Knowra Arctic Arctic The polar region surrounding the North Pole, bounded variously by latitude, climate, or ecology. It includes the Arctic Ocean and parts of several continents.
Arctic Ocean : The smallest and shallowest of the world's oceans, centered on the North Pole and largely enclosed by northern landmasses. It forms the marine core of the Arctic region.
Polar day : A period when the Sun remains above the horizon for at least 24 hours at high latitudes. It brings continuous summer daylight to places within the Arctic Circle.
Inuit : Indigenous peoples whose homelands span Arctic regions of Greenland, Canada, and Alaska. Inuit communities have shaped and sustained life across much of the North American Arctic.
Arctic shipping routes : Marine passages through Arctic waters, including the Northern Sea Route and the Northwest Passage. Declining sea ice has increased attention to navigation through the region.
Antarctic : The polar region surrounding the South Pole, including Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. It is Earth's opposite polar region, with a continent rather than an ocean at its center.
Tundra : A cold, largely treeless biome where low temperatures and short growing seasons restrict plant growth. Its northern form helps define the Arctic by vegetation and climate.
Polar night : A period when the Sun remains below the horizon for at least 24 hours at high latitudes. It creates the Arctic's prolonged winter darkness.
Sámi : An Indigenous people of Sápmi, a region spanning northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Sámi homelands extend into the European Arctic and subarctic.
Arctic oil and gas exploration : The search for and extraction of petroleum resources in Arctic onshore and offshore areas. Resource development creates economic opportunities alongside environmental and political risks.
Subarctic : The broad climatic and ecological zone immediately south of the Arctic, with colder conditions than temperate regions. It adjoins the Arctic but generally has longer growing seasons and more forest.
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