The Arctic region has emerged as a renewed area of strategic competition in recent years between the United States and Russia. In addition, China has also been making its presence known as well. Global warming and climate change has opened up the Arctic sea lanes, exposed minerals for exploitation, and provides access to oil and gas reserves. The Arctic is more than a region with ice and snow. Over 4 million people from eight countries live above the Arctic circle. In addition, it has become a platform for military power projection.

In 2009 the US Geological Survey estimated that the Arctic held 13 percent of the world’s undiscovered oil and 30 percent of the world’s natural gas. These valuable resources will be very strategic in the coming decades as the current oil and gas fields become fully exploited. Other minerals exist as well and are exposing themselves as the ice cap melts away.