The world's largest marine reserve aimed at protecting the pristine wilderness of Antarctica will be created after agreement was finally reached Friday after years of trying, officials said.

The deal, made by the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources at its annual meeting in Hobart, will see the creation of a massive US and New Zealand-backed marine protected area in the Ross Sea.

It will cover more than 1.55 million square kilometres (600,000 square miles), New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully announced.