11 Life on the ice

LIFE ON THE ICE Despite the freezing cold, people have lived in the Arctic for thousands of years. Because it's too cold to grow crops, people in the Arctic developed special hunting, fishing, and crafting techniques to survive. ARCTIC PEOPLES About 4 million people live in the Arctic. Most live in modern cities and towns near the coastline, but some live in remote communities and still follow the traditions of their ancestors. Here are just a few: Inuit The Inuit people are native to greenland, Canada, and Alaska. For thousands of years, they have relied on hunting and gathering. Today, many live together in small communities. Sami The Sami people of northern Scandinavia and Russia have herded reindeer in the Arctic wilderness for centuries. Today, most Sami live in towns on the Arctic Tundra. Dolgan The Dolgan people of northern Russia live in some of the coldest conditions on Earth. They rely on reindeer for transportation, food, and clothing.

IGLOOS Ancient Inuits lived in houses made of bone, wood, stone, and animal fur. But on long hunting trips they built temporary shelters called igloos using blocks of snow. Today, Inuits live in modern homes, but they still build igloos on long hunting trips. Thick walls made of snow, keep out the cold and prevent heat inside from escaping-making igloos surprisingly warm! ARCTIC TOOLS While the traditional skills and tools of their ancestors are very important to Arctic peoples, many of them now combine them with more modern ways of life. New inventions, such as the snowmobile have made life in the Arctic much easier. SNOWSHOES SNOWMOBILE KAYAK SLED