articlesforchristians

The Arctic Tundra: Life at the North Pole

Facts about the North Pole.

1. The North Pole is the furthest north of any place on Earth.
2. The North Pole is a point on the Northern Hemisphere where the world’s rotational axis meets with the surface of the earth.
3. Located at the center of the Northern Hemisphere, the North Pole sits north of Greenland, Russia, and Canada. While it isn’t part of any continent, it’s also not considered a continent on its own.
4. The North Pole is made of only frozen water. There is no land at the North Pole.
5. The North Pole is part of the Arctic Tundra.
6. The North Pole is covered with ice year-round.
7. The sun stays up all summer.
8. The sun never rises in the winter.
9. Many types of animals live at the North Pole, including the walrus, seal, Arctic fox, moose, and snowy owl.
10. Approximately 1,700 species of plants live on the Arctic tundra, including flowering plants, dwarf shrubs, herbs, grasses, mosses, and lichens.
    • The tundra is characterized by permafrost, a layer of soil and partially decomposed organic matter that is frozen year-round. Only a thin layer of soil, called the active layer, thaws and refreezes each year. This makes shallow root systems a necessity and prevents larger plants such as trees from growing in the Arctic.
    • Tundra vegetation is characterized by small plants (typically only centimeters tall) growing close together and close to the ground.

Map of the North Pole