North Pole

Where is the most northern place in the world? You might know it as the location of Santa’s workshop, but let’s explore the history, environment and wildlife of the North Pole. It is located in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, which is frozen almost entirely year-round. If you were to stand exactly on the North Pole, the only direction you could travel is south! It spends half of the year in light and the remaining half in the darkness.

Frederick Cook was an American explorer who first claimed to discover the North Pole in 1908. Another U.S. explorer, Robert Peary, also made this claim a year later. These claims have not been proven by scientists or those who study history. Currently, there are many explorations that travel to the North Pole -- many by aeroplane, boat, or submarine.

The North Pole is not the coldest place on earth even if it has a bone-chilling -31° temperature. People do not live at the North Pole, but they live in its Arctic Circle.

Because it is so cold year-round, there are not many animals that can survive this environment. Many people think polar bears are common in the North Pole, but they actually do not travel that far north. There are several species of birds that travel to the North Pole, including the Arctic snow bunting and the Arctic tern. The tern travels to and from the South and North Poles every year!

Sealife is limited as well. In the Arctic Ocean near the North Pole, scientists have found shrimp and fish including the Arctic cod. However, many sea animals do not travel far enough north to reach the North Pole.