Difference between revisions of "Arctic Circle" - New World Encyclopedia
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(In fact, because of refraction and because the sun appears as a disk and not a point, part of the midnight sun may be seen at the night of the summer solstice up to about 90 km south of the Arctic Circle; similarly, at the day of the winter solstice part of the sun may be seen up to about 90 km north of the circle. This is true at sea level; these limits increase with elevation above sea level, but in mountainous regions there is often no direct view of the horizon.) | (In fact, because of refraction and because the sun appears as a disk and not a point, part of the midnight sun may be seen at the night of the summer solstice up to about 90 km south of the Arctic Circle; similarly, at the day of the winter solstice part of the sun may be seen up to about 90 km north of the circle. This is true at sea level; these limits increase with elevation above sea level, but in mountainous regions there is often no direct view of the horizon.) | ||
| + | The [[Arctic Ocean]] lies wholly within the Arctic Circle. The ocean, the circle, and the region take their names from the Greek word ''arctus,'' meaning "bear," a reference to Big and Little Bear constellations that turn overhead in the polar region. | ||
| + | ==Countries on the Circle== | ||
| − | There are seven countries that have significant territory within the Arctic Circle: | + | There are seven countries that have significant territory within the Arctic Circle. They are, in order from the [[International Date Line]] heading east: |
| − | * | + | * [[United States]] (Alaska) |
| − | * Canada | + | * [[Canada]] |
| − | * Greenland | + | * [[Greenland]] |
| − | * | + | * [[Norway]] |
| − | + | * [[Sweden]] | |
| − | * Sweden | + | * [[Finland]] |
| − | * Finland | + | * [[Russia]] |
| − | The | + | The nation of [[Iceland]] barely grazes the Arctic Circle, with less than one km² of its territory lying north of it. The line crosses juat a few tiny islands, of which only Grímsey is inhabited. |
| + | |||
| + | ==Circumpolar Population== | ||
In contrast to the area south of the Antarctic Circle, where there are virtually no permanent residents, the population of the area north of the Arctic Circle is approximately 1.4 million. The majority (63 percent) are in Russia, followed in order by Norway and Finland. The Arctic population of [[North America]], including Greenland, comprises less than three percent of all people living within the circle. Murmansk in northwestern Russia is the circumpolar region's largest city. | In contrast to the area south of the Antarctic Circle, where there are virtually no permanent residents, the population of the area north of the Arctic Circle is approximately 1.4 million. The majority (63 percent) are in Russia, followed in order by Norway and Finland. The Arctic population of [[North America]], including Greenland, comprises less than three percent of all people living within the circle. Murmansk in northwestern Russia is the circumpolar region's largest city. | ||
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LIVESTOCK | LIVESTOCK | ||
COMMUNICATION LINKS | COMMUNICATION LINKS | ||
| + | BOREALIS | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
Revision as of 07:18, 17 April 2006
The Arctic Circle is the parallel of latitude that runs 66° 33' 39", or roughly 66.5°, north of the Equator. Approximately 15,000 km to the south is the Antarctic Circle, of equal diameter and parallel to the Arctic Circle as well as equally distant from the Equator. Together with the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, these three invisible circular lines comprise the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. All five are determined by the Earth's rotation on its axis and the Earth's tilt toward and away from the Sun in its orbit. Everything north of the Arctic Circle is properly known as the Arctic while the zone just to the south of the circle is the Northern Temperate Zone.
The Arctic Circle marks the southern extremity of the polar day of the summer solstice in June and the polar night of the winter solstice in December. Within the whole area of the Arctic Circle, the Sun is above the horizon for at least 24 continuous hours once per year, in conjunction with the Arctic's summer solstice, which is often referred to as the "midnight sun." Likewise, in conjunction with the Arctic's winter solstice, the Arctic sun will be below the horizon in the entire area for at least 24 continuous hours, which could just as easily be known as the "noontime night." Points within the circle experience longer periods of continuous light and darkness depending on their proximity to the North Pole, where six months of sunlight alternate with a half-year of darkness.
(In fact, because of refraction and because the sun appears as a disk and not a point, part of the midnight sun may be seen at the night of the summer solstice up to about 90 km south of the Arctic Circle; similarly, at the day of the winter solstice part of the sun may be seen up to about 90 km north of the circle. This is true at sea level; these limits increase with elevation above sea level, but in mountainous regions there is often no direct view of the horizon.)
The Arctic Ocean lies wholly within the Arctic Circle. The ocean, the circle, and the region take their names from the Greek word arctus, meaning "bear," a reference to Big and Little Bear constellations that turn overhead in the polar region.
Countries on the Circle
There are seven countries that have significant territory within the Arctic Circle. They are, in order from the International Date Line heading east:
The nation of Iceland barely grazes the Arctic Circle, with less than one km² of its territory lying north of it. The line crosses juat a few tiny islands, of which only Grímsey is inhabited.
Circumpolar Population
In contrast to the area south of the Antarctic Circle, where there are virtually no permanent residents, the population of the area north of the Arctic Circle is approximately 1.4 million. The majority (63 percent) are in Russia, followed in order by Norway and Finland. The Arctic population of North America, including Greenland, comprises less than three percent of all people living within the circle. Murmansk in northwestern Russia is the circumpolar region's largest city.
INFRASTRUCTURE TRANSPORTATION LINKS GLOBAL WARMING POLAR ROUTES AGRICULTURE/GROWING SEASON FISHING LIVESTOCK COMMUNICATION LINKS BOREALIS
External links
- Topographical map of Arctic Circle, centered about North Pole
- Map of Arctic Circle (dotted line), showing major population areas
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