Kaktovik
| Kaktovik | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Aerial view of Kaktovik |
|||
| Location in Alaska | |||
|
|||
| Basic data | |||
| Foundation : | March 26, 1971 | ||
| State : | United States | ||
| State : | Alaska | ||
| Borough : | North Slope Borough | ||
| Coordinates : | 70 ° 8 ′ N , 143 ° 37 ′ W | ||
| Time zone : | Alaska ( UTC − 9 / −8 ) | ||
| Residents : | 236 (as of 2010) | ||
| Population density : | 118 inhabitants per km 2 | ||
| Area : | 2.6 km 2 (approx. 1 mi 2 ) of which 2.0 km 2 (approx. 1 mi 2 ) are land |
||
| Height : | 11 m | ||
| Area code : | +1 907 | ||
| FIPS : | 02-36990 | ||
| GNIS ID : | 2419404 | ||
 Polar bear near Kaktovik |
|||
Kaktovik (translated where to go net fishing ) is a town in the North Slope Borough in the state of Alaska in the United States .
geography
Kaktovik is located on the northern shore of Barter Island between the Okpilak and Jago rivers on the coast of the Beaufort Sea . The area is located in the 78,053 km² nature reserve Arctic National Wildlife Refuge . There is an arctic climate with little rainfall .
history
Kaktovik was settled by the Inupiat Eskimo tribe . Until the end of the 19th century the area was a main trading center for the Inupiat. Fishing was of particular importance . In the 1950s , settlers from northern Alaska moved to the area to help build a runway and a radar station for the Distant Early Warning Line . In 1971 Kaktovik was incorporated as a city .
Economy and Infrastructure
The infrastructure is provided by the North Slope Borough. There is a school and a hospital in Kaktovik, the Kaktovik Clinic. The inhabitants mainly eat caribou meat. The school, the hospital and the city and borough administration offer job opportunities. In the vicinity of Kaktovik there is a well-known airport, the Barter Island LRRS Airport , which ensures the only year-round accessibility of the area isolated by land.
Demographics
At the time of the 2000 census ( US Census 2000 ) Kaktovik had 293 inhabitants on a land area of 2.0 km². The median age was 32.1 years (US national mean: 35.3 years). The per capita income (engl. The per capita income ) amounted to US $ 22,031 (national average of USA: US $ 21,587). 6.6% of the population had their income below the poverty line (national average in the USA: 12.4%). Approximately 84% of Kaktovik's residents are of indigenous descent who live in the nationally recognized Indian reservation, The Kaktovik Village (also known as The Barter Island Village ). Also due to the remoteness of the area, the Inupiat Eskimos keep their old traditions. The possession of and trading in alcohol in the reserve is prohibited.