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Northwest Passage facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Nordwestpassage NASA Worldwind-globe
Red line shows the Northwest Passage

The Northwest Passage is sea passage along the north coast of North America, through the Arctic Ocean. Because of ice, the passage is usually closed to ships.

The Spanish Empire wanted to reach Asia by a western route, because Portugal controlled the eastern route around the Cape of Good Hope. Spain wanted to have a route that it could control. This caused most European countries to search for a possible route. Roald Amundsen was the first person to navigate the passage between 1903 and 1906.

Global warming is increasing the melting for the Passage.

Images for kids

  • Northwest passage

    Northwest Passage routes

  • 2007 Envisat mosaic of Arctic Ocean ESA210015

    Envisat ASAR mosaic of the Arctic Ocean (September 2007), showing the most direct route of the Northwest Passage open (yellow line) and the Northeast Passage partially blocked (blue line). The dark grey colour represents the ice-free areas, while green represents areas with sea ice.

  • The Arctic Regions, showing the North-West Passage as determined by Cap. R. McClure and other Arctic Voyagers. 1856. CTASC

    Two maps of arctic regions published in 1856 on a single sheet as part of The Royal Illustrated Atlas of Modern Geography

  • Strait of Anian from Novissima totius tarrarum orbis tabula by Hugo Allard

    The fabled Strait of Anián, shown in the upper left corner of the map. (Hugo Allard, 1685)

  • Chart of the World showing New Route through Canada between England, China, Japan, Australasia and the East. By J. Johnston. Department of Agriculture, Ottawa, Canada, 1886 CTASC

    Chart of the World showing New Route (the Canadian Pacific Railway) through Canada between England, China, Japan, Australasia and the East (1886)

  • Map of the Arctic region showing the Northeast Passage, the Northern Sea Route and Northwest Passage, and bathymetry

    Map of the Arctic region showing the Northeast Passage, the Northern Sea Route within it, and the Northwest Passage.

  • Map of the route followed by by the SS Manhattan to traverse the Northwest Passage

    Map of the route followed by the US ship SS Manhattan in 1969.

  • Straße von Anian

    Assumed route of the Strait of Anián

  • Voyage à la baye de Hudson, fait en 1746 et 1747

    Ellis expedition: Voyage to Hudson Bay, in 1746 and 1747

  • Caspar David Friedrich - Das Eismeer - Hamburger Kunsthalle - 02

    Das Eismeer (The Sea of Ice), 1823–1824, a painting by Caspar David Friedrich showing a shipwreck at right. It was inspired by William Edward Parry's account from his 1819–1820 expedition. Kunsthalle Hamburg, Germany.

  • John Franklin 1845

    Sir John Franklin, the leader of the 1845 expedition.

  • The North-West Passage, by John Everett Millais

    The North-West Passage (1874), a painting by John Everett Millais representing British frustration at the failure to conquer the passage. Tate Britain, London.

  • Nlc amundsen

    Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen was the first to sail through the Northwest Passage in 1903–1906.

  • Gjøa

    Amundsen's  Gjøa was the first vessel to transit the passage.

  • 2007 Arctic Sea Ice

    Arctic shrinkage as of 2007 compared to previous years

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Paso del Noroeste para niños

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