Various countries tried to establish trading bases, and make territorial claims, along the Pacific and Arctic Coasts of North America. Early explorers include:

• Captain James Cook
• Captain George Vancouver

The United States purchased the Russian interests in North America in 1867. Britain and Russia had negotiated the boundaries of their spheres of influence in 1825. But the maps the Russians gave the Americans showed the Russian sphere extending beyond the limits the Russians had negotiated.

More recently Canada and the USA have a dispute over a wedge-shaped slice of the Arctic Ocean in the Beaufort Sea. The land boundary proceeds due north. The Canadian position is that the maritime boundary should follow the land boundary. The American position is that the maritime boundary should extend along a path equidistant from the coasts of the two nations. The disputed area is several hundred square kilometers. There are believed to be petroleum resources under the disputed territory.

See also

• Dixon Entrance -- the maritime boundary between British Columbia, Canada and Alaska, USA.

External links

• The Alaska-Canada Boundary Dispute by Murray Lundberg