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58-540: Utqiagvik ( / ˌ ʊ t k i ˈ ɑː v ɪ k / UUT -kee- AH -vik ; Inupiaq : Utqiaġvik , IPA: [utqe.ɑʁvik] ), formerly known as Barrow ( / ˈ b ær oʊ / BARR -oh ), is the borough seat and largest city of the North Slope Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska . Located north of the Arctic Circle , it is one of the northernmost cities and towns in the world and

116-509: A climate observation site in Utqiagvik as part of its Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility. Despite the extreme northern location, temperatures at Utqiagvik are moderated by the surrounding topography . The Arctic Ocean is on three sides, and flat tundra stretches some 200 mi (320 km) to the south. No wind barriers or protected valleys exist where dense cold air can settle or form temperature inversions in

174-472: A consonant cluster. All Iñupiaq dialects have three basic vowel qualities : /a i u/. There is currently no instrumental work to determine what allophones may be linked to these vowels. All three vowels can be long or short, giving rise to a system of six phonemic vowels /a aː i iː u uː/. Long vowels are represented by double letters in the orthography: ⟨aa⟩, ⟨ii⟩, ⟨uu⟩. The following diphthongs occur: /ai ia au ua iu ui/. No more than two vowels occur in

232-479: A meteorological and magnetic research station at Utqiagvik in 1881. In 1888, a Presbyterian church was built by United States missionaries at Utqiagvik. The church is still in use today. In 1889, a whaling supply and rescue station was built. It is the oldest wood-frame building in Utqiagvik and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The rescue station was converted in 1896 for use as

290-738: A river, killing them both. Two memorials have been erected at the location, now called the Rogers–Post Site . Another memorial is located in Utqiagvik, where the airport was renamed the Wiley Post–Will Rogers Memorial Airport in their honor. In 1940, the Indigenous Iñupiat organized as the Native Village of Barrow Iñupiat Traditional Government (previously, Native Village of Barrow), a federally recognized Alaska Native Iñupiat "tribal entity" as listed by

348-539: A sequence in Iñupiaq. The Bering strait dialect has a fourth vowel /e/, which preserves the fourth proto-Eskimo vowel reconstructed as */ə/. In the other dialects, proto-Eskimo */e/ has merged with the closed front vowel /i/. The merged /i/ is referred to as the "strong /i/", which causes palatalization when preceding consonant clusters in the North Slope dialect (see section on palatalization below). The other /i/

406-742: Is siun whereas in Uummarmiutun it is hiun . A word may end in any nasal sound (except for the /ɴ/ found in North Slope), in the stops /t k q/ or in a vowel. In the North Slope dialect if a word ends with an m, and the next word begins with a stop, the m is pronounced /p/, as in aġna m t upiŋa, pronounced /aʁna p tupiŋa/ Very little information of the prosody of Iñupiaq has been collected. However, "fundamental frequency (Hz), intensity (dB), loudness (sones), and spectral tilt (phons - dB) may be important" in Malimiutun. Likewise, "duration

464-500: Is "a mix of the various speech forms formerly used in the area". The Point Barrow dialect was "spoken only by a few elders" in 2010. A dialect of North Slope is also spoken in Kivalina , Point Lay , Wainwright , Atqasuk , Utqiaġvik , Nuiqsut , and Barter Island . Iñupiaq dialects differ widely between consonants used. However, consonant clusters of more than two consonants in a row do not occur. A word may not begin nor end with

522-529: Is a for-profit village corporation established under the Act. In 1972, the North Slope Borough was established. The borough has built sanitation facilities, water and electrical utilities, roads, and fire departments, and has established health and educational services in Utqiagvik and the villages of the North Slope with millions of dollars in new revenues from the settlement and later oil revenues. In 1986,

580-436: Is cold and dry, classified as a tundra climate ( Köppen ET ). Winter weather can be hazardous because of the combination of cold and wind, while summers are cool even at their warmest. Weather observation records are available for Utqiagvik, dating back to the late 19th century. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Monitoring Lab operates in Utqiagvik. The United States Department of Energy has

638-526: Is completely overcast slightly more than 50% of the year. It is at least 70% overcast around 62% of the time. Cloud types are mainly low stratus and fog; cumuli forms are rare. Peak cloudiness occurs in August and September when the ocean is ice-free. Dense fog occurs an average of 65 days yearly, mostly in summer. Ice fog is very common during the winter months, especially when the temperature drops below −30 °F (−34 °C). Wind speed variation during

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696-473: Is derived from the Iñupiat word utqiq , also used for Claytonia tuberosa (" Eskimo potato "). The name was first recorded by European explorers in 1853 as "Ot-ki-a-wing" by Commander Rochfort Maguire , Royal Navy. John Simpson's native map dated 1855 has the name "Otkiawik", which was later misprinted on a British Admiralty chart as "Otkiovik." The former name Barrow was derived from Point Barrow and

754-469: Is not likely to be important in Malimiut Iñupiaq stress/syllable prominence". For North Slope Iñupiaq The voiceless stops /p/ /t/ /k/ and /q/ are not aspirated. This may or may not be true for other dialects as well. /c/ is derived from a palatalized and unreleased /t/. Source: Two consonants cannot appear together unless they share the manner of articulation (in this case treating

812-613: Is now, a natural hunting place at the base of a peninsula that pokes out into the Beaufort Sea ... Yankee whalers sailed here, learning about the bowhead whale from Iñupiat hunters... Later, the military came, setting up a radar station, and in 1947 a science center was founded at Barrow. British Royal Navy officers came to the area to explore and map the Arctic coastline of North America. The US acquired Alaska in 1867 by purchasing it from Russia. The United States Army established

870-516: Is other than English, [then the school] shall have at least one teacher who is fluent in the native language". Today, the University of Alaska Fairbanks offers bachelor's degrees in Iñupiaq language and culture, while a preschool/kindergarten-level Iñupiaq immersion school named Nikaitchuat Iḷisaġviat teaches grades PreK-1st grade in Kotzebue . In 2014, Iñupiaq became an official language of

928-532: Is preceded by an ⟨i⟩, it is weak. Words begin with a stop (with the exception of the palatal stop /c/), the fricative /s/, nasals /m n/, with a vowel, or the semivowel /j/. Loanwords , proper names, and exclamations may begin with any segment in both the Seward Peninsula dialects and the North Slope dialects. In the Uummarmiutun dialect words can also begin with /h/. For example, the word for "ear" in North Slope and Little Diomede Island dialects

986-432: Is referred to as "the weak /i/". Weak and strong /i/s are not differentiated in orthography, making it impossible to tell which ⟨i⟩ represents palatalization "short of looking at other processes which depend on the distinction between two i's or else examining data from other Eskimo languages". However, it can be assumed that, within a word, if a palatal consonant is preceded by an ⟨i⟩, it is strong. If an alveolar consonant

1044-500: Is surrounded by the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska . The city of Utqiagvik has three sections, which can be classified as south, central, and north. They are known to residents as Utqiagvik, Browerville, and NARL, respectively. An ancient 5.0 mi (8 km)-sized crater, Avak , is situated near Utqiagvik. Owing to its location 330 mi (530 km) north of the Arctic Circle , Utqiagvik's climate

1102-550: Is the economic center of the North Slope Borough, the city's primary employer. Many businesses provide support services to oil field operations. State and federal agencies are employers. The midnight sun has attracted tourism, and arts and crafts offer some cash income. Because transporting food to the city is expensive, many residents continue relying on subsistence food sources. Whale , seal , polar bear , walrus , waterfowl , caribou , and fish are harvested from

1160-731: The North Slope Science Initiative's Science Technical Advisory Panel, wrote in his 2009 book Cold: Adventures in the World's Frozen Places : Barrow, like most communities in Alaska, looks temporary, like a pioneer settlement. It is not. Barrow is among the oldest permanent settlements in the United States. Hundreds of years before the European Arctic explorers showed up... Barrow was more or less where it

1218-489: The University of Miami , an anticipated rise in sea level and consequent global warming is inevitable, meaning the existence of Utqiagvik at its current location is doomed in the relative geological short term. Smoothed data from NOAA show that Utqiagvik has warmed by more than 11 °F (6.1 °C) since 1976. On December 5, 2022, Utqiagvik broke its previous record for the warmest winter temperature, hitting 40 °F (4 °C). The town first appeared in census records in

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1276-424: The northernmost in the United States , with nearby Point Barrow as the country's northernmost point. Utqiagvik's population was 4,927 at the 2020 census , an increase from 4,212 in 2010. It is the 12th-most populated city in Alaska. The location has been home to the Iñupiat , an indigenous Inuit ethnic group, for more than 1,500 years. The city's Iñupiaq name refers to a place for gathering wild roots. It

1334-538: The 1880 U.S. Census as the unincorporated Inuit village of "Ootiwakh". All 225 of its residents were Inuit. In 1890, the community and area were returned as the "Cape Smythe Settlements", which included the refuge and whaling stations, Pengnok, Utkeavie, Kugaru (Inaru) River villages, four other camps, and Whaling Steamer Balaena . Of the 246 residents, 189 were Natives, 46 were White, one was Asian, and 10 were other races. This did not include nearby Point Barrow, which

1392-1495: The Big Diomede Island was moved to the Siberian mainland after World War II. The following generation of the population spoke Central Siberian Yupik or Russian. The entire population of King Island moved to Nome in the early 1960s. The Bering Strait dialect might also be spoken in Teller on the Seward Peninsula . Qawiaraq dialect : A dialect of Qawiaraq is spoken in Nome . A dialect of Qawariaq may also be spoken in Koyuk , Mary's Igloo , Council, and Elim . The Teller sub-dialect may be spoken in Unalakleet . Malimiutun dialect : Both sub-dialects can be found in Buckland , Koyuk , Shaktoolik , and Unalakleet . A dialect of Malimiutun may be spoken in Deering , Kiana , Noorvik , Shungnak , and Ambler . The Malimiutun sub-dialects have also been classified as "Southern Malimiut" (found in Koyuk , Shaktoolik , and Unalakleet ) and "Northern Malimiut" found in "other villages". North Slope dialect: Common North Slope

1450-557: The Earth's surface lies as far or farther from the equator as Utqiagvik. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 21 sq mi (54 km), of which 3 sq mi (7.8 km) are covered by water (14% of the total area). The predominant land type in Utqiagvik is tundra , which is formed over a permafrost layer that is as deep as 1,300 ft (400 m). Utqiagvik

1508-631: The North Slope Borough created the North Slope Higher Education Center. Renamed Iḷisaġvik College , it is an accredited two-year college providing education based on the Iñupiat culture and the needs of the North Slope Borough. The Tuzzy Consortium Library, in the Iñupiat Heritage Center , serves the communities of the North Slope Borough and functions as the academic library for Iḷisaġvik College. It

1566-464: The State of Alaska, alongside English and nineteen other indigenous languages. In 2018, Facebook added Iñupiaq as a language option on their website. In 2022, an Iñupiaq version of Wordle was created. There are four main dialect divisions and these can be organized within two larger dialect collections: Extra geographical information: Bering Strait dialect: The Native population of

1624-559: The US Bureau of Indian Affairs around 2003. They wrote a constitution and by-laws under the provisions of the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) of 1934. An IRA corporation was also created. Utqiagvik was incorporated as a first-class city under the name Barrow in 1958. Natural gas lines were brought to the town in 1965, eliminating the need for traditional heating sources such as whale blubber. The Barrow Duck-In

1682-494: The amount decreasing each day during the first half of the polar night. On the winter solstice (around December 21 or December 22), civil twilight in Utqiagvik lasts 3 hours. After this, the amount of civil twilight increases each day to around 6 hours at the end of the polar night. Particularly cold weather usually begins in January, and February is generally the coldest month, averaging −11.9 °F (−24.4 °C). By March 1,

1740-534: The city was 57.2% Alaska Native , 21.8% White , 9.4% Asian , 1.0% African American , 1.4% Pacific Islander , 0.7% from other races , 8.5% from two or more races , and 3.3% Hispanics or Latinos of any race. Of the 1,399 households, 56.5% had children under 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were not families. 23.0% of all households were individuals, and 1.8% had someone 65 or older living alone. The average household size

1798-450: The city's name was formally changed from Barrow to Utqiaġvik on December 1, 2016. City Council member Qaiyaan Harcharek said the name change supports the use of the Iñupiaq language and is part of a decolonization process. Another recorded Iñupiaq name is Ukpiaġvik ( IPA: [ukpi.ɑʁvik] ), which comes from ukpik " snowy owl " and is translated as "the place where snowy owls are hunted". A spelling variant of this name

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1856-824: The coast or nearby rivers and lakes. Utqiagvik is the headquarters of the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation , one of the Alaska Native corporations set up following the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971 to manage revenues and invest in development for their people in the region. Inupiaq language The major varieties of the Iñupiaq language are the North Slope Iñupiaq and Seward Peninsula Iñupiaq dialects. The Iñupiaq language has been in decline since contact with English in

1914-466: The daily mean temperature rises above freezing, and the normal daily mean temperature remains above freezing until September 21. July is the year's warmest month, with an average temperature of 41.7 °F (5.4 °C). Beginning in mid-July, the Arctic Ocean is relatively ice-free until late October. The highest temperature recorded in Utqiagvik was 79 °F (26 °C) on July 13, 1993, while

1972-460: The day. October is usually the month with the heaviest snowfall, with measurable amounts occurring on over half the days and a 1991−2020 normal total accumulation of 10.3 in (26 cm). Sunlight is around 6 hours per day by the end of October. When the sun sets on November 18, it stays below the horizon until January 23, resulting in a polar night that lasts about 66 days. When the polar night starts, about 6 hours of civil twilight occur, with

2030-712: The entire Arctic coast and much of the surrounding inland areas. The Iñupiaq dialects are the most conservative forms of the Inuit language, with less linguistic change than the other Inuit languages. In the mid to late 19th century, Russian, British, and American colonists made contact with Iñupiat people. In 1885, the American territorial government appointed Rev. Sheldon Jackson as General Agent of Education. Under his administration, Iñupiat people (and all Alaska Natives) were educated in English-only environments, forbidding

2088-813: The freezing point on an average of only 136 days per year, and 92 days have a maximum at or below 0 °F (−18 °C). Freezing temperatures and snowfall can occur during any month of the year. Regarding precipitation, Utqiagvik has a desert climate and averages less than 6 in (150 mm) "rainfall equivalent" per year. One inch of rain has an estimated water content equal to 12 in (30 cm) of snow. According to 1981−2010 normals, this includes 37 in (94 cm) of snow, compared to 99 in (250 cm) for Kuujjuaq in Nunavik , Quebec , or 87 in (220 cm) and 69 in (180 cm) for much warmer Juneau and Kodiak, Alaska , respectively. Even Sable Island , at around 44 degrees latitude and under

2146-456: The high reaches at least 50 °F (10 °C). Temperatures above 60 °F (16 °C) are rare but have been recorded in most years. Even in July and August, the low falls to or below the freezing mark on an average of 18 days. In addition to its low temperatures and polar night, Utqiagvik is one of the cloudiest places on Earth. Owing to the prevailing easterly winds off the Arctic Ocean, it

