List of northernmost settlements explained

The most northern settlements on Earth are communities close to the North Pole, ranging from about 70° N to about 89° N. This is a list showing all of the northernmost settlements on Earth, which are all south of latitude 90° N.

There are no permanent civilian settlements north of 79° N, the furthest north (78.55° N) being Ny-Ålesund, a permanent settlement of about 30 (in the winter) to 130 (in the summer) people on the Norwegian island of Svalbard. Just below this settlement at 78.12° N is Svalbard's primary city, Longyearbyen, which has a population of over 2,000.

When occupied for a few weeks some years, the northernmost temporary settlement in the world is Camp Barneo, a Russian tourist attraction located near 88°11'00" N. As of 2022, it had not been occupied since 2018.[1]

The tables below shows the settlements, towns, and cities that are the northernmost in the world of their kind.

All locations

LocationCountryLatitudePopulationPublicActive?Description
None
(International waters)
88°11' N 0 no no Latitude as of April 2009 (varies); northernmost temporarily inhabited place. A Russian-founded ice camp. It has not been occupied after 2019.
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
83°7' N 0 yes no A group of archeological sites including at least one likely inhabited both summer and winter[2]
83°06' N 0 no no Former exploration base in 1957–58, airstrip, building. Uninhabited as of 2019
82°28' N 65 (winter minimum) to 110 (summer maximum) no yes Northernmost place with a continuous (year-round) population, but no permanent residents; military and research station (CFS Alert)[3]
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
82°15' N 0 yes no A group of more than 20 archeological sites, among them several former permanent settlements
82°11' N 0 no no Former exploration base, 1947 to 1950
82°10' N 0 no no Former exploration base
82°07' N 0 yes no Archaeological site
81°44' N 0 no no Former exploration camp, 1881 to 1883 and 1957 to 1958
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
81°43' N 5 no yes Military and scientific base
80°48' N 52[4] no yes Border guard facility and meteorological station
80°37' N 7 no yes Meteorological station
80°20' N 0 no no Former weather station
79°59' N8 no yes Scientific station
79°58' N0 no no Former Royal Canadian Mounted Police station
79°51'20" N0 no no Former Dutch whaling station, 1620s to 1670
79°43'54" N0 no no Former Danish–Dutch whaling station, 1619 to 1657
79°43'24" N0 no no Former Dutch whaling station, 1636 to 1662
79°41'42" N0 no no Former Danish whaling station, 1631 to 1658
79°33' N 4 no yes Meteorological station
data-sort-value="79°10'00 N"ca. 79°10 N 0 yes no Royal Canadian Mounted Police outpost 1926 to 1933
Qaqaitsut, Eastern Inglefield Land, NW Greenland
(Danish Realm)
data-sort-value="79°07'17.14 N"ca. 79°07'17.14 N 0 yes no Hunting station and former permanent settlement
Inuarfissuaq, Central Inglefield Land, NW 78°55' N 0 yes no Former hunting station or permanent settlement
78°55' N 30 (winter) to 180 (summer) yes yes Northernmost civilian and functional settlement; home to the northernmost post office
78°47' N0 no no Former research station, 1948 to 1978
78°39' N3 (winter) to 15 (summer)yes yes Former settlement, 1910 to 1998/2000. Peak population over 1200. Now a ghost city for tourists with hotel established in 2013.
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
78°33' N 0 yes no Former hunting station
78°19' N 0 yes no Hunting station and former permanent settlement
78°12' N 2,400[5] yes yes Northernmost settlement with a permanent population over 1,000
78°04' N 455 yes yes Settlement
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
78°04' N 0 no no Former research station, 1952 to 1954
77°55' N 0 yes no Former mining town
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
77°47' N 41 yes yes Northernmost settlement in North America and in Greenland
Russia 77°44' N 6 no yes Northernmost point in mainland Siberia (weather station)
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
77°29' N 31 yes yes Settlement
Qaanaaq (Thule) 77°28' N 629 yes yes Settlement
77°16' N 0 no no United States military scientific research base complete with nuclear reactor, active 1959-1967
76°54' N 4 yes yes A meteorological station has been placed there.
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
76°32' N 0 yes no Former settlement, population forcibly relocated to Qaanaaq site in 1952 to make space for nearby Pituffik Space Base; northernmost nuclear-contaminated area in the world after the 1968 Thule Air Base B-52 crash
76°32' N 0 yes no Former settlement, population forcibly relocated to Qaanaaq site in 1952 to make space for nearby Pituffik Space Base; northernmost nuclear-contaminated area in the world after the 1968 Thule Air Base B-52 crash
