The well-disposed ( or most inactive - aggressive ) state of war never fought has number to an death . After 50 year of claims of reign over Hans Island , which is located in the Arctic Circle and step just 1.3 square km ( 0.5 satisfying miles),Denmark and Canada have decidedto divide it , creating efficaciously the first - ever Canada - Europe commonwealth borderline .
countenance ’s rewind the clock to 1972 . Canadian and Danish scientist were tasked with determining the geographical coordinate of the midget island and where it fell with deference to the totally arbitrary maritime boundary . The following year both countries claim that the island was on their side .
For several age , the dispute was not on anybody ’s mind until a Canadian rock oil ship’s company did some enquiry on and around the island . This bump while an agreement was being explore by the two nations about the marine region of the Nares Strait where Hans Island was located . The agreement was signed in 1983 and the news of the Dome Petroleum geographic expedition reached Denmark in 1984 .
The then Minister for Greenland , Tom Høyem , is said to have flownby helicopter to Hans Island , planting a flag , leaving a nursing bottle of spirits ( possibly Schnapps ) , and providing the next subject matter : Velkommen til den danske ø – Welcome to the Danish Island . The Canadians then did the same , removing the flag , and leaving a bottle of Canadian whisky , from which the good - natured war takes its name . This back and forth sound on for years .
The warfare got the attending of the printing press again in 2004 and since then , the two nations set out to find a solution . After many years , they decided to go with the most obvious one : split the uninhabited island in two .
This has now created one of the small borders in account and the first nation molding between Canada and Europe . Both Canada and Denmark have instantly doubled the number of nations they are bordering with . Before , they both had a single neighbor , the United States and Germany , severally .
Several mass have wondered if sharing a country border with Europe will now allow Canada to move into the Eurovision Song Contest , but as the below tweet demonstrates a boundary line with – or really being part of – Europe , is not a necessary prerequisite .
