It includes the Arctic Ocean and the North Polar Seas.
ARTIC OCEAN
Area: 12. 9
million sq. km.
NORTH POLAR SEAS
Area: 14, 8
million sq. km.
Lands adjacent to the Arctic Ocean belong to Alaska, Canada,
Greenland, Norway and CIS.
CHARACTERISTICS OF
THE REGION
·
Stationary polar ice. Polar ice is about 3 m
thick and is located directly over the North pole
·
Strong winds, high atmospheric pressure
prevails.
·
Absence of vegetation(only mosses and lichens at
very few place may be found).
·
The coldest place in the northern hemisphere is not
the north pole*because of moderating influence of arctic ocean) but 2,414 km
south of North pole(Siberian town of Verkhoyansk).
·
Polar bear is the best known animal in the
Arctic Region.
·
Huge Alaskan oil reserves is the most important resources
of the region.
·
The arctic fringe and off shore islands are part
of CIS territory and it is a very
sensitive area with aircraft and missile detection devices. Now the region is
becoming new home for many resin scientists.