76°25' N 144 yes yes Northernmost public settlement in Canada[6]
76°18' N0 no no Former meteorological station, 1948 to 1997
76°13' N0 yes no Former settlement
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
76°01' N50 yes yesSettlement
74°41' N 183 yes yes Settlement
74°39' N0 yes no Former settlement, 1924 to 1951
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
74°34' N444 yes yesSettlement
74°20' N0 yes noFormer settlement, abandoned in 1954
74°06' N181 yes yesSettlement
74°03' N0 yes noFormer settlement, 1904–1909, 1911-1957
74°01' N 0 yes no Former settlement and penal colony, 1933 to 1956
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
73°42' N0 yes noFormer settlement, abandoned in 1972
73°31' N 43 yes yes Settlement
73°30' N 319 yes yes Northernmost settlement in Russia. Northernmost continental (i.e. non-insular) settlement.
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
73°22' N 249 yes yes Settlement
73°15' N 531 yes yes Settlement
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
73°11' N 171 yes yes Settlement
73°08' N 45 yes yes Settlement
73°02' N 994 yes yes Settlement
72°59' N 27 yes yes Settlement
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
72°53' N 149 yes yes Settlement
72°50' N 490 yes yes Settlement
72°48' N 1,179 yes yes Settlement
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
72°47' N 1,090 yes yes Settlement
72°42' N 1,555 yes yes Settlement
72°37' N 755 yes yes Settlement
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
72°34' N 5 (winter) to 45 (summer) no no year-round research station at the top of the Greenland Ice Sheet
72°22' N 141 yes yes Settlement
72°10' N 195 yes yes Settlement
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
72°09' N 201 yes yes Settlement
72°00' N 513 yes yes Settlement
71°59' N 2,645 yes yes Settlement
71°59' N 104 yes yes Settlement
71°59' N 0yes yes Former settlement on Wrangel Island. Now used as nature reserve HQ
71°57' N 2,317yes yes Settlement
71°54' N 275 yes yes Settlement
71°54' N 10 yes yes Settlement
71°53' N 319 yes yes Settlement
71°46' N 128 yes yes Settlement
71°45' N 266 yes yes Settlement
71°41' N 253 yes yes Settlement
71°39' N 4,440 yes yes Settlement
71°36' N 330 yes yes Settlement
71°34' N 362 yes yes Settlement
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
71°32' N 0 yes no Abandoned in 2017 after a tsunami caused by a landslide
71°32' N 1,972 yes yes Main settlement on Novaya Zemlya
Kayak, Krasnoyarsk Krai71°30' N 57 yes yes Settlement
71°26' N 218 yes yes Settlement
71°18' N 4,927 yes yes Northernmost settlement in the United States, formerly Barrow
71°16' N 367 yes yes Settlement
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
71°14' N 0 yes no Abandoned in 2017 after a tsunami
71°10' N 0 no no Former research station, 1930–31
71°08' N 141 yes yes Northernmost settlement in Norway proper
71°07' N 118 yes yes Settlement
71°03' N 228 yes yes Village
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
71°02' N 144 yes yes Settlement
71°02' N 692 yes yes Settlement
70°79' N 77 yes yes Settlement
70°59' N 947 yes yes Settlement
70°58' N 2,237 yes yes City
70°58' N 436 yes yes Settlement
70°54' N 257 yes yes Settlement
70°53' N 3,610 yes yes Settlement
70°51' N 867 yes yes Village, municipality seat
70°50' N 473 yes yes Settlement
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
70°48' N 259 yes yes Settlement
70°48' N 419 yes yes Settlement
70°48' N 60–70 yes yes Settlement
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
70°47' N 34 yes yes Settlement
70°45' N 1,188 yes yes Settlement
70°44'N 408 yes yes Settlement
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
70°43' N 161 yes yes Settlement
70°43' N 32 yes yes Settlement
70°43' N 213 yes yes Village
70°41' N 1,345 yes yes Settlement
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
70°40' N 1,407 yes yes Town
70°39' N 11,310 yes yes City
70°38' N 628 yes yes Town
70°38' N 1,775 yes yes Village
70°38' N 2,151 yes yes Village, municipality seat
70°37' N 1,832 yes yes Settlement
70°32' N 22 yes yes Settlement
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
70°30' N 229 yes yes Settlement
70°29' N 352 yes yes Settlement
70°28' N 276 yes yes Settlement
70°19' N 1,310 yes yes Census-designated place Northern end of the Alaskan Pipeline
70°14' N 250 yes yes Work camp; former census-designated place; oil discovered in 1996
70°12' N 512 yes yes Settlement
70°12' N 25 to 50 (permanent) to 3,000 (temporary) yes yes Northernmost point on Western Hemisphere road network
70°07' N 283 yes yes Settlement
70°05' N 200 yes yes Northernmost settlement in Finland and European Union
Greenland
(Danish Realm)
70°00' N 160 yes yes Settlement - site name for the Saqqaq culture

