View source for Davis Strait

{{short description|Water between Greenland and Canada}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2025}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2025}}
[[File:Map indicating Davis Strait.png|thumb|300px|Davis Strait, lying between Greenland and Baffin Island in Nunavut, Canada{{legend|#ffff66|Nunavut}}{{legend|#d5fe94|Quebec}}{{legend|#ecebb6|Newfoundland and Labrador}}{{legend|#ffffcc|Regions outside Canada (Greenland, Iceland)}}]]
'''Davis Strait''' ([[Danish language|Danish]]: ''Davisstrædet''; [[Inuktitut language|Inuktitut]]: ''ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓘᑉ ᐃᑭᖓ Qikiqtaaluup Ikinga''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Map of Inuit Nunangat |url=https://geo.sac-isc.gc.ca/Collection_de_cartes-Map_room/PDF/Inuit%20Nunangat_w_Inuktitut_2025_E.pdf}}</ref>) is a southern arm of the [[Arctic Ocean]] that lies north of the [[Labrador Sea]]. It lies between mid-western [[Greenland]] and [[Baffin Island]] in [[Nunavut]], Canada. To the north is [[Baffin Bay]]. The strait was named for English explorer [[John Davis (explorer)|John Davis]] (1550–1605), who sailed the area while seeking a route through the [[Northwest Passage]], and by the 1650s it was used for [[whaling|whale hunting]].

==Extent==
The [[International Hydrographic Organization]] defines the limits of the Davis Strait as follows:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iho.int/uploads/user/pubs/standards/s-23/S-23_Ed3_1953_EN.pdf|title=Limits of Oceans and Seas, 3rd edition|year=1953|publisher=International Hydrographic Organization|access-date=28 December 2020}}</ref>
<blockquote>
''On the North.'' The Southern limit of [[Baffin Bay]] [The parallel of [[Circles of latitude between the 65th parallel north and the 70th parallel north#70th parallel north|70° North]] between [[Greenland]] and [[Baffin Island|Baffin Land]]<nowiki>]</nowiki>.

''On the East.'' The Southwest coast of Greenland.

''On the South.'' The parallel of [[60th parallel north|60° North]] between Greenland and [[Labrador]].

''On the West.'' The Eastern limit of the [[Northwest Passage|Northwestern Passages]] South of 70° North [the East coast of Baffin Island to East Bluff, its Southeastern extremity] and of [[Hudson Strait]] [A line from East Bluff, the Southeast extreme of Baffin Island ({{coord|61|53|N|65|57|W|display=inline}}), to Point Meridian, the Western extreme of [[Lower Savage Islands]], along the coast to its Southwestern extreme and thence a line across to the Western extreme of [[Resolution Island (Nunavut)|Resolution Island]], through its Southwestern shore to Hatton Headland, its Southern point, thence a line to [[Cape Chidley]], [[Labrador]] ({{coord|60|24|N|64|26|W|display=inline}})].
</blockquote>

==Geology==
[[File:Sisimiut-nasaasaaq-from-palasip-qaqqaa.jpg|thumb|The coast of Davis Strait in western Greenland]]
The Davis Strait is underlain by complex geological features of buried [[graben]]s (basins) and [[ridge]]s, formed by [[Fault (geology)#Strike-slip faults|strike-slip faulting]] of the [[Ungava Fault Zone]] during [[Paleogene]] times about 45 million to 62 million years ago. The strike-slip faulting transferred [[plate tectonics|plate-tectonic motions]] in the Labrador Sea to Baffin Bay. It is the world's broadest strait.

==Depth==
With a water depth of between {{cvt|1000|and|2000|m}} the [[strait]] is substantially shallower than the [[Labrador Sea]] to the south.

==Tides==
The strait is famous for its fierce tides that can range from {{cvt|30|to|60|ft|order=flip}}, which discouraged many earlier explorers and were a challenge for whaling ships in the age of sail.<ref>{{cite book |title=The National Cyclopaedia for Useful Knowledge |date=1848 |publisher=Charles Knight |location=London |page=250, Vol V |edition=First}}</ref>

