Although the area was explored much earlier by adventurous travellers and whalers, UK claimed in 1908 what is now BAT, as part of the Falkland Islands Dependencies.  The territory acquired its present name in 1962, when it was detached administratively from the Falkland Islands, while retaining logistic links from there. This was at least partly as a consequence of UK becoming a signatory of the Antarctic Treaty, which was signed in Washington in 1959. Some of the most important articles in the Treaty are: