Tundra region

 Polar region

   The region which lies near the poles is called "Polar region". The northern part of continent within polar region is called "Tundra region". Tundra means cold. Since the tundra region gets very little sunlight, it has unique vegetation called ''Tundra vegetation''.

     

Seasons in tundra

     In the Tundra region it is extremely cold. It is almost dark throughout November, December and January since the sun doesn't rise at all. This is the winter in tundra, and it is bitterly cold during these months. Due to extreme cold the rivers, lakes and seas freezes. Strong cold winds blow and there is heavy snowfall. 

      Due to several cold, dark and icy conditions, all plants die. Even birds and animals leave this region and migrate else where. The whole region becomes deserted and desolated.

   

Summer 

The sun begins to shine in the tundra around February-March. In the beginning, the sun shines for a maximum of an hour and a half and then sets. Gradually, it lengthens to 2 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours, 16 hours and finally 24 hours. Then for almost three months May to July, the sun never sets, it shines all 24 hours. But the sun doesn't rise overhead; it just hovers a little above the horizon.

    

           

    

Vegetation

Due to cold, the upper soil surface of the region is frozen into a rock like state all throughout year. This is called 'permafrost' as there is little soil , only some plants can grow. The underground soil is being hard, it is difficult for trees to grow. Even they manage to grow, the trees get damaged and uprooted with strong winds and storms. So, most of the tundra region is tree-less.

    

Eskimos

    The Arctic is a region of vast, tree-less plains, icy seas and barren, Rocky islands . This harsh, cold land is home for Eskimos. They live in the scattered settlements of Greenland, Alaska, Canada and Siberia. For thousands of years, Eskimos where isolated from other people . They lived by hunting and fishing and they developed a way of life well suited to their homeland.  

        The most commonly accepted meaning of Eskimos is 'snow shetter'. The two main groups of Eskimos are Inuit and Yupik. Inuit in their language means 'real people'. The Eskimos are descendants of Siberia now a part of Russia, north Asia. 

      

    Eskimos languages have been spoken for thousands of years, but they were not written until modern times. There are three main languages- Aluet, Yupik and inupik.

      The eskimos first entered North America about 5000 years ago, crossing Bering straits of asia. Today, the Eskimo population is not large, but it's growing.

     

The Eskimos live in fairly small groups. There are villages of 500 people in northern Alaska coast. A typical group has 25 to 45 people. They spend the winter near the coast for hunting seals and fishing. In summer they move inland to hunt caribou and collect berries 🍒 . They cross snow and ice on sledge pulled by dogs and they cross water on umiaks.