The Arctic Council is the intergovernmental forum of the eight Arctic states: Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russian Federation, Sweden, and the United States. The council focuses its efforts on environmental protection and sustainable development issues. Formed in 1996, the council includes six indigenous arctic people's groups, called Permanent Participants, and a host of observers. On April 29, 2009 the Arctic Council Ministers in Tromso, Norway approved a study for the future of the region, the Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment (AMSA). The study has significant relevance to the global maritime industry and to the future of all marine operations in the Arctic Ocean.
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