Consider the following countries:
- 1.Denmark
- 2.Japan
- 3.Russian Federation
- 4.United Kingdom
- 5.United States of America
Which of the above are the members of the 'Arctic Council'?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) 1, 3 and 5
The Arctic Council has eight members, all of them Arctic states: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the USA. Of the countries listed, Denmark, Russia and the USA are members. Japan and the UK are only observers, not members.
- ✓ 1. Denmark (the Kingdom of Denmark, which includes Greenland) is one of the eight Arctic states and a member.
- ✗ 2. Japan is not an Arctic state. It was admitted as an observer at the Kiruna Ministerial meeting in 2013.
- ✓ 3. The Russian Federation is one of the eight Arctic states and a member.
- ✗ 4. The UK is a non-Arctic state. It has been an observer since 1998, not a member.
- ✓ 5. The United States is an Arctic state (through Alaska) and a member.
Remember · Arctic Council members: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, USA. Japan, India, China, the UK and others are observers, not members.
Sources
- Arctic Council – Arctic States ↗ · reference work “The eight Arctic states are permanent members of the Arctic Council.”
- Arctic Council – Observers ↗ · reference work “Italian Republic Kiruna Ministerial meeting, 2013 Japan Kiruna Ministerial meeting, 2013 The Netherlands Iqaluit Ministerial meeting, 1998”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2014, General Studies Paper I. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·
