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Background:
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Used as a polar bear sighting perch
for centuries by the Inuit of surrounding areas, Tartupaluk
(meaning "kidney-shaped place" in the Avanersuaq language) was
first discovered by American explorer Charles Francis Hall on 13
August 1872, sailing in the Polaris on an expedition to
the North Pole. Hall named the territory Hans Island in honour
of his Greenlandic interpreter on the voyage, Hans Hendrik. In
its Order No. 191 of 27 May 1963 on the Delimitation of the
Territorial Sea of Greenland, Denmark excluded Tartupaluk
from its territorial claims in the area under international law.
On 13 March 1974, both Canada and Denmark declined to exert
sovereignty over the island under international law when they
ratified the Boundary Waters Agreement between Canada and the
Kingdom of Denmark. On 10 September 1984, Canada again
publicly waived claim to the island under international law in
its Territorial Sea Geographical Coordinates (Area 7) Order.
Since 1980, the island has been paid brief visits five times by
Danish authorities patrolling adjacent Greenlandic territorial
waters and airspace, twice by Canadian authorities, and was
over-wintered on a further three times by private interests from
the Dome Petroleum Company. All planned visits to the island by
Danish authorities since 2002 have been abandoned and the
government of Canada continues its refusal to administer the
island, most recently blocking Canadian scientists at the
University of Toronto from placing a weather station on the
island in summer 2006. In August 2006, Cavan van Ulft, the
current prince, traveled to the island to claim the territory
formally under international law as the first fully autonomous
territory of the circumpolar north. By the Proclamation of
Sovereignty and Independence of the Principality of Tartupaluk
of 13 August 2006, Tartupaluk became an independent State,
giving northern peoples an opportunity to participate as equals
in international arenas.
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Location:
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Northern North America, island in
the Nares Strait of the Arctic Ocean between Greenland and
Canada |
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Geographic coordinates:
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80 49 N, 66 38 W
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Area:
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total: 1.3 sq km
land: 1.3 sq km
water: 0 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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about 2.5 times the size of The
Mall in Washington, DC;
about 3 times the size of the Vatican City State;
about two-thirds the size of present-day Monaco
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea:
geographic coordinates define outer limit |
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Climate:
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polar climate characterized by
persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature
ranges; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold
and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers
characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy
weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow
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Terrain:
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rocky coastline with cliffs
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m
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Natural resources:
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fish, marine mammals (seals and
whales)
undetermined oil and natural gas potential
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Natural hazards:
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ice islands occasionally break
away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from
glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern
Canada; permafrost; virtually ice locked from October to
June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to
May |
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Environment - current issues:
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protection of the arctic
environment; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to
recover from disruptions or damage; preservation of the
Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal
hunting |
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Geography - note:
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nomadic inhabitants often forced
to leave during periods of continuous darkness; has no port
or natural harbor; supplies must be transported by air or
dogsled over pack ice
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Population:
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legal permanent: 10
total: 15 (April 2007 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 1
15-64 years: 14
65 years and over: 0 (April 2007 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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total population: 4.00 male(s)/female (April 2007 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 70
male: 68
female: 72 (January 2007 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Tartupalummiut
adjective: Tartupalummiut
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Languages:
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English, Inuktitut (official);
others (NA)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Principality of Tartupaluk
conventional short form: Tartupaluk
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Government type:
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constitutional monarchy with
direct-democracy legislative system |
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Capital:
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name: Suursaq
geographic coordinates: 80 49 N, 66 38 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
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Administrative divisions:
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none |
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Independence:
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13 August 2006 (Principality of
Tartupaluk established)
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National holiday:
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National Day,
13 August |
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Constitution:
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13 August 2006
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Legal system:
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local criminal laws
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Suffrage:
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universal with citizenship
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Prince CAVAN (since 13 August 2006)
head of government:
President Theo van ULFT (since 20 October 2006)
cabinet:
Executive Council chosen by the monarch must include the
President of the Legislative Assembly
elections:
none; heir to the monarchy and chairman of the Executive
Council are appointed by the monarch; President may be
recalled and replaced by the Legislative Assembly at any
time; means of selecting Vice President have not been
finalized |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Legislative Assembly
includes all citizens as members |
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Judicial branch:
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Prince's bench; Judicial
Officers are appointed by the monarch
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Political parties and leaders:
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none
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none
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International organization participation:
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NAFO, Paris Union;
current bids: Arctic Council (observer), Council for
Environmental Cooperation, ICCt, ICJ, PICES, UN, UPU, WIPO |
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Diplomatic representation
abroad:
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none (2006) |
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Diplomatic representation from
abroad:
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none (2006) |
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Symbols
(unofficial): |
anthem:
"Northwest
Passage"
flower: Ellesmereland
whitlowgrass (Draba subcapitata Simmons)
motto: "Unity, Sovereignty, Justice" /
"ᑭᓯ,
ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᒍᓐᓇᕐᓂᖅ, ᐱᑦᑎᐊᖅᑕᐅᓂᖅ" |
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Flag description:
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plain black
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Economy - overview:
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Economic activity is limited to the
exploitation of natural resources. |
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Labor force:
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8 adults (2006)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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note: no business community in the usual sense; no
public works |
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Exports - commodities:
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stones, seashells |
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Imports - commodities:
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fuel oil, machinery, building materials, foodstuffs,
medical supplies
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Currency (code):
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Tartupalummiut monetary unit (TUU)
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Exchange rates:
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Tartupalummiut monetary units per US dollar -
9.0969 (2007), 8.5085 (2006) |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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1; (2007)
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: satellite phone services
domestic: domestic communication via radio (UHF/FM)
international: country code - 881 |
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Internet country code:
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.tu.net
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Roadways:
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total: 0 km
unpaved: 0 km (dirt roads)
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Ports and terminals:
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Suursaq
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Manpower available for military
service:
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males age 18-49: 10 (April 2007
est.) |
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Military - note:
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pacifist government is committed to
settling all disputes peacefully
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Disputes - international:
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none; all of Tartupaluk's
sovereignty claims to territory and waters have gone uncontested
since independence |
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