The Arctic or Arctic Regions, large, cold area around the North Pole. The Arctic is not a clearly
defined area. It includes the Arctic Ocean, many islands, and parts of the
mainlands of North America, Asia, and Europe.
Rivers and Lakes Low
precipitation is characteristic of the Arctic,
so large and elaborate river and lake systems are rare. In many places,
however, permafrost (permanently frozen subsoil) restricts the downward
drainage of meltwater from snow, and the water accumulates on the surface as shallow
lakes, ponds, and marshes. In addition, rivers from more humid regions flow
seaward across the dry Arctic terrain. Several large rivers are in the Russian
Arctic, and the Mackenzie and Yukon rivers are
in North America.
Vegetation and Wildlife The Arctic is not a frozen desert devoid of life on land or
sea, even during the cold, dark winter months. Spring brings a phenomenal
resurgence of plant and animal life. Low temperatures are not always the
critical element-moisture, the type of soil, and available solar energy are
also extremely important. Some animals adapt well to Arctic conditions; for
instance, a number of species of mammals and birds carry additional insulation,
such as fat, in cold months.
The Arctic
has more than 400 species of flowering plants. The vast stretches of tundra
that cover the plains and coastal regions consist of low creeping shrubs,
grasses, thick growths of lichens and mosses, and herbs and sedges.
Abundant animal life inhabits the
Arctic, both on land and in the sea. Arctic
mammals include polar bear, arctic fox, ermine, marten, arctic wolf, wolverine,
walrus, seal, caribou, reindeer (domesticated caribou), musk-ox, lemming,
arctic hare, and many species of whale.
Birds are plentiful throughout
the Arctic. The guillemot and little auk nest
by the thousands along cliffs. Ravens, snow buntings, and sandpipers have been
seen in the remotest northern land regions, as have the snowy owl and the
gyrfalcon. Various species of gull, including the jaeger, also range far to the
north. Among other characteristic Arctic birds are the eider duck, teal, loon,
petrel, puffin, and ptarmigan. Insects, found in the Arctic
wherever vegetation exists, include bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, moths,
beetles, and grasshoppers. Coastal waters are relatively rich in such fish as
cod, flatfish, halibut, salmon, and trout. A large variety of invertebrates
have been observed in Arctic seas.
Mineral Resources Large deposits of several important minerals occur in the Arctic. Among them are petroleum, natural gas, iron ore,
nickel, lead, zinc, coal, uranium, tin, diamonds, gold, and cryolite.
Agriculture The Arctic environment is generally
unfavorable to the production of food by cultivation or animal husbandry.
Reindeer herding, however, is important in northern Scandinavia and Russia and to a lesser extent in the Arctic
areas of Alaska, Canada,
and Greenland. Sheep are raised in
southwestern Greenland and in Iceland.
Dairy farming to supply nearby communities is widespread; almost 1 million
cattle are in northern Russia
alone.
Fishing Fish from rivers and lakes are
important for the diet of people living in the Arctic.
Russia
has highly developed river fisheries serving the local population as well as
customers in distant cities. The Arctic Ocean
is among the world's most important fishing grounds, and many countries send
fishing boats to it. Large amounts of cod and shrimp are caught off western Greenland.
Mining The recovery of minerals is an
important industry in several parts of the Arctic Regions. In Russia, nickel, iron ore, and apatite are
produced on the Kola Peninsula, and diamonds are mined in the Lena River
valley. Other major mineral products in the Russian Arctic include gold, tin,
coal, mica, and tungsten. Sweden
has produced iron ore at Kiruna and elsewhere north of the Arctic Circle since
about 1900, and Norway
has an important iron-ore mine on its northern coast at Kirkenes. Lead, zinc,
and molybdenum are produced in Greenland,
which formerly recovered much cryolite at Ivigtut. Large coal mines are on
Spitsbergen, one of the islands of Svalbard.
Mineral products of the Canadian Arctic include uranium, copper, nickel, lead,
zinc, asbestos, iron ore, petroleum, and natural gas. Large-scale production of
petroleum on the Arctic North Slope of Alaska began in 1977. A proposal in 1987
by the Reagan administration to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to
oil development met with strong opposition from various environmental
organizations.
Agriculture The Arctic environment is generally
unfavorable to the production of food by cultivation or animal husbandry.
Reindeer herding, however, is important in northern Scandinavia and Russia and to a lesser extent in the Arctic
areas of Alaska, Canada,
and Greenland. Sheep are raised in
southwestern Greenland and in Iceland.
Dairy farming to supply nearby communities is widespread; almost 1 million
cattle are in northern Russia
alone.
Fishing Fish from rivers and lakes are
important for the diet of people living in the Arctic.
Russia
has highly developed river fisheries serving the local population as well as
customers in distant cities. The Arctic Ocean
is among the world's most important fishing grounds, and many countries send
fishing boats to it. Large amounts of cod and shrimp are caught off western Greenland.
Mining The recovery of minerals is an
important industry in several parts of the Arctic Regions. In Russia, nickel, iron ore, and apatite are
produced on the Kola Peninsula, and diamonds are mined in the Lena River
valley. Other major mineral products in the Russian Arctic include gold, tin,
coal, mica, and tungsten. Sweden
has produced iron ore at Kiruna and elsewhere north of the Arctic Circle since
about 1900, and Norway
has an important iron-ore mine on its northern coast at Kirkenes. Lead, zinc,
and molybdenum are produced in Greenland,
which formerly recovered much cryolite at Ivigtut. Large coal mines are on
Spitsbergen, one of the islands of Svalbard.
Mineral products of the Canadian Arctic include uranium, copper, nickel, lead,
zinc, asbestos, iron ore, petroleum, and natural gas. Large-scale production of
petroleum on the Arctic North Slope of Alaska began in 1977. A proposal in 1987
by the Reagan administration to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to
oil development met with strong opposition from various environmental
organizations.
