National Geographic USA - 09.2019

Wrangel I.

C A N A D A

ALASKA

(U.S.)

Yakutsk

Fairbanks

Ft. Greely

Northern Warfare

Training Center

Utqiaġvik

(Barrow)

U.S. EEZ BOUNDARY U

ncl

aim

ed

Overlapping

U.S./Canada

EEZ claims

Planned

Active icebreaker

Under construction

Arctic Council states

The eight countries with

land in the Arctic make up

the Arctic Council. Iceland

is a member but has no

icebreakers.

Arctic Council

observer status

Non-Arctic states

approved by

the council with

no voting rights

Non-Arctic

countries

Unavailable

Sweden

Russia

U.S.CanadaFinland

Denmark

Norway

China

South Korea

France

Germany

JapanU.K.

ItalyIndia

Australia

South Africa

Estonia

Latvia

Argentina

Chile

The power of geography

Russia is positioned for polar

dominance, with an extensive

Arctic coastline. The stra-

tegically vital and lucrative

Northern Sea Route hugs its

northern coast.

Chinese influence

With no Arctic territory

of its own, China is

partnering with Russia

to extract resources and

establish trade routes

as the Arctic thaws.

Ports

Canada and Russia

are building Arctic

ports to serve as strate-

gic hubs for refueling and

moving cargo and troops.

Exclusive economic zones (EEZs)

Nations have jurisdiction over

natural resources on the

seafloor no more than

200 nautical miles

from their coasts.

JASON TREAT AND RILEY D. CHAMPINE, NGM STAFF;

SCOTT ELDER. SOURCES: JANE’S BY IHS MARKIT;

OFFICE OF SENATOR DAN SULLIVAN; NATIONAL

GEOSPATIAL-INTELLIGENCE AGENCY; U.S. COAST

GUARD OFFICE OF WATERWAYS AND OCEAN POLICY;

INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES RESEARCH UNIT

THE RACE TO BREAK THE ICE
Icebreakers are key tools for projecting power in
the Arctic, plowing through sea ice so ships can
follow in their wake. Russia has more icebreak-
ers than any other nation; China is also investing
substantially in them. The U.S. has just one opera-
tional heavy icebreaker, used mostly in Antarctica.

Heavy

icebreakers

Year-round

operation in

moderate

multiyear ice

Light

Summer/

autumn

operation

in medium

first-year ice

Medium

Year-round

operation

in thick first-

year ice

Once considered nearly impenetrable, the

Arctic is taking on new strategic importance as

climate change melts its icy armor and trillions of

dollars of resources become accessible. The eight

nations that encircle the region are scrambling

to assert and defend their claims over the Arctic,

which remains one of the most daunting land-

scapes to project power on the planet.

ARCTIC ASSETS

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