For years there has been a peaceful dispute between the two countries Denmark and Canada over who should claim the tiny Hanseatic Island in the Arctic. Now the island is to be divided between the two countries. The border conflict had also previously been nicknamed the “Whiskey War”.
Canada and Denmark have settled a diplomatic dispute over a tiny, remote and uninhabitable Arctic island that has been fought out with little seriousness for decades. Located between Ellesmere and Greenland, Hans Island will now be divided under an agreement to be signed in Ottawa on Tuesday. This creates the first land border between Denmark and the EU.
The two countries underlined the importance of this peaceful settlement of a territorial dispute in the face of the Ukraine war. “For democracies like Canada and Denmark, it is more important than ever (…) to resolve differences in accordance with international law,” Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said. “The Arctic is a beacon of international cooperation where the rule of law prevails.”
Hans Island is 1.3 square kilometers in size and lies on a maritime border drawn in 1973 between Canada and Greenland, which is part of the Danish Kingdom. Since the border was drawn, delegations from the two countries have repeatedly visited the always snow-covered piece of land and substantiated their claim to it with their respective flags. They usually left a bottle of whiskey or other liquor there for the next visit of the opposing delegation. The border conflict has therefore also been nicknamed the “Whiskey War”.