== Oil and gas ==
{{main|Petroleum exploration in the Arctic}}
The [[United States Geological Survey]] has estimated that at least 13% of the world's undiscovered oil deposits and 30% of the world's undiscovered gas pockets are located in the [[Arctic]], with the seas around Greenland potentially holding large amounts of [[natural gas]] and lesser amounts of [[Petroleum|crude oil]] and [[Natural-gas condensate|natural gas liquids]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1980#.VxK140dcFX4|title=90 Billion Barrels of Oil and 1,670 Trillion Cubic Feet of Natural Gas Assessed in the Arctic |publisher=US Geological Survey (USGS)|date=23 July 2008|access-date=17 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2008/3014/pdf/FS08-3014_508.pdf|title=Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the West Greenland |publisher=US Geological Survey (USGS)|date=May 2008|access-date=17 April 2016}}</ref> This has led [[Inatsisartut|Greenland's minister and provincial council]] to offer a large number of off-shore concessions to potential hydrocarbon (oil and gas) extraction. The largest concessions areas are located in seas west of Greenland, primarily the Davis Strait and [[Baffin Bay]], but with several smaller concessions in the [[Greenland Sea]] in the east also.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674greenland_pushing_ahead_with_oil_and_gas_development|title=Greenland pushing ahead with oil and gas development |publisher=Nunatsiaq News|newspaper=Nunatsiaq Online|author=Lisa Gregoire|date=15 May 2014|access-date=17 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.govmin.gl/petroleum/current-licences|title=Current Licences|publisher=Bureau of Mineral and Petroleum (Greenland)|access-date=17 April 2016|archive-date=13 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513100736/https://www.govmin.gl/petroleum/current-licences|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.govmin.gl/images/stories/minerals/maps/Licenskort%20Feb%202016_A4.pdf|title=Map of exclusive hydrocarbon licences|publisher=Bureau of Mineral and Petroleum (Greenland)|date=February 2016|access-date=17 April 2016|archive-date=13 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513114708/https://www.govmin.gl/images/stories/minerals/maps/Licenskort%20Feb%202016_A4.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.govmin.gl/petroleum/approved-activities|title=Approved Hydrocarbon Activities|publisher=Bureau of Mineral and Petroleum (Greenland)|date=31 October 2015|access-date=17 April 2016|archive-date=13 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513132103/https://www.govmin.gl/petroleum/approved-activities|url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[File:Davis_Strait_Icebergs.jpg|thumb|Icebergs around [[Lady Franklin Island]], Nunavut.]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* Boertmann, David. ''Mapping of Oil Spill Sensitive Areas in the Davis Strait, West Greenland A Review of Biological Data in Relation to Oil Spill Sensitivity Mapping, with an Identification of Data Gaps''. Copenhagen, Denmark: Greenland Environmental Research Institute, 1992.
* Crawford, R. E. ''Life History of the Davis Strait Greenland Halibut, with Reference to the Cumberland Sound Fishery''. Winnipeg: Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans, 1992.
* {{cite journal|doi=10.1023/A:1019223513815|title=Airborne Investigation of Arctic Boundary-Layer Fronts over the Marginal Ice Zone of the Davis Strait|journal=Boundary-Layer Meteorology|volume=101|issue=2|pages=261–292|year=2001|last1=Drüe|first1=C.|last2=Heinemann|first2=G.|bibcode=2001BoLMe.101..261D |s2cid=117719555 }}
* {{cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.jmarsys.2006.10.011|title=Dynamics of the sea ice edge in Davis Strait|journal=Journal of Marine Systems|volume=67|issue=1–2|pages=170–178|year=2007|last1=Heide-Jørgensen|first1=M.P.|last2=Stern|first2=H.|last3=Laidre|first3=K.L.|bibcode=2007JMS....67..170H }}
* {{cite journal|doi=10.1017/S0032247400015400|title=The Greenland and Davis Strait trade 1740–1880. A.G.E. Jones. 1997. Bluntisham: Bluntisham Books, xxxiii + 230 p, hard cover. ISBN 1-871999-08-1|journal=Polar Record|volume=34|issue=189|pages=162–163|year=1998|last1=Credland|first1=Arthur|doi-access=free|bibcode=1998PoRec..34..162C }}
* {{cite journal|doi=10.1139/f05-101|title=Identification and mapping of bottom fish assemblages in Davis Strait and southern Baffin Bay|journal=Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences|volume=62|issue=8|pages=1833–1852|year=2005|last1=Jørgensen|first1=O. A.|last2=Hvingel|first2=C.|last3=Møller|first3=P. R.|last4=Treble|first4=M. A.|bibcode=2005CJFAS..62.1833J }}
* {{cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.marpolbul.2006.04.005|pmid=16753186|title=Marine plastic debris in northern fulmars from Davis Strait, Nunavut, Canada|journal=Marine Pollution Bulletin|volume=52|issue=7|pages=813–815|year=2006|last1=Mallory|first1=Mark L.|last2=Roberston|first2=Gregory J.|last3=Moenting|first3=Alissa|bibcode=2006MarPB..52..813M }}
* Ross, W. Gillies. ''Arctic Whalers, Icy Seas Narratives of the Davis Strait Whale Fishery''. Toronto, Canada: Irwin Pub, 1985. {{ISBN|0-7725-1524-7}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
*[http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2005-06-21 June 2005 satellite photograph of Davis Strait] from [[MODIS]], showing meltwater ponds

{{Straits of Nunavut}}
{{List of seas}}
{{coord|65|N|58|W|type:waterbody_region:CA-NU_scale:8000000|display=title|name=Davis Strait}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Davis Strait| ]]
[[Category:Bodies of water of Baffin Island]]
[[Category:Canada–Greenland border]]
[[Category:International straits]]
[[Category:Straits of Canada]]
[[Category:Straits of Greenland]]
[[Category:Straits of Qikiqtaaluk Region]]
[[Category:Seas of Canada]]
[[Category:Seas of Greenland]]