Alaska Boundary Dispute

The Alaska Boundary Dispute was a disagreement between the United States and Canada (then a British dominion) over the precise location of the border between southeastern Alaska and British Columbia. The dispute arose from differing interpretations of the Treaty of Cession of 1867, in which Russia sold Alaska to the U.S.12

The core of the issue was the definition of the boundary line, particularly whether it followed the coastal mountain ranges or extended a certain distance inland from the coast. Canada argued for a boundary that would give it access to the sea, while the U.S. maintained that the border should follow the crest of the mountains, as they interpreted the treaty.

The dispute was eventually settled in 1903 by an Alaska Boundary Tribunal, which largely favored the U.S. position. This decision granted the U.S. control over the panhandle of Alaska and its ports, while Canada received a land corridor to the coast.3