Top of the World—The Arctic Ocean

Abstract

The Arctic Ocean is the world’s smallest ocean, and the northernmost body of water on Earth, situated entirely above the Arctic Circle—a line of latitude that defines the Arctic region. The Arctic, much like Antarctica, has long caught people’s imagination and desire for exploration. Even today, many people still envision the Arctic as a pristine, intact, frozen area covered with snow and ice. Perhaps because of the ice, many imagine it as land—even though the heart of the Arctic is actually the Arctic Ocean. In fact, although many people think of the Arctic and Antarctica as similar, the two are almost geographic opposites. The Antarctic is a continent surrounded by the ocean, and the Arctic is an almost land-locked sea, nearly completely surrounded by the landmasses of North America, Eurasia, and Greenland, and territories of five Arctic states: Canada, Denmark (via Greenland), Norway, Russia, and the United States via Alaska.