POPULATION 



Although the Arctic has been inhabited for countless ages, it is 

 still one of the least populated regions of the world, comparable 

 only to the deserts. It is difficult to determine the total population, 

 since statistics are not available for the many towns and polar 

 stations of the Soviet Union, However, the total population is 

 small. 



The people of the North live mainly along the coasts of the main- 

 lands and the larger islands. Most of the smaller islands are unin- 

 habited. Native activities are as intimately connected with the 

 sea as with the land. They depend upon the products of the sea 

 for a substantial part of their food and clothing. Caribou furnish 

 some of these necessities, but there are too few caribou to maintain 

 the northern population ; and the migratory habits of the land ani- 

 mals make them a less dependable source of supplies than the fish 

 and mammals of the sea. 



Figure 2-7. — People of the North. 



The natives in their culture show remarkable adaptation to their 

 environment. Their dress, shelter, food, and mode of transporta- 

 tion, as well as the implements used in their daily activities, all 

 indicate the degree to which they have made the best use of the 

 local materials in order to live a comfortable life. The common 

 occupations are hunting, fishing, and trapping. There are some 



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