The Arctic: A Region, Not a Continent

The Arctic does not belong to any single continent. It is a polar region defined by the Arctic Circle (66.56°N) and characterized by the Arctic Ocean surrounded by landmasses.

Countries with Arctic Territory

• Canada (Nunavut, NWT, Yukon, northern Quebec, Manitoba, Labrador)
• United States (Alaska)
• Greenland (autonomous within Kingdom of Denmark)
• Russia (Siberia: Murmansk to Chukotka)
• Norway (Svalbard, Jan Mayen, northern mainland)
• Sweden (Norrbotten, Västerbotten)
• Finland (Lapland)
• Iceland (Grímsey island crosses Arctic Circle)

Governance

Arctic Council (8 states + 6 indigenous permanent participants) coordinates cooperation. No sovereignty over Arctic Ocean seabed beyond EEZs (UNCLOS).

Geological Note

The Arctic Ocean sits on the Eurasian and North American plates. Lomonosov Ridge divides it. Continental crust underlies the shelves; oceanic crust in deep basins.

The Arctic is a shared planetary system—climate regulator, indigenous homeland, geopolitical frontier—not a continent.