Sea ice
Around four million people live in the Arctic, with many of them living near the sea. Many of these people have lived here for centuries, and have learned to use and depend on the sea ice to live. In particular, coastal residents of the Arctic travel over the sea ice and use it to hunt animals. This hunting is done both for food and to make clothes. Because some people spent a lot of their lives on the ice, it becomes very important to them and their communities.