Which Arctic sea is named after a Dutch explorer?

The Arctic sea named after a Dutch explorer is the Barents Sea. It honors Willem Barentsz, a Dutch navigator and cartographer who led late-16th-century expeditions seeking a northeastern route to Asia.

Barentsz explored the waters north of Scandinavia and Russia in 1596. His expedition discovered the archipelago of Svalbard and became trapped by sea ice near Novaya Zemlya, where the crew spent the winter in an improvised shelter. Barentsz died during the return voyage in 1597.

The Barents Sea lies between Norway’s northern coast, Russia, Svalbard, and Franz Josef Land. It is unusually productive biologically and is also important for fishing, shipping, and Arctic energy resources. A common mix-up is confusing it with the Kara Sea, which lies farther east and is named for the Kara Strait.