A zone of harsh climate, rich natural resources and unique ecosystems. The Arctic covers the waters of the Arctic Ocean and the northern margins of America and Eurasia. The article provides the main information about the region.
Basic information about the Arctic
Source: Alessio Soggetti/CC0
Area: about 27 million square kilometers.
Temperature: from +5 °C to -50 °C throughout the year.
Main resources: gas and oil.
Fauna: marine mammals, fish.
Where and to whom does the Arctic belong
The Arctic is located around the North Pole. The region includes the Arctic Ocean with islands, archipelagos and circumpolar territories of Eurasia and North America. The region does not belong to one country entirely, but parts belong to the Arctic states.
The central part of the Arctic legally remains an international zone. The Arctic states are Russia, Canada, the USA (Alaska), Denmark (Greenland) and Norway. Since the beginning of the 21st century, these countries have been submitting applications to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in order to secure the rights to Arctic resources.
The history of the Arctic
The region was mentioned by ancient Greek authors as the mythical northern Hyperborea. But the expeditions of Europeans and Russian pioneers began only in the XVI—XVII centuries.
In the 19th century, the expeditions of Nansen and Sedov made significant discoveries. In the 20th century, polar stations were founded, including the first Soviet drifting station, North Pole-1, which was launched in 1937. Today, the Arctic remains an object of scientific research and international rivalry.
Descriptions of the Arctic
Source: Willian Justen de Vasconcellos/CC0
The climate of the region is harsh: in winter the temperature often drops below -30 °C, in summer it rises to +5 °C on the coasts. The area of the ice cover ranges from about 7 million km2 in summer to 15 million km2 in winter. The fauna includes polar bears, walruses, seals, whales and other animals. The Arctic contains large reserves of oil, gas, as well as nickel, diamonds and other minerals.
The strategic importance of the Arctic
The Arctic is important for the global economy and politics. Up to 13% of the world’s oil reserves and about 30% of gas are concentrated here (according to estimates by the US Geological Survey), as well as many other natural resources.
The Northern Sea Route, which runs near the borders of Russia, shortens the route between Europe and Asia. The ice cover plays a key role in regulating the climate, and the military bases of the Arctic countries emphasize the strategic importance of the region.
Interesting facts about the Arctic
- The name of the Arctic comes from the Greek word arktikos — “bear”. This is probably due not so much to the white representatives of this family of mammals as to the famous bucket-shaped constellation containing the North Star.
- The region has a polar day in summer and a polar night in winter.
- Greenland is covered by the world’s largest island glacial system.
- Russia occupies about half of the Arctic coast of the Arctic Ocean.
- The international treaty on the protection of polar bears has been in force since 1973.
By Artem Chernenko
