| The globe has five main circles of latitude and the Arctic Circle is one of them. It runs towards the north of the Equator. The portion above this circle is called the Arctic region and towards the south it is called the Northern Temperate Zone. The same latitude towards the southern hemisphere is known as the Antarctic Circle.
The area around the North Pole is also called the Arctic Circle and this includes the Arctic Ocean, numerous islands, some parts of North America, Eurpe, Alaska, Greeland, Canada, Iceland, Siberia, Scandinavia and Russia. This region is rich in natural resources and minerals. However, there isn’t much development in this region as the land is marked as regional parks, wilderness areas, forests, military reserves, and wildlife refuges.
At the Arctic Circle you will find the extremes of polar night and day. That is 24 hours of daylight or darkness. This happens at least once a year. You won’t find too many people living to the north of the Circle. There are three large towns situated there namely, Norilsk, Vorkuta and Romso. Finland’s Rovaniemi lies a little south of the line.
Thanks to global warming, the Arctic Circle has been put in the spotlight. It is said that the Northwest Passage could open up to shipping as the ice is melting rapidly. Not only would this enhance trade in the northern latitudes but it is believed that the seabed in this region is rich in oil. For these reasons, several countries are now debating their ownership of these waters. |
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