Cities and towns

This is a list of the northernmost cities and towns in the world.

City/towndata-sort-type="number"Population!Latitude/longitude
Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway 30–13078.925°N 11.9222°W
Pyramiden (Russian), Svalbard, Norway 8–6078.6561°N 16.325°W
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway 2,40078.2167°N 15.55°W
Barentsburg (Russian), Svalbard, Norway 45578.0667°N 14.2167°W
Qaanaaq, Greenland, Denmark62977.4833°N -89°W
Grise Fiord, Ellesmere Island, Canada 14476.4167°N -135°W
Resolute, Cornwallis Island, Canada18374.6833°N -143°W
Dikson, Russia31973.5°N 111°W
Innaarsuit, Greenland, Denmark17173.1833°N 56°W
Arctic Bay, Baffin Island, Canada 994 73.0364°N -85.1525°W
Upernavik, Greenland, Denmark1,09072.7833°N -65°W
Bykovsky, Russia51372.0167°N 135°W
Khatanga, Russia2,64571.9667°N 130°W
Yukagir, Russia12871.75°N 192°W
Tiksi, Russia4,44071.65°N 176°W
Belushya Guba, Russia1,97271.55°N 71°W
Nizhneyansk, Russia21871.4333°N 140°W
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States4,92771.3°N -200°W
Honningsvåg, Norway2,23770.9667°N 83°W
Berlevåg, Norway86770.85°N 34°W
Uummannaq, Greenland, Denmark1,40770.6667°N -59°W
Hammerfest, Norway11,27470.65°N 64°W
Chokurdakh, Russia1,83270.6333°N 202°W
Båtsfjord, Norway2,15170.6333°N 72°W
Wainwright, Alaska, United States62870.6333°N -160°W
Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland, Denmark35270.4833°N -79°W
Atqasuk, Alaska, United States27670.4667°N -182°W
Vardø, Norway1,69070.3667°N 37°W
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States51270.2°N -151°W
Deadhorse, Alaska, United States25–3,00070.2°N -178°W
Kaktovik, Alaska, United States28370.1167°N -179°W
Nuorgam, Finland20070.0833°N 80°W
Vadsø, Norway4,61570.0667°N 73°W
Lakselv, Norway2,24570.05°N 81°W
Skjervøy, Norway2,42670.0333°N 78°W
Alta, Norway15,78469.9667°N 40°W
Utsjoki, Finland1,19069.9°N 28°W
Kirkenes, Norway3,38369.7167°N 33°W
Pevek, Russia4,23069.7°N 187°W
Bjørnevatn, Norway2,55369.6667°N 87°W
Tromsø, Norway41,43469.65°N 75°W
Pechenga, Russia2,20669.55°N 44°W
Taloyoak, Canada93469.5333°N -124°W
Tuktoyaktuk, Canada93769.4333°N -135°W
Zapolyarny, Russia14,79169.4167°N 78°W
Dudinka, Russia19,55669.4°N 97°W
Nikel, Russia9,85869.4°N 43°W
Paulatuk, Canada26569.3833°N 181°W
Zaozyorsk, Russia7,76269.3833°N 58°W
