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| 1871–74 |
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| Discovery of Franz Joseph Land by Austrian explorers Julius Payer and Carl Weyprecht. | 1 |
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| 1876 |
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| A new record north was set by Albert H. Markham with the expedition of Sir George S. Nares. | 2 |
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| 1878–79 |
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| A. E. Nordenskiöld completed the Northeast Passage, across Siberia, for the first time. | 3 |
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| 1882 |
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| Establishment of INTERNATIONAL POLAR STATIONS for research, with nine nations participating. | 4 |
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| 1888 |
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| Fridtjof Nansen, with others, made the first crossing of Greenland. | 5 |
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| 1895 |
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| Sixth International Geographical Conference (London) identified Antarctic exploration as the most pressing geographical need of the time. | 6 |
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| 1893–96 |
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| Nansen expedition drifted with the Arctic ice pack and reached a record north. | 7 |
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| 1898–1900 |
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| Carsten Borchgrevink led first party to winter on Antarctic continent and set a record south. | 8 |
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