Country Profile: Arctic Ocean

The Arctic Ocean, the smallest of the world's five ocean basins, is located between Europe, Asia, and North America, predominantly north of the Arctic Circle. It spans an area of approximately 15.558 million square kilometers, which is slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the United States. Characterized by a polar climate, the ocean is subject to significant environmental issues, such as biodiversity loss and thinning ice. While it lacks a permanent population, the surrounding coastal states are engaged in governance and economic activities that shape its future.

Geography

The Arctic Ocean is situated between the continents of Europe, Asia, and North America, with coordinates at 90° N, 0° E. It has a total area of 15.558 million sq km and features a coastline measuring 45,389 km. The climate is polar, showing persistent cold temperatures and narrow annual temperature ranges, with winters marked by continuous darkness and summers exhibiting extended daylight.

1.4% of the world's ocean volume comprises the Arctic Ocean, with a total volume of 18.75 million cu km.
The ocean is characterized by major slow-moving currents, including the Beaufort Gyre and Transpolar Drift Stream.
Its deepest point is -5,577 m at Molloy Deep.
The Arctic continental shelf is the largest in the world, extending out 1,500 km.
Major resources include oil and gas fields, fish, and marine mammals.

Environment

The Arctic Ocean faces several environmental challenges, including changes in biodiversity, temperature fluctuations, and water pollution from toxic chemicals. The polar icepack is thinning, which poses risks to endangered marine species and disrupts marine ecosystems that are slow to recover from disturbances.

Marine fisheries in the region reported a catch of only 708 mt in 2019, marking it as the smallest fishery region globally.
A 2017 agreement implemented a 16-year ban on fishing in the Central Arctic Ocean to study the ecological system.
The region is characterized by persistent cold weather and has a consistent polar climate.

Government

The name "Arctic" originates from the Greek word arktikos, meaning "near the bear," referring to the prominent constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor in the northern celestial sphere. Governance in the area is largely influenced by the coastal states, which engage in treaty agreements and joint management efforts concerning navigation and resource utilization.

Transportation

Transportation in the Arctic Ocean is marked by a sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes, largely dictated by seasonal changes. The Northwest Passage and Northern Sea Route are vital for navigation, significantly impacting trade and sovereignty discussions in the region.

The Northwest Passage provides a crucial seasonal route between North America and Eurasia.
Seasonal navigation is influenced by the receding polar ice pack that enhances access.

Key Metrics

Metric	Value	Note
Area	15.558 million sq km	Total area of the Arctic Ocean
Coastline	45,389 km	Total length of the Arctic Ocean coastline
Ocean Volume	18.75 million cu km	Volume of the Arctic Ocean
Deepest Point	-5,577 m	Location of Molloy Deep
Fisheries Catch (2019)	708 mt	Recorded catch in the Arctic fishery region
Continental Shelf Width	1,500 km	Extent of the largest continental shelf in the world
Fishing Ban Duration	16 years	Duration of the 2017 fishing ban in the Central Arctic Ocean