The map above shows the Arctic region, which are the lands centered around the Arctic Ocean in the northernmost latitudes of the earth. The whole Arctic region shares many similarities. Due to the extreme northern location and Arctic Ocean at its center, the whole region shares a very similar climate and ecosystem.
Since Alaska shares a similar climate with the rest of the Arctic, many of the species of plants and animals found in Alaska are also found throughout the Arctic region.
Ecosystems across the Arctic
The Boreal Forest biome
The boreal forest (shown in green on the map), which stretches across the Arctic region, is the largest terrestrial biome on Earth.
Many of the peoples of the Arctic share a similar history. The Yupik of Russian Siberia, Aleut, Inupiaq and Yupik of Alaska, and Inuit of Greenland all share a common culture and ancestry, as do the Athabaskan peoples of Canada and Alaska.
Native languages of Arctic region
The whole Arctic region faces many of the same challenges and concerns, such as the engineering on permafrost, global climate change, resource development in the Arctic Ocean, and preserving the sensitive Arctic marine environment. These similarities in location, history, and a shared future have led to many shared organizations.
The Arctic Council is the leading intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination, and interaction among the Arctic nations and Arctic indigenous communities. It focuses in particular on issues of sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic.
Other Arctic based organizations include the Northern Forum, the Youth Arctic Coalition, and the Arctic Winter Games.
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