Antarctic Programmes Based In Christchurch
Five cities around the world are recognised as Antarctic gateways: Christchurch, New Zealand; Cape Town, South Africa; Hobart, Australia; Punta Arenas, Chile; and Ushuaia, Argentina.
This Antarctic connection helps to shape the cultural, political and economic aspects of these cities.
Antarctica New Zealand
United States (United States Antarctic Program - USAP)
Italy (Programma Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide - PNRA)
Republic of Korea (Korea Polar Research Institute - KOPRI)
Germany (Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe - BGR)
Council of Managers of National Antarctic Program (COMNAP)
The city, through the University of Canterbury, is proud to host the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP) Secretariat. The COMNAP Secretariat has been located in Christchurch since 2009. COMNAP is the international association, formed in 1988, which brings together its 30 Members, who are the National Antarctic Programs. National Antarctic Programs are those organizations that have responsibility for delivering and supporting scientific research in the Antarctic Treaty Area on behalf of their respective governments and in the spirit of the Antarctic Treaty. COMNAP’s purpose is to develop and promote best practice in managing the support of scientific research in Antarctica.