Russia, Denmark could split North Pole following UN application approval

Leopold Lobkovsky, the coordinator for preparing Russia’s application from the Russian Academy of Sciences and deputy director for geology at the Academy’s P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, said that Russia and Denmark could divvy up Lomonosov Ridge, which passes through the North Pole, after the two countries’ applications to expand the continental shelf are approved by a UN commission, RIA Novosti reports.

Dividing the shelf between Russia and Denmark via a centre line would require calculating the nautical miles from the coastal zone of each country, he said.

In December 2016, Russia commenced negotiations with Denmark, which also submitted an application to the UN to expand the shelf. Denmark’s application overlaps with the Russian section.