Abstract

There are numerous definitions of the Arctic according to the One Health concept, which adopts a broad, holistic approach to the health of humans, wildlife, and the environment. The different definitions of the Arctic are used in different ways to examine health impacts. Using a variety of sources, there are from four to ten million people living in the Arctic, of whom 500,000 to 1,000,000 belong to numerous Arctic indigenous groups. There is considerable diversity among arctic regions in population size and composition, growth rates, settlement patterns, and economic structure. In each arctic region, these differences impact the health outcomes of the human populations, such as mortality, morbidity, and quality of life. The major differences in health outcomes are between Arctic indigenous groups and others, mostly migrants from the southern regions of the arctic countries. This chapter describes the demographic and health situations in the different arctic regions.