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.
“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? Because of oil. 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. The USA, Norway, Finland, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, and Iceland all lay claim a piece of the pole. 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. Russia even reopened a Soviet era airbase that was abandoned 20 years ago on the Novosibirsk Islands (New Siberian Islands). These isles are strategically located right where ships pass when traveling from Western Europe to Asia and back. 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…