2204-482: The ice offshore. After a two-week rescue effort ( Operation Breakthrough ), a Soviet icebreaker freed two of the whales. Journalist Tom Rose details the rescue, and the media frenzy that accompanied it, in his 1989 book Freeing The Whales . The movie Big Miracle is based on the rescue and was released on February 3, 2012. Utqiagvik is roughly 1,300 mi (2,100 km) south of the North Pole . Only 2.6% of

2262-527: The influence of the Gulf Stream , received 44 in (110 cm), or 20 percent more snowfall than Utqiagvik. Snowfall in Utqiagvik has increased in recent years, with an average annual snowfall of 46 in (120 cm) according to the more recent 1991–2020 normals. The annual first snow (defined as snow that will not melt until the next spring) generally falls during the first week of October, when temperatures cease to rise above freezing during

2320-529: The late 19th century. American territorial acquisition and the legacy of boarding schools have created a situation today where a small minority of Iñupiat speak the Iñupiaq language. There is, however, revitalization work underway today in several communities. The Iñupiaq language is an Inuit language , the ancestors of which may have been spoken in the northern regions of Alaska for as long as 5,000 years. Between 1,000 and 800 years ago, Inuit migrated east from Alaska to Canada and Greenland , eventually occupying

2378-410: The lateral and approximant consonants as fricatives). The only exception to this rule is having a voiced fricative consonant appear with a nasal consonant. Since all stops in North Slope are voiceless, a lot of needed assimilation arises from having to assimilate a voiceless stop to a voiced consonant. This process is realized by assimilating the first consonant in the cluster to a consonant that: 1) has

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2436-641: The lower atmosphere, as commonly happens in the interior between the Brooks and the Alaska ranges. Utqiagvik has the lowest average temperatures of cities in Alaska. Although Utqiagvik rarely records the lowest temperatures statewide during cold waves, extremely low wind chill and "white out" conditions from blowing snow are prevalent. Temperatures remain below freezing, 32 F (0 C), from early October through late May, and below 0 °F (−18 °C) from December through March. The high temperature reaches or tops

2494-425: The lowest was −56 °F (−49 °C) on February 3, 1924; the highest minimum was 56 °F (13 °C) on August 5, 2023, while the lowest maximum was −47 °F (−44 °C) on January 3, 1975. On average, during the 1991 to 2020 reference period, the coldest winter maximum was −29 °F (−34 °C) and the warmest summer minimum was 47 °F (8 °C). Utqiagvik records an average 26 days per year where

2552-491: The median income for a family was $ 68,223. Males had a median income of $ 51,959 versus $ 46,382 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 22,902. About 7.7% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 7.2% of those under 18 and 13.1% of those 65 and older. As of December 2022, the city's website says: "The largest city in the North Slope Borough, Utqiagvik, has 4,429 residents, of which approximately 61% are Iñupiat Eskimo." Utqiagvik

2610-478: The prior millenium, as well as to habitation. Thinner sea ice endangers the landing of bowhead whale strikes on offshore ice by springtime whalers. Caribou habitat is also affected while thawing soil threatens homes and municipal and commercial structures. The city's infrastructure is endangered, particularly water, sanitation, power, and road stability. The shoreline is rapidly eroding and has been encroaching on buildings for decades. According to Dr. Harold Wanless of

2668-456: The retail Cape Smythe Whaling and Trading Station. In the late 20th century, the building was used as Brower's Cafe. A United States Post Office was opened in 1901. In 1935, famous humorist Will Rogers and pilot Wiley Post made an unplanned stop at Walakpa Bay, 15 mi (24 km) south of Utqiagvik, en route to the city. As they took off again, their plane stalled and plunged into

2726-533: The same (or closest possible) area of articulation as the consonant being assimilated to; and 2) has the same manner of articulation as the second consonant that it is assimilating to. If the second consonant is a lateral or approximant, the first consonant will assimilate to a lateral or approximant if possible. If not the first consonant will assimilate to a fricative. Therefore: Kami k "to put boots on" + + n iaq "will" + + te "he" → → kami gn iaqtuq or kami ŋn iaqtuq he will put