Norilsk, Russia174,45369.3333°N 101°W
Vidyayevo, Russia4,32769.3167°N 80°W
Andenes, Norway2,48769.3167°N 24°W
Gadzhiyevo, Russia9,29769.25°N 54°W
Qeqertarsuaq, Greenland, Denmark84469.2333°N -86°W
Ilulissat, Greenland, Denmark4,84869.2167°N -57°W
Finnsnes, Norway4,77169.2167°N 75°W
Polyarny, Russia12,29369.2°N 60°W
Snezhnogorsk, Russia9,94269.1833°N 46°W
Severomorsk, Russia43,32769.0667°N 58°W
Kilpisjärvi, Enontekiö, Finland11469.0492°N 20.7944°W
Murmansk, Russia270,38468.95°N 37°W
Inari (village), Inari, Finland61768.9056°N 27.0278°W
Kola, Russia9,01668.8667°N 34°W
Setermoen, Norway2,52368.85°N 38°W
Murmashi, Russia9,56868.8167°N 81°W
Qasigiannguit, Greenland, Denmark1,03768.8167°N -62°W
Harstad, Norway21,13268.7833°N 48°W
Chersky, Russia2,64168.75°N 179°W
Kolymskoye76568.7333°N 200°W
Aasiaat, Greenland, Denmark2,90368.7167°N -91°W
Sortland, Norway5,48768.6833°N 39°W
Ivalo, Finland3,03468.65°N 60°W
Stokmarknes, Norway3,45168.55°N 68°W
Melbu, Norway2,24568.5°N 64°W
Kaaresuvanto, Enontekiö, Finland14068.4492°N 22.4844°W
Narvik, Norway14,03568.4333°N 42°W
Karesuando, Sweden27968.4333°N 50°W
Hetta, Enontekiö, Finland80068.3833°N 62°W
Inuvik, Canada3,13768.35°N -176°W
Point Hope, Alaska, United States83068.3333°N -211°W
Kangaatsiaq, Greenland, Denmark50768.3°N -80°W
Suchchino, Russia3368.25°N 175°W
Svolvær, Norway4,75168.2333°N 48°W
Olenegorsk, Russia21,43868.15°N 50°W
Leknes, Norway3,72268.1333°N 49°W
Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska, United States42568.1333°N -195°W
Snezhnogorsk, Russia78468.0833°N 133°W
Bilibino, Russia5,40968.05°N 193°W
Ostrovnoy, Russia1,48768.05°N 69°W
Lovozero, Russia2,11068°N 38°W
Muonio, Finland2,27967.9583°N 64°W
Kiruna, Sweden22,42367.85°N 33°W
Kuberganya, Russia47967.7667°N 173°W
Kittilä, Finland6,67367.65°N 78.5°W
Naryan-Mar, Russia23,39967.6333°N 56°W
Apatity, Russia49,64767.5667°N 57°W
Vorkuta, Russia56,98567.5°N 66°W
Khatyngnakh, Russia24167.4833°N 188°W
Sodankylä, Finland8,13367.4167°N 61°W
Kolari, Finland3,99367.3306°N 23.7778°W
Bodø, Norway52,80367.2667°N 38°W
Fauske, Norway9,60367.25°N 38°W
Kandalaksha, Russia29,13867.15°N 56°W
Gällivare, Sweden10,92967.1167°N 65°W

Larger cities

Northernmost cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants. The population data may include municipalities, urban areas or metropolitan areas.

