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FROM THE HISTORY OF TERRITORIAL DELINEATION IN THE ARTIC: THE DISPUTE ABOUT THE OWNERSHIP OF WRANGEL ISLAND IN 1921-1926

A. Bocharov, A. Mikhailov, D. Smirnova

Abstract

The article deals with one of the incidents in the history of the territorial delineation of Arctic lands, which occurred in the 1920-ies and was associated with the island of Wrangel. We present the analysis of the events, which happened before the incident, including the details of the island discovery and the following various states’ representatives’ landing on it. It is noted that Russia's declaration of its ownership of Wrangel Island in 1916 did not cause protests of other countries. However, Russia being weakened in the Civil war gave rise to the representatives of the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States to claim Wrangel Island theirs. There is a brief description of some expeditions (by V. Stefansson, B. Davydov) sent to Wrangel Island by representatives of various states as well as of some associated disputes devoted to the ownership of the island. We reviewed the process of the USSR claiming final rights to the island and demonstrated the undoubted importance of the events connected with Wrangel Island in 1921-1926 in the process of the Arctic territories distribution.

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