The Arctic's choke points, Bering Strait and GIUK Gap, control access to its vast resources and shipping routes, making it strategically important to the US.
The choke points on the map you provided are the Bering Strait and the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom (GIUK) Gap. These are narrow passages of water that connect the Arctic Ocean to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, respectively. They are strategically important because they control access to the Arctic region.
The Arctic region is important to the United States for a number of reasons, including:
- Natural resources: The Arctic is home to significant reserves of oil, natural gas, and minerals.
- Shipping routes: As sea ice melts, new shipping routes are opening up in the Arctic. These routes could provide a shorter and more efficient way to transport goods between Asia and Europe.
- Security: The Arctic is a region of growing strategic importance. As the United States and its allies compete with Russia and China for influence in the region, it is important to maintain a strong presence in the Arctic.
The choke points in the Arctic region play a key role in the United States' ability to access and protect its interests in the region.
Here is a map of the Arctic region with the choke points labeled: