cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean and
lasts about 10 months; permafrost in islands; virtually icelocked from
October to June; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from
disruptions or damage
Note:
major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific
Ocean via the Bering Strait); ships subject to superstructure icing from
October to May; strategic location between North America and Russia;
shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia,
floating research stations operated by the US and Russia

:Arctic Ocean Economy

Overview:
Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural resources,
including crude oil, natural gas, fish, and seals.

:Arctic Ocean Communications

Ports:
Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)
Telecommunications:
no submarine cables
Note:
sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest Passage
(North America) and Northern Sea Route (Asia) are important seasonal
waterways

:Argentina Geography

Total area:
2,766,890 km2
Land area:
2,736,690 km2
Comparative area:
slightly more than four times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
9,665 km total; Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay
1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km
Coastline:
4,989 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf:
200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation
Exclusive economic zone:
nm limits unknown
Territorial sea:
12 nm (overflight and navigation permitted beyond 12 nm)
Disputes:
short section of the boundary with Uruguay is in dispute; short section of
the boundary with Chile is indefinite; claims British-administered Falkland
Islands (Islas Malvinas); claims British- administered South Georgia and the
South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica
Climate:
mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest
Terrain:
rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of
Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border
Natural resources:
fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese,
crude oil, uranium
Land use:
arable land 9%; permanent crops 4%; meadows and pastures 52%; forest and
woodland 22%; other 13%; includes irrigated 1%
Environment:
Tuc