a really random question that has been bugging me.

[vskid]

By the way, the Moon is the same thing, pretty much. So give up on that.

How about Mars? Has an atmosphere, ~2x the gravity, 2 moons, and maybe even some water. Not to mention the possibility of extraterrestrial life!
Seriously, if I could choose just one place to go before I die, it would be Mars, with the appropriate equipment. Even if I'm in solitary confinement the rest of the time, it would still be worth it if I could go to Mars for a year or so. Preferably the Mars trip part of the deal would happen fairly soon, it would suck to go there when I'm old and falling apart.

[Metallica Man X]

I believe Nazi Germany laid claim to the antarica landmass back in WWII, or just prior...i forget the actual time. Regardless, they lost the war, and the mass became neutral again afterward.

[Kurt_]

well that crushes my dream of someday owning my own private anarchist country.

If you owned it, there would be some order and ranking, and it would not be anarchy.

[eagle5953]

Regarding your more general question regarding land claims, typically two things determine which country owns a given piece of land:

1. The general consensus of nations.
Without consensus, see number 2.
2. Which country is strong enough to fight and hold it. See Falklands.

Currently, number 1 applies to Antarctica - nations agree it is neutral and off-limits to ownership claims. If, however, a sufficiently strong nation claimed to own it and started acting as if they do, the would, for all intents and purposes, own the land unless another country or countries drove them off.