2784-478: The sun is up for 9 hours, and temperatures begin to warm, although winds are usually higher. Starting on March 23, astronomical night ceases to occur, with only daylight and twilight until the start of the midnight sun in May. This is also true from the end of the midnight sun at the beginning of August until September 22. April brings less extreme temperatures, with an average of 4.0 °F (−15.6 °C), and on April 1,

2842-474: The sun is up for more than 14 hours. By May 1, the sun is up for 19 hours, and by May 10 or 11 (depending on the year's relationship to the nearest leap year), the sun stays above the horizon for the entire day. This phenomenon is known as the midnight sun . The sun does not set for 83 days, until August 1 or 2 (again, depending on the year's relationship to the nearest leap year). In May, temperatures are much warmer, averaging 22.7 °F (−5.2 °C). On June 6,

2900-508: The use of Iñupiaq and other indigenous languages of Alaska. After decades of English-only education, with strict punishment if heard speaking Iñupiaq, after the 1970s, most Iñupiat did not pass the Iñupiaq language on to their children, for fear of them being punished for speaking their language. In 1972, the Alaska Legislature passed legislation mandating that if "a [school is attended] by at least 15 pupils whose primary language

2958-439: The year is limited, with the fall days being windiest. Extreme winds from 40 to 60 mph (64 to 97 km/h) have been recorded every month. Winds average 12 mph (19 km/h) and are typically from the east. See or edit raw graph data . The Arctic region is warming at a rate that is three times the global average, forcing major adjustments to life on the North Slope with regard to hunting and whaling practices over

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3016-407: Was 3.35, and the average family size was 4.80. In Utqiagvik, the age distribution was 27.7% under 18, 13.3% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 3.4% who were 65 or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 63,094.09, and

3074-453: Was 60.5% Alaskan Native, 16.2% White, 8.9% Asian, 8.1% from two or more races, 3.1% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 2.3% Pacific Islander, and 0.9% African. In the census of 2000 , 4,683 persons, 1,399 households, and 976 families were reported living in the city. The population density was 249.0 inhabitants per square mile (96.1/km). There were 1,620 housing units at an average density of 88.1 per square mile (34.0/km). The racial makeup of

3132-582: Was a civil disobedience event that occurred in the spring of 1961. During the Duck-in, the Iñupiat protested a federal hunting ban on ducks, which threatened their livelihood and access to food security. The residents of the North Slope were the only Native people to vote on the acceptance of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act ; they rejected it. The Act was passed in December 1971 and, despite their opposition, became law. The Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation

3190-412: Was a separate community. In 1900, the community reported again as "Cape Smythe Settlements". In 1910, it first reported as Barrow and did so in every successive census to 2010. The community formally incorporated in 1959. The native name Utqiagvik was adopted in 2016 and was used in the 2020 census. In the 2010 United States Census , 4,212 persons were reported living in the city. The city's racial makeup

3248-552: Was adopted by the Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation when it was established in 1973. Archaeological sites in the area indicate the Iñupiat lived around Utqiagvik as far back as 500 AD. Remains of 16 sod dwelling mounds , from the Birnirk culture of about 800 AD, can be seen on the shore of the Arctic Ocean. Located on a slight rise above the high-water mark, they risk being lost to erosion. Bill Streever, who chairs

3306-399: Was named after Evelyn Tuzroyluk Higbee, an influential community leader. Utqiagvik, like many communities in Alaska, has enacted a "damp" law prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages. However, the import, possession, and consumption of such beverages are still allowed. In 1988, Utqiagvik became the center of worldwide media attention when three California gray whales became trapped in

3364-534: Was originally a general designation because non-native Alaskan residents found it easier to pronounce than the Inupiat name. Point Barrow was named after Sir John Barrow of the British Admiralty by explorer Frederick William Beechey in 1825. A U.S. post office was established in 1901, which helped the name "Barrow" to become dominant. Following a referendum approved by residents on October 6, 2016,

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