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In the Arctic
5 Polar Politics
S
everal countries have a shoreline on the Arctic Ocean.
They are some of the major industrial nations of the
north such as Russia, US, and Canada. At the beginning of
the 20th century much of the Arctic was unclaimed. There
seemed little of value there. Countries bought and sold great
areas. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries Alaska
provided a fur trade for Russia. Russia ruled Alaska but
when the furs ran out, Russia sold the land to the US.
By 1950 the Arctic countries had sliced up the Arctic
like a cake. Each nation claimed a piece that stretched from
their coastline to the North Pole. The USSR and North
America faced each other across the Pole.
F
ive nations border the Arctic Ocean. Some argue
over the position of their borders in the Arctic
Ocean At stake are large areas of continental shelf
rich in fish and probably containing oil and gas.
Polar Rule From Afar
The largest Arctic island is ruled from
far away. Greenland has been connected
with Denmark since Viking times.
Through all the changes in Europe and
Scandinavia, Denmark ruled Greenland.
Greenland has moved towards
independence from Denmark since the
Second World War. In 1979 Home Rule
was given to Greenland. Fishing now
gives Greenlanders their main income.
It will be some time before they can cut
all
economic
ties with Denmark.
Polar Politics