In the icy waters between Greenland and Canada lies Hans Island, a barren 1.3 km² rock with no population, no resources, and, for nearly five decades, two national flags.
From 1973 to 2022, this small Arctic island was at the center of an unusually friendly border dispute between Denmark and Canada. What began as a quiet disagreement evolved into a light-hearted exchange of flags and alcohol, earning the conflict the nickname “The Whisky War.” Though it never involved violence, the dispute eventually led to an international agreement and the creation of a new land border.
A Rock Between Allies
Hans Island sits in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland. Though uninhabited today, it had historical use by Inuit populations in the 19th century. In 1973, Denmark and Canada signed a treaty to define their continental shelf boundary, drawing a line that ran directly through Hans Island.
The island’s ownership remained unresolved, with both sides agreeing to revisit the matter in the future. Canada’s claim stemmed from its acquisition of former Hudson’s Bay Company lands, while Denmark argued the island was tied to Greenlandic fishing grounds.
Flags, Whisky, and Snaps
The conflict took a humorous turn in 1984 when Canadian soldiers landed on Hans Island, planted a Canadian flag, and left behind a bottle of whisky. In response, the Danish Minister for Greenland Affairs visited the island, replaced the flag with Denmark’s, and left a bottle of schnapps and a note that read “Welcome to the Danish Island.”
This set off a decades-long ritual: each side took turns visiting the island, swapping flags and national liquors. At one point in 2005, the dispute extended to the digital world, with individuals posting pro-Canada and pro-Denmark advertisements on Google.
A Calm Ending
Despite the public displays of humor, both governments treated the dispute seriously behind the scenes. In 2005, Canada and Denmark agreed on a formal process to resolve it. Years passed without urgency, and the issue was sometimes deemed trivial in Canadian political discussions.
However, amid heightened international focus on territorial integrity during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the two countries reached a final agreement. On June 10, 2022, they announced that Hans Island would be split down the middle—half going to the Canadian territory of Nunavut, the other to Greenland.
A New Land Border
The agreement had a notable side effect: Canada and Denmark, long believed to border only one other country each (the United States and Germany, respectively), now share a land border.
Denmark ratified the agreement on December 19, 2023, officially ending one of the world’s most peaceful territorial disputes—settled with civility, patience, and alcohol.
Between 1973 and 2022, Canada and Denmark quietly disputed a tiny Arctic island known as Hans Island.
Though barren and uninhabited, it sparked decades of national flag-planting and alcohol exchanges, earning it the nickname "The Whisky War"—with no violence at all…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/KAVnRNbFlN
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) May 30, 2025