What is the Arctic?

The area around the North Pole consists of the ocean surrounded by land. Known as the Arctic Ocean, this sea is like other seas on the planet, and its surrounding land is unique due to its unique location and climate.

Most commonly, scientists define the Arctic as an imaginary line through the area above the Arctic Circle, around the Earth by about 66 ° 34'N (blue dotted circle on the right side of the map). The Arctic Circle shows the latitude that the sun will not set during the summer solstice and will not rise during the winter solstice. In the Arctic region, the sun rises once a year, once a year. Although it is low latitude, the days of the day and night continue to be short in the north of the Arctic Circle.

But when talking about the North Pole, others use different definitions. Several scientists define the Arctic as the north of the Arctic tree line (the green line in the photo on the right). The landscape is frozen there, with shrubs and lichens scattered. Other researchers have defined the North Pole based on the temperature. According to this definition, the Arctic region is included anywhere in the high latitude where the average summer temperature does not exceed 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit).

This definition is particularly important in Polar Arctic Circle and is generally considered to be the north of the eight states above the Arctic Circle. Arctic sovereignty and security are undergoing rapid change due to increasing globalization, climate change, and recognition of indigenous rights. The traditional view of Arctic security focuses on military defense, especially protection of the border and national sovereignty over Arctic land and water. During the Cold War, Arctic security and national security, nuclear deterrent force, and bipolar competition between America and the Soviet superpowers were closely related. However, in the post-Cold War era, an understanding of security against economic, social, cultural and environmental problems was born.

We have 40% land area, 162,000 km Arctic coastline and 25% global arctic circle - Canada is undoubtedly an Arctic country. The government firmly exercises our sovereignty over Arctic land and water for thousands of years based on historical names, international law, and the existence of Inuit and other indigenous peoples. At the same time, the international interest in the Arctic region is also the possibility of resource development, climate change, and new or longer traffic routes. Canada demonstrates internationally effective management and leadership to promote a stable, regulated Arctic region where the rights of sovereign states are respected by international law and diplomacy.