Formed in 1958, the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) is a thematic organisation of the International Science Council (ISC), and currently includes 45 member countries (comprising 34 full and 11 associate members) and 9 ISC unions. SCAR strives to include new members, as countries not yet engaged develop an increasing interest in Antarctic science.
To learn more about our Country and Union members, visit our Membership list.
For details of Country and Union Delegates, visit our Delegates list.
Map of SCAR member countries from June 2021
– Full Members are in dark blue, Associate Members in lighter blue.
Union members are International Astronomical Union (IAU), International Geographical Union (IGU), International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA), International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS), International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS), International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and Union Radio Scientifique International (URSI).
List of Member Countries by date of joining
| Member | Associate Membership | Full Membership |
| Argentina | 3 February 1958 | |
| Australia | 3 February 1958 | |
| Belgium | 3 February 1958 | |
| Chile | 3 February 1958 | |
| France | 3 February 1958 | |
| Japan | 3 February 1958 | |
| New Zealand | 3 February 1958 | |
| Norway | 3 February 1958 | |
| Russia (assumed representation of USSR) | 3 February 1958 | |
| South Africa | 3 February 1958 | |
| United Kingdom | 3 February 1958 | |
| United States of America | 3 February 1958 | |
| Germany, Federal Republic (BRD) | 22 May 1978 | |
| Poland | 22 May 1978 | |
| Germany, Democratic Republic (DDR) | 20 October 1980 | |
| India | 1 October 1984 | |
| Brazil | 1 October 1984 | |
| China | 23 June 1986 | |
| Sweden | 24 March 1987 | 12 September 1988 |
| Italy | 19 May 1987 | 12 September 1988 |
| Uruguay | 29 July 1987 | 12 September 1988 |
| Spain | 15 January 1987 | 23 July 1990 |
| Netherlands | 20 May 1987 | 23 July 1990 |
| Korea, Republic of | 18 December 1987 | 23 July 1990 |
| Finland | 1 July 1988 | 23 July 1990 |
| Ecuador | 12 September 1988 | 15 June 1992 |
| Canada | 5 September 1994 | 27 July 1998 |
| Peru | 14 April 1987 | 22 July 2004 |
| Switzerland | 16 June 1987 | 4 October 2004 |
| Pakistan | 15 June 1992 | |
| Ukraine | 5 September 1994; 1 January 2017 - 25 June 2018 |
17 July 2006 - 31 December 2016; 25 June 2018 |
| Bulgaria | 5 March 1995 | 17 July 2006 |
| Malaysia | 4 October 2004 | 14 July 2008 |
| Denmark | 17 July 2006 | |
| Portugal | 17 July 2006 | 25 June 2018 |
| Romania | 14 July 2008 | |
| Monaco | 9 August 2010 | |
| Venezuela | 23 July 2012 | |
| Czech Republic | 1 September 2014 | 23 March 2021 |
| Iran | 1 September 2014 | |
| Austria | 29 August 2016 | |
| Colombia | 2 July 1990 - 3 July 1995; 29 August 2016 |
|
| Thailand | 29 August 2016 | |
| Turkey | 29 August 2016 | 23 March 2021 |
| Belarus | 25 June 2018 | |
| Mexico | 23 March 2021 |
Estonia was an Associate Member of SCAR from 15 June 1992 to 22 August 2001