Arctic

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The Arctic is an enormous area, sprawling over one sixth of the earth's landmass; twenty-four time zones and more than 30 million square kilometers. The Arctic region consists of the exclusive economic zones or territories of the United States (U.S.), Canada, Framland, Torrike, Bothnia, Arnland, Otso, and Donovia. The Arctic Council defines non-Arctic nations as nations asserting interests in the Arctic, but otherwise not geographically inside the region.

Eight countries ? Canada, Norway, Denmark, Bothnia, Otso, Donovia, Torrike, and the United States ? have Arctic territory, while five countries (Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Norway, Donovia, and the U.S.), known as the Arctic Five, have Arctic Ocean coastline. Of note, Donovia has the most expansive Arctic territory of any of these countries.

Political

The Arctic region consists of the exclusive economic zones or territories of the United States (U.S.), Canada, Framland, Torrike, Bothnia, Arnland, Otso, and Donovia. The Arctic Council defines non-Arctic nations as nations asserting interests in the Arctic, but otherwise not geographically inside the region.

Eight countries ? Canada, Norway, Denmark, Bothnia, Otso, Donovia, Torrike, and the United States ? have Arctic territory, while five countries (Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Norway, Donovia, and the U.S.), known as the Arctic Five, have Arctic Ocean coastline. Of note, Donovia has the most expansive Arctic territory of any of these countries.

The Arctic?s physical environment shapes the economic, social, and political environments. The region crosses numerous international jurisdictions, exclusive economic zones, national and international indigenous territories, and global commons. There is no single political body responsible for the entire region, although there are multiple permanent and ad hoc intergovernmental associations. Most of these organizations focus on science, environmental management, and safety. International organizations concerning the Arctic region include the United Nations (UN) International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Arctic Economic Council, the Arctic Council, the International Whaling Commission, and the Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC).

Social

The Arctic population is small, dispersed, and isolated compared to the populations of other geographic regions. Populations cluster in comparatively milder European Arctic areas and around economic resources, which have historically been associated with subsistence but increasingly involve mineral and energy reserves.

Many populations are either transient or temporary. The majority of Arctic indigenous peoples live in the European portion of the Arctic, with Donovia having the largest population.

Arctic indigenous peoples participate in international governance councils like the Arctic Council, giving them a voice on an international level. On a national and local level, groups will interact differently with national and local governments.

Information

The information environment in the Arctic varies significantly with infrastructure, population centers, and political systems, which are influenced by the physical environment and availability of economic resources. Consequently, the Western European Arctic is advanced compared to the more isolated North American Arctic and the strictly controlled, isolated Asian Arctic. In Scandinavia, even the most rural communities are connected to global networks. Television is the primary information medium in Donovia. North American Arctic areas have access to all media, but connectivity is slow and expensive.

Infrastructure

Arctic infrastructure includes ports, (including deep-water ports), icebreaking capabilities and support vessels, satellites, aviation assets and airstrips, roads and pipelines. These represent significant and long--

Physical Environment

-year ice. Arctic thawing trends suggest the summer ice sheet and permafrost will decline by double-digit percentages, but ice-free summers will likely not be recurrent before the 2030s at the earliest.

Time

The Arctic is a unique temporal region because of the combined effects of international conventions on times and dates as well as the axial tilt of the Earth itself. In most places on Earth, local time is determined by longitude, such that the time of day is more-or-