Wainwright (Alaska)
| Wainwright | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Location in Alaska
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| Basic data | |||
| Foundation : | 1904 | ||
| State : | United States | ||
| State : | Alaska | ||
| Borough : | North Slope Borough | ||
| Coordinates : | 70 ° 39 ′ N , 160 ° 1 ′ W | ||
| Time zone : | Alaska ( UTC − 9 / −8 ) | ||
| Residents : | 556 (as of 2010) | ||
| Population density : | 12.2 inhabitants per km 2 | ||
| Area : | 109.9 km 2 (approx. 42 mi 2 ) of which 45.5 km 2 (approx. 18 mi 2 ) is land |
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| Height : | 8 m | ||
| Area code : | +1 907 | ||
| FIPS : | 02-82750 | ||
| GNIS ID : | 2418869 | ||
 Wainwright in summer with the Arctic Ocean in the background |
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Wainwright is a city in the North Slope Borough in the state of Alaska in the United States .
geography
Wainwright lies on the coast of the Chukchi Sea . 72 miles northeast of Wainwright is the town of Barrow , the administrative seat of the North Slope Borough. The area has an arctic climate with little rainfall . The Chukchi Sea is ice-free from June to September.
history
The Wainwright area was settled as early as the 19th century , but the current village of Wainwright was not established until 1904 when the Alaska Native Service built a school and provided medical and other services. In 1916 a post office was established and in 1962 Wainwright was incorporated as the City . Coal was mined for local needs, but today most houses are heated with oil.
Economy and Infrastructure
Job opportunities are mainly offered by the administration of the borough. Seals , walruses , whales , caribou , polar bears and ptarmigan are caught and traded. However, many residents are dependent on government assistance. In order to supplement their income, the inhabitants trade in Eskimo handicrafts. In Wainwright there is a public airfield operated by the North Slope Borough, which guarantees the only year-round accessibility of the isolated area by land. Skiffs , umiaks and snow machines are used for local transport . Wainwright has a school and hospital, the Wainwright Health Clinic.
Demographics
At the time of the 2000 census ( US Census 2000 ) Wainwright had 546 inhabitants on a land area of 45.5 km². The median age was 24.5 years (US national average: 35.3 years). The per capita income (engl. The per capita income ) amounted to US $ 16,710 (national average of USA: US $ 21,587). 12.5% of the population had their income below the poverty line (US national average: 12.4%). 93% of the residents of Wainwright are of indigenous descent from the Eskimo tribe of the Inupiat , who live in the nationwide recognized Indian reservation Village of Wainwright and maintain their ancient traditions. The trade and consumption of alcohol in the reserve is not allowed.
Individual evidence
- ^ US Bureau of the Census, Census 2000
