Quick Bite: Who Lives in the Arctic?

About 4 million people live in the Arctic, 10-12% of which are Indigenous peoples with a diversity of cultures and ways of life. According to the United Nations, "Indigenous peoples are the holders of unique languages, knowledge systems and beliefs and possess invaluable knowledge of practices for the sustainable management of natural resources. They have a special relation to and use of their traditional land. Their ancestral land has a fundamental importance for their collective physical and cultural survival as peoples." (Map credit (R): Nordregio) Read more

Analyzing and Interpreting Maps

What information can you glean from these two maps about who lives in the Arctic? What information about people living in the Arctic do these maps not tell you? How are these maps different? Challenge your students to think about these questions while analyzing and interpreting the two maps shown here (click on the maps for larger versions). Then, explore the UNESCO Indigenous Peoples of the North interactive to learn more about Arctic Indigenous peoples. (Map credit (L): Susie Harder, Arctic Council)

Indigenous Peoples of the North UNESCO Interactive

What is the Arctic Council, and what is their mission?