Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage is a sea passage along the north coast of North America, through the Arctic Ocean. Because of ice, the passage is usually closed to ships.
The Spanish Empire wanted to reach Asia by a western route, because Portugal controlled the eastern route around the Cape of Good Hope. Spain wanted to have a route that it could control. This caused most European countries to search for a possible route. Roald Amundsen was the first person to navigate the passage between 1903 and 1906.
Global warming is increasing the melting for the Passage.
Northwest Passage Media
- Northwestpassage
Envisat ASAR mosaic of the Arctic Ocean (September 2007), showing the most direct route of the Northwest Passage open (yellow line) and the Northeast Passage partially blocked (blue line). The dark grey colour represents the ice-free areas, while green represents areas with sea ice.
Two maps of arctic regions published in 1856 on a single sheet as part of The Royal Illustrated Atlas of Modern Geography
The fabled Strait of Anián, shown in the upper left corner of the map. (Hugo Allard, 1685)
Chart of the World showing New Route (the Canadian Pacific Railway) through Canada between England, China, Japan, Australasia and the East (1886)
Map of the Arctic region showing the Northeast Passage, the Northern Sea Route within it, and the Northwest Passage.
Map of the route followed by the US ship SS Manhattan in 1969.
Parry Channel: East end at Lancaster Sound north of Baffin Island.
Parry Channel: West end at Prince of Wales Strait northwest of Victoria Island.
Assumed route of the Strait of Anián
Other websites
- Northwest Passage Citizendium
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