICA.

ROUTE AND TEAM
ROUTE AND TEAM
The author and organizer of the expedition was chief editor of the Anthropogeos project, Sardar S. Sardarov. He was joined by anthropologist Dina Karavaeva and documentary cameraman Yevgeny Timokhin. The expedition team used two Toyota Hilux cars (4x4 and 6x6), accompanied by Eiður Smári and Hlynur Sigurðsson, guides from the Icelandic company Arctic Trucks.
The author and organizer of the expedition was chief editor of the Anthropogeos project, Sardar S. Sardarov. He was joined by anthropologist Dina Karavaeva and documentary cameraman Yevgeny Timokhin. The expedition team used two Toyota Hilux cars (4x4 and 6x6), accompanied by Eiður Smári and Hlynur Sigurðsson, guides from the Icelandic company Arctic Trucks.
Sardar S. Sardarov
Dina Karavaeva
Evgeny Timokhin
Eiður Smári
Hlynur Sigurðsson
Sardar S. Sardarov
Dina Karavaeva
Evgeny Timokhin
Eiður Smári
Hlynur Sigurðsson

FROM PUNTA ARENAS, THE SOUTHERNMOST CITY IN THE WORLD, WE FLEW BY PLANE TO THE UNION GLACIER, THEN DROVE BY CAR TO THE SOUTH POLE, THROUGH THE POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY TO NOVOLAZAREVSKAYA STATION. WE THEN MADE OUR RETURN TO THE WORLD THROUGH CAPE TOWN.


TOTAL DISTANCE: OVER 4500 KM BY CAR OVER THE ICE DOME OF ANTARCTICA IN 21 DAYS.

FROM PUNTA ARENAS, THE SOUTHERNMOST CITY IN THE WORLD, WE FLEW BY PLANE TO THE UNION GLACIER, THEN DROVE BY CAR TO THE SOUTH POLE, THROUGH THE POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY TO NOVOLAZAREVSKAYA STATION. WE THEN MADE OUR RETURN TO THE WORLD THROUGH CAPE TOWN.


TOTAL DISTANCE: OVER 4500 KM BY CAR OVER THE ICE DOME OF ANTARCTICA IN 21 DAYS.

Novolazarevskaya station
S70°46 E11°50
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FD83
S70°46 E11°50
READ →
Pole of Inaccessibility
S82°06 E55°02
READ →
Airport
S85°05 W80°47
READ →
Union Glacie
S79° 45.531' W82° 50.401'
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South Pole
S89°58 W16°55
READ→
Novolazarevskaya station
S70°46 E11°50
READ →
FD83
S70°46 E11°50
READ →
Pole of Inaccessibility
S82°06 E55°02
READ →
Airport
S85°05 W80°47
READ →
Union Glacie
S79° 45.531' W82° 50.401'
READ →
South Pole
S89°58 W16°55
READ→
The Anthropogeos team’s route map for 2019-2020.
The Anthropogeos team’s route map for 2019-2020.
HOW TO NAVIGATE
HOW TO NAVIGATE
In our exhibition has eight chapters. Each of them corresponds to an important point of the expedition of the Anthropogeos project in Antarctica. Navigation between them is carried out with the help of the content (in the menu at the top right), scrolling back and forth at the end of each chapter and with the help of the map above: if you are interested in a particular place, for example, the South Pole, click on the corresponding location. For the jump to the first chapter of the exhibition, "What is Antarctica", please refer to the navigation below. Enjoy your reading!
In our exhibition has eight chapters. Each of them corresponds to an important point of the expedition of the Anthropogeos project in Antarctica. Navigation between them is carried out with the help of the content (in the menu at the top right), scrolling back and forth at the end of each chapter and with the help of the map above: if you are interested in a particular place, for example, the South Pole, click on the corresponding location. For the jump to the first chapter of the exhibition, "What is Antarctica", please refer to the navigation below. Enjoy your reading!
PROJECT TEAM
PROJECT TEAM
Sardar S. Sardarov
Editor-in-chief
Alexandra Gordienko
Text and interview
Evgeny Timokhin, Dina Karavaeva
Videography
Dina Karavaeva
Photography
Nataliya Diazdinova
Video-editing
Tatyana Ivanova
UI/UX designer
Maria Baldina
Illustrations
Stanislava Denisova
Expedition coordinator
Sardar S. Sardarov
Editor-in-chief
Alexandra Gordienko
Text and interview
Evgeny Timokhin, Dina Karavaeva
Videography
Dina Karavaeva
Photography
Nataliya Diazdinova
Video-editing
Tatyana Ivanova
UI/UX designer
Maria Baldina
Illustrations
Stanislava Denisova
Expedition coordinator
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Anthropogeos. 2021
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