Arctic
13 questions tagged Arctic — spanning every one of the seven Ws.
Where is the North Pole?
The Geographic North Pole sits in the middle of the Arctic Ocean at 90°N — there's no land, just a floating ice sheet 2–3 meters thick. The Magnetic North Pole is currently in the Canadian Arctic, drifting ~55 km/year.
Where is the largest island?
Greenland is the world largest island, covering about 2.16 million square kilometers. Australia is bigger but is classified as a continent, not an island.
Where Is Svalbard?
Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, roughly midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole.
Where is the northernmost town in the world?
Longyearbyen on Svalbard, Norway, is the northernmost permanent settlement with a real community.
Where is Greenland?
Greenland lies between the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans, north-east of Canada, and is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Where is the Arctic Circle?
The Arctic Circle is the line of latitude at about 66.5 degrees north of the equator.
Why do polar bears have black skin?
Black skin absorbs heat from sunlight, while their seemingly white fur is actually made of transparent hairs that scatter light.
Where do narwhals live?
Narwhals live in the Arctic waters around Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia, most commonly in the Canadian Arctic and Baffin Bay.
Where is Lapland?
Lapland is a region in the far north of Europe, spreading across northern Norway, Sweden and Finland and Russia's Kola Peninsula, mostly above the Arctic Circle.
What is a narwhal's tusk?
A narwhal's tusk is actually a giant tooth — usually the left canine — that spirals out through the upper lip and can grow up to about 3 metres long.
Whose expedition first proved that a ship could pass from the Atlantic to the Pacific through the Northwest Passage?
Roald Amundsen successfully completed the first transit of the Northwest Passage in 1903–1906 aboard the Gjøa. The voyage proved the route existed, though it was too icy and difficult to be practical for regular shipping.
Why do polar bears have black skin under white fur?
Polar bears have black skin because it helps absorb heat from sunlight, while their fur and hollow hairs make them look white. The white appearance is mostly about light scattering, not pigment.
Why do narwhals have a long tusk?
The narwhal tusk is an enlarged tooth that may help with sensing the environment, social behavior, and possibly mate competition. It is most famously found in males, though some females also have small tusks.