The Tundra Region

We come to the third climatic zone, which are the Frigid Zones. These are the coldest among the three as they lie nearest to the poles. There are two Frigid Zones, ie., the North Frigid Zone and the South Frigid Zone. The North Frigid Zone is further subdivided into the Great Ice Caps and the Tundra region. In this lesson, we shall learn about the Tundra region and how people of this region have adapted themselves to the harsh climatic conditions. The Tundra region is found between 60° N and 80° N latitude.)The Arctic Circle passes through this region. It includes he northern parts of Canada, Alaska,- Greenland and the northern part of Eurasia. This type of region is not found in the Southern Hemisphere because the main landmass of the Southern Hemisphere does not extend beyond the Temperate Zone.

Greenland - Greenland is an island which is located towards the north-east of North America. It is the largest island in the world. Greenland was discovered by Eric the Red, the famous Norwegian explorer in 982 CE. He spent three years exploring this island. Greenland was captured by Denmark in 1380. It became an integral part of Denmark in 1953. In 1979, Greenland won the home rule and a full internal self-government was attained in January, 1981. With the beginning of home rule, Greenland's name has been changed to Kalaallit Nunaat. The capital of Greenland is Nuuk, which was earlier known as Godthab.

Location - Greenland lies in the continent of North America. A territory of Denmark, Greenland is located to the north-east of Canada. It is surrounded by the Arctic Ocean in the north and the Atlantic Ocean in the south. Baffin Bay is On' its west and the Greenland Sea is on its east. Greenland has an area of about 21,66,086 sq km and it supports a population of about 60,000 people.

Land Surface - Greenland is a low plateau surrounded by the coastal mountains. The mountains are always covered with thick snow. This ice covering is known as ice cap. During spring, bits of ice caps break off from the main mass of ice and fall into the ocean. These floating blocks of ice are called icebergs. About 90% of an iceberg is always under water. What we generally see is only the tip of the iceberg. Icebergs are very dangerous for ships. In 1912, an ocean liner called Titanic sank after hitting an iceberg. More than 1,500 lives were lost in the mishap. These days, ships have detectors which can sense the presence of an iceberg nearby because if the iceberg is somewhere near the ship, the temperature suddenly drops and the ship can save itself by changing its route. The International Ice Patrol also keeps a vigil for icebergs.

Climate - The climate of the Tundra region is extremely cold. It is covered with ice for about nine months in a year. During the short summers, the ice melts but the temperature is still not more than 10°C. During the winter months, the sun is not clearly visible for several days. So, Greenland has an extremely cold climate with short days and very long nights But even in these long nights, there is enough light because the sun is above the horizon and it continues to give some light. So, the nights are not completely dark here. However, in summer, the sun shines brightly all the twenty-four hours in most parts of the island. The sun can be seen even at midnight. All these climatic variations occur due to its location near the poles, far away from the equator. 

Vegetation - The word Greenland' gives a feeling that everything must be green on this island, but it is not so The ice melts only during short summer seasons. The few plants which grow here are mosses, lichens, grasses and bushes. Some beautiful flowers can be seen during spring season. Berries like blueberries and cranberries are also found here. There are no forests. Wood has to be brought in here from other places. 

Wildlife - Despite very little vegetation, Greenland is quite rich in wildlife. Animals that can bear extreme cold are found here. Common land animals are the reindeer, polar bear, musk ox, arctic fox, wolf, hare, wolverine, squirrel, lemming and husky. These animals have thick fur which protects them from severe cold. Huskies are important domestic animals and are widely used in hunting and for pulling sledges. Birds like Arctic terns, ducks, geese and waders come here in summer and migrate to the South Pole in winter. The Arctic tern has the longest migratory route in the world.

Lifestyle of the People - Life is very hard on this island because of the harsh climatic conditions. Almost all the native people of Greenland are Eskimos. However, there are very few Eskimos now. Most of them have mixed with the Europeans and are now known as Greenlanders. The few Eskimos that are left live in the north-west area of Greenland. The Eskimos or Inuits are strong people. They have a short, thick body. They have short arms and legs, slanting eyes and a wide and flat face. They wear such clothes that can protect them from the biting cold. They wear thick clothes made of seal skin and fur to protect themselves against the cold. Long leather shoes and double set of trousers protect them from snow and cold. Their coats contain a hood to cover their head. Such coats are called parka.

Eskimo houses are called igloos. During winter, the Eskimos live in igloos. Igloos are made of blocks of ice cemented together with snow. The Eskimos are so expert in building these houses that they take only 2-3 hours to construct an igloo. During the construction of an igloo, Eskimos leave a small breathing hole at the centre of the dome of the igloo An igloo has only one door which is so low that one has to crawl to enter the house. The floor of the house is covered with animal skins. Igloos are warmer from inside. Some igloos are connected to each other via tunnels. This becomes very convenient for the Eskimos to visit their friends in winters. During summers, the Eskimos live in tents called tupiks. These are made of the skin of animals. Nowadays, Eskimos have also started building pucca houses made of wood or stone. 

Occupation - Hunting and fishing are the two main occupations of Eskimos. The Eskimos are expert hunters. They mainly depend on animals for their food. The main hunting weapon of the Eskimos is called the harpoon. A harpoon is a spear with a rope attached to it. It is used for catching whales, large fish and seals. It is either thrown by hand or fired from a gun. The hunted animal can be pulled back with the help of the rope attached to it. Eskimos make use of almost every part of an animal. The meat of the animal is food for them. Blubber or fat is used as fuel. From the blood they make a kind of soup. Tendons and bones of the animal are used to make threads, needles and harpoon heads. Skin is used to make clothes, tents and boats called kayaks and umiaks. Though the climate is adverse, some vegetables like potatoes are grown in summers in the south-west coastal regions. Sledge is the most popular means of land transport. It is pulled by reindeers or huskies.

Major Cities - Nuuk is the biggest town of Greenland with a population of more than 13,000 people. Holsteinborg is a port town of Greenland and has a big shipyard. Baffin Bay and Davis Strait separate Greenland from the northern islands of Canada. 

Modern Lifestyle - The lives of Eskimos have changed a lot in recent times. Now, they have permanent houses with electricity. Instead of raw meat, they eat tinned food and milk brought in from other parts of the world. In place of harpoons, they use rifles to hunt seals. Motorised sledges called skidoos are used for transport. Motorboats are used for fishing. Primary schools, shops, hospitals, clubs and libraries are present in many villages and towns. Instead of leading a nomadic life, people live and work in towns. They even export fur and tinned fish. They send their children to school. There is compulsory education for children up to 14 years. Fur farms have been established to breed animals. Air services connect Greenland to the cities of Europe and North America.

The Tundra Region

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