Building for Tomorrow 9 | Northern Infrastructure: What is the Arctic and why does it matter? – CWF

June 10, 2026

The Arctic is drawing a lot more heat than it used to. The United States has threatened to annex Greenland, NATO is strengthening its presence in the Arctic region and Canada plans to invest more than $35 billion to “defend, build and transform Canada’s Northern and Arctic region.” So, why is the Arctic suddenly so important?

What is the Arctic?

The Arctic is Earth’s northernmost region, centered on the North Pole. The exact regional definition varies, though 66 degrees 33 minutes north latitude is commonly used. Unlike Antarctica, the Arctic is mostly a frozen ocean surrounded by land. Eight countries directly border the Arctic: Canada, Denmark (via Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States (via Alaska).

Read More: https://cwf.ca/research/publications/what-is-the-arctic/