Arctic Circle (18,148). Rovaniemi (61,329) in Finland is the largest settlement in the immediate vicinity of the Arctic Circle, lying south of the line. In contrast, the largest North American community north of the Arctic Circle, Sisimiut (Greenland), has approximately 5,000 inhabitants. Of the Canadian and American Arctic communities, Utqiagvik, Alaska is the largest settlement with about 4,000 inhabitants. The Arctic Circle is roughly . The area north of the Circle is about and covers roughly 4% of Earth's surface. The Arctic Circle passes through the Arctic Ocean, the Scandinavian Peninsula, North Asia, Northern America and Greenland. The land within the Arctic
Arctic policy of the European Union challenge of safeguarding the environment while ensuring the sustainable development of the Arctic region. The Commission and High Representative are proposing to focus further development of the EU's policy towards the Arctic on three key areas: In May 2013, Canada blocked the EU entry as an observer on the Arctic Council. Arctic policy of the European Union If the accession of Iceland to the European Union occurs, the EU will increase its Arctic influence and possibly gain permanent observer status in the Arctic Council. The Northern Dimension of European Union policy, established in the late 1990s, intended to deal with