The crew of the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Hampton (SSN 767) posted a sign reading “North Pole” made by the crew after surfacing in the polar ice cap region. Photo: U.S. Navy/Wikimedia
Last Friday, the Canadian government submitted an application to the U.N. claiming that the outer limits of country’s continental shelf includes the North Pole. ย
“We are determined to ensure that all Canadians benefit from the tremendous resources that are to be found in Canada’s far north,” John Baird, Canada’s foreign affairs minister/The Guardian
Why would a country want to claim the north pole?ย Because of oil. ย Well, oil and natural gas, to be exact.
“The U.S. Geological Survey estimates this unclaimed region contains 30 percent of the world’s undiscovered natural gas and 15 percent of undiscovered oil.” – Outside Magazine
Which countries claim what in the north pole region.
Canada isn’t the only country to claim a piece of the North Pole. ย The USA, Norway, Finland, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, and Iceland all lay claim a piece of the pole. ย Russia even planted their flag at the bottom of the sea at the north pole in 2007.
Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, isn’t giving up on the pole anytime soon. ย Russia even reopened a Soviet era airbase that was abandoned 20 years ago on the Novosibirsk Islands (New Siberian Islands). ย These isles are strategically located right where ships pass when traveling from Western Europe to Asia and back. ย Putin is allegedly prioritizing building a military presence in the region.
“Next year, we have to complete the formation of new large units and military division [in the Arctic].” – Vladimir Putin/BBC
Novosibirsk Islands (New Siberian Islands), Russia.
It’s going to get very interesting in the far north in the coming years…