CityPopulationLatitude/longitude
Norilsk, Russia174,45369.3333°N 101°W
Murmansk, Russia270,38468.9667°N 38°W
Novy Urengoy, Russia107,25166.0667°N 113°W
Oulu, Finland214,63365°N 51°W
Severodvinsk, Russia157,21364.5667°N 88°W
Arkhangelsk, Russia301,19964.5333°N 72°W
Reykjavík, Iceland139,87564.1333°N -77°W
Umeå, Sweden132,23563.8167°N 36°W
Trondheim, Norway212,66063.4167°N 33°W
Noyabrsk, Russia100,18863.2°N 102°W
Kuopio, Finland124,02162.8833°N 67°W
Jyväskylä, Finland147,74662.2333°N 69°W
Yakutsk, Russia355,44362.0333°N 173°W
Petrozavodsk, Russia234,89761.7833°N 55°W
Syktyvkar, Russia220,58061.6667°N 99°W
Tampere, Finland255,05061.4833°N 68°W
Surgut, Russia396,44361.2667°N 97°W
Anchorage, Alaska, United States287,14561.2167°N -202°W
Nefteyugansk, Russia124,73261.0833°N 114°W
Lahti, Finland120,69360.9833°N 64°W
Gävle, Sweden103,49360.6747°N 17.1417°W
Turku, Finland201,86360.45°N 38°W
Bergen, Norway289,33060.3925°N 5.3233°W
Vantaa, Finland247,44360.2944°N 25.0403°W

Northernmost cities with more than 250,000 inhabitants.

CityPopulationLatitude/longitude
Murmansk, Russia270,38468.9667°N 38°W
Arkhangelsk, Russia301,19964.5333°N 72°W
Yakutsk, Russia355,44362.0333°N 173°W
Tampere, Finland255,05061.4833°N 68°W
Surgut, Russia396,44361.2667°N 97°W
Anchorage, Alaska, United States287,14561.2167°N -202°W
Bergen, Norway289,33060.3925°N 5.3233°W
Espoo, Finland314,02460.2056°N 24.6556°W
Helsinki, Finland674,50060.1708°N 24.9375°W
Saint Petersburg, Russia5,598,48659.9375°N 30.3086°W
Oslo, Norway709,03759.9167°N 10.7333°W
Tallinn, Estonia437,81159.4372°N 24.7453°W
Stockholm, Sweden987,66159.3294°N 18.0686°W

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Becker . Kraig . Barneo Ice Camp Closed for Fourth Year in a Row . 31 July 2022 . The Adventure Blog . 8 March 2022 . en-us.
  2. Bjarne Grønnow, Jens Fog Jensen: The Northernmost Ruins of the Globe. Eigil Knuth’s Archaeological Investigations in Peary Land and Adjacent Areas of High Arctic Greenland (= Man & Society. Vol. 29). Museum Tusculanums Forlag, Københavns Universitet, Copenhagen 2003, pp. 219–237
  3. Web site: Canadian Forces Station Alert . 2015-07-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150924090025/http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/8-wing/alert.page . 2015-09-24 . dead .
  4. Web site: ARKTIS: Reich in der Kälte. ((SPIEGEL ONLINE, Hamburg, Germany)).
  5. Dickie . Gloria . Gloria Dickie . The World's Northernmost Town Is Changing Dramatically. Original title: "The Polar Crucible" . Scientific American . 1 June 2021 . 324 . 6 . 44–53 . 10.1038/scientificamerican0621-44 . 31 January 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210518153619/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-worlds-northernmost-town-is-changing-dramatically/ . 20 May 2021. 18 May 2021 .
  6. News: Grise Fiord, Nunavut, drone video shows beach in Canada's northernmost community . 24 August 2015 . 21 July 2019 . CBC News.