An agreement has been reached to settle a dispute with Denmark over an island measuring 1.3 square kilometers in the Arctic, and it is expected to be signed today, according to a government minister.

Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, confirmed on Monday that there will be a "formal signing" of the agreement on Hans Island on Tuesday.

The island has been the subject of diplomatic disputes between the two countries for decades, as it lies within the territorial waters of both.

The agreement is expected to divide the uninhabited island between Ellesmere Island in Nunavut and Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory.

Vandal told reporters on Monday that he is "looking forward" to signing the agreement and will attend the ceremony. He said the "discussions have been ongoing for a long time" and "the important part is that the deal is done and we will get the signature tomorrow."

He said, "I think it's very positive given our global situation today." The deal will likely mean that Canada, for the first time, shares a land border with Denmark.

The dispute over the small island led to a conflict since the 1980s between Canada and Denmark over which country rightfully owns it. In 1984, Canada raised a flag on the island and left a bottle of Canadian whisky.

Later that year, the Danish Minister for Greenland Affairs visited by helicopter, raised the Danish flag. He also left a bottle of Aquavit, which is Danish, at the base of the flagpole, and reports say he left a note saying "Welcome to the Danish island."

In 1988, a Danish patrol ship arrived in the Arctic Ocean and built a square with a flagpole and Danish flag on the island.

Then in 2001, Canadian geologists mapped northern Ellesmere Island by helicopter there. In 2005, Canadian Defense Minister Bill Graham went on a walk and Canadian forces placed the Canadian flag and a plaque on the island, sparking a protest from Denmark, which recalled the Canadian ambassador.

In 2005, the two countries agreed to reopen negotiations over the island with former Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen saying it was time to end the flag war.

The island is called Tartupaluk in Inuktitut and Greenlandic, and has been part of Inuit hunting areas for centuries. Denmark and Canada are NATO allies and both members of the Arctic Council.

The two countries have recently closely cooperated on the war in Ukraine, including assistance programs for women and girls fleeing the conflict.