Most of the Arctic settlements (90,5%) are small (less than 5 000 inhabitants). The large settlements are mainly regional/administrative centres especially in the Canadian Arctic The Arctic Archipelago, also known as the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, groups together all islands lying to the north of the Canadian continental mainland excluding Greenland.Arctic Archipelago
What is human settlements in the Arctic?
Human Settlements in the Arctic is an account of the ECE Symposium on Human Settlements Planning and Development held in the Arctic Godthab, Greenland, on 18-25 August 1978.
How many people live in the Arctic?
Most of the Arctic settlements (90,5%) are small (less than 5 000 inhabitants). The large settlements are mainly regional/administrative centres especially in the Canadian Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and most regions of the Russian Arctic.
What are the most northern settlements on Earth?
The most northern settlements on Earth are communities close to the North Pole, ranging from about 70° N to about 89° N. This is a list showing all of the northernmost settlements on Earth, which are all south of latitude 90° N.
How did European and Asian exploration of the Arctic begin?
European and Asian exploration of the Arctic began with Viking settlement of northern Scandinavia and Iceland in the 900s. Russian explorers navigated the “Northern Sea Route” of the Northeast Passage and the Siberian Arctic, eventually crossing the Bering Strait in the 1600s. The pursuit of the Northwest Passage,...
What is the purpose of the book Human Settlements in the Arctic?
The book first offers information on human settlement objectives in the Arctic, including Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Scandinavia, and the USSR. The manuscript then takes a look at community planning and the provision of infrastructure. Topics include community planning in relation to economic development; water and sanitation service levels in the Northwest Territories, Canada; and sewerage and other waste disposal. The text ponders on the construction of housing and other buildings, including heating systems, permafrost, prefabrication, and behavioral aspects and public participation in housing design and improvement. The manuscript also discusses physical planning and layout of settlements and programming, design, and construction of engineering infrastructure facilities, housing, and related social service facilities. The book is a fine reference for readers wanting to explore the dynamics of human settlements in the Artic regions.
When was the ECE Symposium on Human Settlements held?
Human Settlements in the Arctic is an account of the ECE Symposium on Human Settlements Planning and Development held in the Arctic Godthab, Greenland, on 18-25 August 1978. The te ... read full description
What is the name of the liquid saltwater that covers the Arctic?
Most of the Arctic, however, is the liquid saltwater of the Arctic ocean basin. Some parts of the ocean’s surface remain frozen all or most of the year. This frozen seawater is called sea ice. Often, sea ice is covered with a thick blanket of snow. Sea ice helps determine Earth’s climate.
Why is the Arctic cold?
Due to thermohaline circulation, the Arctic’s thick, reflective sea ice moderates ocean temperatures around the world. The Arctic experiences the extremes of solar radiation. During the Northern Hemisphere ’s winter months, the Arctic is one of the coldest and darkest places on Earth.
Why is the Arctic warmer than the Antarctic?
Because the Arctic ocean absorbs so much more solar radiation than the Antarctic ice sheet, the Arctic is much, much, much warmer than the Antarctic. In fact, the Arctic is not even the coldest place in the Northern Hemisphere. (The icy, subarctic interior of Siberia, in eastern Russia, holds that record.)
What is the northernmost region of the Earth?
Arctic. The Arctic is the northernmost region of Earth. Most scientists define the Arctic as the area within the Arctic Circle, a line of latitude about 66.5° north of the Equator. Within this circle are the Arctic ocean basin and the northern parts of Scandinavia, Russia, Canada, Greenland, and the U.S. state of Alaska.
How much of the world's natural gas is found in the Arctic?
Engineers and geographer s estimate that oil and gas deposits in the Arctic make up 13% of the world’s undiscovered petroleum resources, and 30% of undiscovered natural gas resources.
How does sea ice affect the climate of the Earth?
Sea ice helps determine Earth’s climate. Sea ice has a very bright surface, or albedo. This albedo means about 80% of sunlight that strikes sea ice is reflected back to space. The dark surface of the liquid ocean, however, absorbs about 90% of solar radiation. Due to thermohaline circulation, the Arctic’s thick, reflective sea ice moderates ocean temperatures around the world.
When will the Arctic sea ice melt?
Most climatologist s estimate that by the year 2100, most Arctic sea ice will melt every summer. The “twilight of the Arctic ice” would devastate many habitat s.
Map Facts
Data source National Statistical Institutes; Alaska: Department of Labor and Workforce. Permafrost extent from Brown et al. (2002)
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Major and minor settlements in the circumpolar Arctic
Indigenous settlements in the Arctic. As in the past, today's settlements are usually located in resource-strategic positions, with territoriality and social networks adapted to the movements of reindeer/caribou or the seasonal abundance of sea mammals.
Publications it appears in
The Arctic is the world’s last continuous, undeveloped and unexploited coastal and marine region.
Perceptions of Nature and The Use of Natural Resources
Development of Arctic Settlements and The Role of Industry
- A number of contributions examine the development of Arctic settlements and the role that different prominent industries in the North, such as oil and gas, tourism, and fisheries, play in this context. Alexandra Meyer8)Meyer A (2022) ‘Urban Development in Longyearbyen, Svalbard: Dealing with Local Challenges in a Town that Serves as a Tool for Sval...
Preparing For The Future
- Planning or preparing for the future is essential for communities and organizations to thrive, especially in times of rapid change with potentially vast ramifications. It encompasses technical topics such as sustainable energy, space weather preparedness, and emergency response. These topics concern the very fundamentals of human security. No less important, however, is t…
Conclusion
- The contributions to the edited volume More than ‘Nature’ – Research on Infrastructure and Settlements in the Northpresent a colorful kaleidoscope of topics surrounding human settlements and infrastructure in the Arctic and examine how they are linked to nature. Part one of this article specifically focuses on the changing perceptions of nature and nature use by pointing out the im…