The sea is partially enclosed by
Franz Josef Land on the north, Novaya Zemlya on the east, and Svalbard
on the west. Its waters are warmed by the remnants of the North Atlantic Drift, so that its ports, including
Murmansk and Vardö, are ice-free all year. The sea was named for Willem Barentz, the
Dutch navigator. The Barents Council was founded in 1993 by Denmark,
Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden to foster cooperation
between countries in the region. The council has focused its efforts on
improving infrastructure and cleaning up nuclear waste on Russia's Kola
Peninsula.
Go To Peter Bouwman Page
|