The Arctic Council (Artic Council), also known as the Arctic Council, the Arctic Council, and the Arctic Association, is a high-level international forum composed of eight Arctic countries, including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Canada, Sweden, Russia, and the United States, established in September 1996 in Ottawa, Canada. The Arctic Council is a government-to-government forum that focuses on the problems faced by governments and locals adjacent to the Arctic, aiming to protect the Arctic environment and promote the sustainable development of the region's economy, society and welfare. on May 15, 2013, China, India, Italy, Japan, Korea and Singapore also officially became observers of the forum.