The South Orkney Islands are part of the Antarctic Treaty System, which means that they are not technically owned by any country. However, Argentina and the U.K. have both made claims upon these islands in the past. This region was first discovered by British and American sealers in 1821, and the first weather station was established in the South Orkney Islands in 1903 by the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition. The station was later taken over by the Argentineans (Orcadas Station) and is now the place of the longest running scientific station in the Antarctic.