Mapped: How Arctic Ice Loss Is Reshaping Global Shipping

By  Dorothy Neufeld – Visual Capitalist

Not only does the Arctic hold significant oil and rare earth resources, thawing ice means that shipping routes can be reduced drastically.

Since 1980, the Arctic’s minimal ice extent, its smallest point, has shrunk by 39%. At the same time, the Arctic is a strategic priority for Russia, both for freight transport and military security. More recently, President Trump has argued that Greenland—a territory he has threatened to acquire—is critical to U.S. security.