Why in the news?

• A study of ship movements in the Bering Strait, where vessel traffic has boomed as Arctic sea ice diminishes, highlights a rare case of U.S.-Russia cooperation during strained times.

Bering Strait

• Location: Located on the northernmost part of the Pacific Ocean, Bering strait separates the continents of Asia (Russia) and North America (Alaska of USA).
• Features:
  • It connects the Bering Sea to the Chukchi Sea of the Arctic Ocean.
  • Russia and the USA are just at a distance of 85 km at the narrowest point of the Bering strait, between Cape Prince of Wales (Alaska) and Cape Dezhnev (Russia).
  • The strait is relatively shallow, having an average depth of 50 m.