The Arctic Ocean is located in the northern hemisphere, and is the smallest of the five oceans and has shares coasts with Russia, Alaska, Norway and Canada. There is some dispute between oceanographers whether or not the Arctic should be officially labeled a sea or an ocean as it is smaller and shallower than the other oceans. The Arctic is rich in natural resources, specifically gas and petroleum. This has caused minor territorial disputes between bordering nations and will become a larger issue in the future as the global consumption of fuel grows.
Wildlife
Due to the harsh climate the arctic has a fragile ecosystem that includes fish, marine mammals such as Whales or Walruses and Phytoplankton.
Impact of Global Warming
Some scientists believed that Arctic Shrinkage is a result of Global Warming and a partial hole in the Ozone Layer above the region. With less ice, the total Albedo or ability to reflect sunlight will be lowered which can have drastic effects on the climate of the entire planet over time.
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References
Fast Facts
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Fact:
Largest percent covered with ice for most of the year
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Fact:
Almost completely surrounded by land
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Over 5 million square miles
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Oil fields and fishing are abundant
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Fact:
Sun shines almost 24 hours per day in summer, and barely an hour in winter
