in western Greenland
and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually
icelocked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure
icing from October to May
international agreements: NA

Geographic note: major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea
(northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait);
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; maximum snow cover
in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean;
snow cover lasts about 10 months

Government
----------

Data code: none; the US Government has not approved a standard for
hydrographic codes - see the Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic
Data Codes appendix

Economy
-------

Economic overview: Economic activity is limited to the
exploitation of natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas,
fish, and seals.

Transportation
--------------

Ports: Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)

Transportation note: sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land
routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route
(Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways

Communications
--------------

Telephone system:
international: no submarine cables

======================================================================

@Argentina
---------

Map
---

Location: 34 00 S, 64 00 W -- Southern South America, bordering
the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay

Flag
----

Description: three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top),
white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant
yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May

Geography
---------

Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic
Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay

Geographic coordinates: 34 00 S, 64 00 W

Map references: South America

Area:
total area: 2,766,890 sq km
land area: 2,736,690 sq km
comparative area: slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 9,665 km
border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km,
Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km

Coastline: 4,989 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the ed