"In August 2007, the world reacted with consternation as Russia planted a flag beneath the ice of the North Pole, symbolizing the Kremlin's claim to the Arctic with its vast mineral resources, and firing the starting gun on the world's last colonial scramble.

The Scramble for the Arctic, which includes color and black-and-white photographs, examines the history of the region and its exploration, the current state of ownership, the likely outcomes of today's power plays, and what is at stake both politically and ecologically.

With the map literally being redrawn by global warming, the ownership of the Arctic will be one of the defining issues of the next decade. Amid much propaganda and obfuscation, this informed and clear-sighted account of the competing interests of nations, corporations, and indeed species will prove an invaluable resource."--pub. desc.