North Slope Borough, Alaska facts for kids

Quick facts for kids North Slope Borough
Borough
Point Barrow Refuge Station
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Alaska
Alaska's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Incorporated	July 2, 1972
Named for	Alaska North Slope
Seat	Utqiaġvik
Largest city	Utqiaġvik
Area
• Total	94,796 sq mi (245,520 km2)
• Land	88,695 sq mi (229,720 km2)
• Water	6,101 sq mi (15,800 km2)  6.4%
Population  (2020)
• Total	11,031
• Estimate  (2022)	10,805
• Density	0.116366/sq mi (0.0449290/km2)
Time zone	UTC−9 (Alaska)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−8 (ADT)
Congressional district	At-large

The Anaktuvuk River flows North toward the Arctic Ocean. Much of the North Slope Borough is characterized by vast, uninhabited gently rolling tundra.

The North Slope Borough is the northernmost borough in the US state of Alaska and, thus, the northernmost county or equivalent of the United States as a whole. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,031. The borough seat and largest city, comprising nearly half of the borough’s population, is Utqiaġvik (known as Barrow from 1901 to 2016), the northernmost settlement in the United States.

History

The borough was established in 1972 by an election of the majority Indigenous people in the region, following Congressional passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Most are Inupiat. The borough was named for the Alaska North Slope basin. In 1974, it adopted a Home Rule Charter, enabling it to exercise any legitimate governmental power. The borough has first-class status and exercises the powers of planning, zoning, taxation, and schools.

In 2020, the airline Ravn Alaska went into bankruptcy and ended operations. The government of North Slope Borough attempted to take control of the airline's assets to keep flights and shipments coming to the community, but the Alaska Attorney General stated that the borough did not have that authority.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 94,796 square miles (245,520 km²), of which 88,695 square miles (229,720 km²) is land and 6,101 square miles (15,800 km²) (6.4%) is water. The borough is larger than 39 states.

Its western coastline is along the Chukchi Sea, while its eastern shores (beyond Point Barrow) are on the Beaufort Sea.

The North Slope Borough is the largest county-level political subdivision in the United States by area, with a larger land area than the state of Utah, the 13th-largest state in the nation. Although the adjacent Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area is larger in area, it has no borough-level government. The borough is the fourth-least densely populated county-level entity in the United States. The Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area is the least densely populated county-level entity.

Adjacent boroughs and census areas

• Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska – southeast
• Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska – southwest

It shares its eastern border with Yukon, Canada, which has no subdivisions.

National protected areas

Map of northern Alaska showing location of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), and the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska (NPRA).

• Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge (part of the Chukchi Sea unit)
  • Cape Lisburne
  • Cape Thompson
• Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (part)
  • Mollie Beattie Wilderness (part)
• Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (part)
  • Gates of the Arctic Wilderness (part)
• Noatak National Preserve (part)
  • Noatak Wilderness (part)

Other federal areas

• National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska

Demographics

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, the borough had 11,031 people and 1,979 households. The population density was 0.12 inhabitants per square mile (0.046/km²). There were 2,631 housing units at an average density of 0.03 inhabitants per square mile (0.012/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 53.2% Native American or Alaska Native, 32.7% White, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.8% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 1.6% African American, and 5.3% were from two or more races. 4.6% of the population were veterans, and 6.3% were born outside of the United States. The average household size was 3.36 people. 7.9% of the population were under the age of 5, 26.8% were under the age of 18, 65.7% were between the ages of 18 and 64, and 7.5% were aged 65 or older. 62.4% of the population were male and 37.6% were female. 86.2% of households contained a computer, with 69.8% of households having a broadband Internet connection. 89.7% of the population had a high school diploma or higher, with 16.5% having a Bachelor's degree or higher. 79.0% of the population were in the civilian labor force. (72.8% of women) The median household income was $79,306, with the average per capita income from May 2019 to April 2020 being $48,730. 11.4% of the population were in poverty.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, 9,430 people, 2,109 households, and 1,524 families residing in the borough. The population density was 12.03 square miles (31.2 km²) per person. There were 2,538 housing units at an average density of 35 square miles (91 km²) per unit. The racial makeup of the borough was 33.37% White, 1% Black or African American, 54.08% Native American (mostly Iñupiat), 4.51% Asian, 1.1% Pacific Islander, 0.71% from other races, and 5.23% from two or more races. 2.64% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. 42.84% reported speaking Iñupiaq or "Eskimo" at home, while 4.21% reported speaking Tagalog.

2020 Census

Economics

"Among all North Slope Borough communities, a higher percentage of Nuiqsut households use subsistence resources for more than half of their diet."

Communities

Cities

• Anaktuvuk Pass
• Atqasuk
• Kaktovik
• Nuiqsut
• Point Hope
• Utqiagvik (Borough seat)
• Wainwright

Census-designated places

• Point Lay
• Prudhoe Bay

Unincorporated communities

• Alpine
• Deadhorse
• Sagwon
• Umiat

Education

The borough has a single school district: North Slope Borough School District. It is also the largest school district in the United States by area, totaling 229,731 km² (88,700 sq mi)

See also

In Spanish: Borough de North Slope para niños