The Arctic region has suddenly returned to global headlines with the US showing interest in Greenland, China calling itself a “near-Arctic state”, and Russia dominating the Arctic coastline. But for UPSC aspirants, here’s the key point:
👉 The geopolitics of the Arctic is not new.
Its strategic importance dates back to World War II, especially the Battle of the Arctic.
Understanding Arctic geography is essential to understand why global powers continue to compete here.
Contents
- 0.1 Why the Arctic Region Is Geopolitically Important
- 0.2 Key Arctic Locations You Must Visualise (UPSC Favourite)
- 0.3 Murmansk: The Arctic Game Changer
- 0.4 Arctic Geography and World War II (Operation Barbarossa)
- 0.5 Why the Allies Needed the Arctic Route
- 0.6 Role of Arctic Climate and Ocean Currents
- 0.7 Bear Island and Arctic Islands: Strategic Stopovers
- 0.8 Arctic Seas You Must Remember for Prelims
- 0.9 Modern Arctic Geopolitics and Natural Resources
- 0.10 Why Greenland Matters Today
- 0.11 UPSC Takeaway
- 0.12 Check out our GS Geography Course – Click Here
- 1 FAQs
Why the Arctic Region Is Geopolitically Important
The Arctic offers three major advantages:
- Shortest military and supply routes
- Access to ice-free ports
- Massive reserves of oil, gas, and minerals
Geography here directly shapes geopolitics.
Key Arctic Locations You Must Visualise (UPSC Favourite)
If you look at the Arctic map from west to east:
• Greenland
• Iceland (south-east of Greenland)
• Svalbard – Norwegian island group
• Fram Strait – between Greenland and Svalbard
• Faroe Islands – Danish territory
• Shetland Islands – UK territory
• Norway’s irregular coastline with deep fjords (glacial valleys)
These locations control access into the Arctic Ocean.
Murmansk: The Arctic Game Changer
Further north lies Murmansk, one of the most important ports in the Arctic.
Why Murmansk matters:
• Lies beyond the Arctic Circle
• Remains ice-free year-round
• Provides access to Barents Sea and Kara Sea
This single geographical advantage changed the course of World War II.
Arctic Geography and World War II (Operation Barbarossa)
In June 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, aiming to defeat the Soviet Union.
Germany’s objectives:
• Control oil fields of Ukraine and the Caucasus
• Capture ports like Leningrad (St. Petersburg)
• Gain dominance over Eurasia
If the USSR fell, Germany would become unstoppable.
Why the Allies Needed the Arctic Route
The Allies (UK and US) needed to supply the Soviet Union with:
• Weapons
• Food
• Equipment
They had three options:
- Land route via Iran
- Pacific route via Vladivostok
- Arctic Sea Route
The first two were too long and slow.
The Arctic route allowed supplies from the UK to reach Murmansk in just 10–14 days.
Role of Arctic Climate and Ocean Currents
Here geography played a decisive role.
• The warm ocean current (extension of the Gulf Stream) keeps parts of the Barents Sea ice-free
• Murmansk remained operational even in extreme winters
• Polar nights reduced German air force effectiveness
• Harsh weather weakened German submarines and radar systems
👉 Physical geography directly influenced military outcomes
Bear Island and Arctic Islands: Strategic Stopovers
Islands like Bear Island, Novaya Zemlya, and Severnaya Zemlya served as:
• Refuelling points
• Supply regrouping centres
• Strategic military observation posts
UPSC often asks about Arctic islands and seas due to their strategic value.
Arctic Seas You Must Remember for Prelims
Along the Siberian coast:
• Barents Sea
• Kara Sea
• Laptev Sea
• Chukchi Sea
On the Canadian side:
• Beaufort Sea
These seas are critical for navigation, energy resources, and military positioning.
Modern Arctic Geopolitics and Natural Resources
Today, the Arctic holds:
• Around 15% of the world’s undiscovered oil
• Huge natural gas reserves
• Critical rare earth minerals
Russia is one of the largest natural gas producers largely because of the Barents and Kara Sea regions.
This explains:
• Russia’s heavy Arctic militarisation
• US interest in Greenland
• China’s Arctic ambitions
Why Greenland Matters Today
Greenland sits at the gateway of:
• Arctic shipping routes
• North Atlantic security
• US missile defence systems
Its location makes it a strategic asset in modern geopolitics, just as the Arctic was during World War II.
UPSC Takeaway
The Arctic is not just cold geography.
It is:
• A military corridor
• An energy hub
• A geopolitical chessboard
If you understand Arctic geography, you automatically understand Arctic geopolitics.
Check out our GS Geography Course – Click Here
FAQs
- #ArcticGeopoliticsUPSC: Why is the Arctic region strategically important in global geopolitics?
- #GreenlandUPSC: Why does Greenland matter in Arctic geopolitics?
- #WorldWar2Geography: How did Arctic geography influence World War II outcomes?
- #OperationBarbarossa: What was the role of the Arctic route during Operation Barbarossa?
