Kaktovik, Alaska
Encyclopedia
Kaktovik is a city in North Slope Borough, Alaska
, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 293.
Kaktovik is on the north shore of Barter Island
, between the Okpilak and Jago rivers on the Beaufort Sea
coast. It lies in the 19.6 million acre (79,000 km²) Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), of which, 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (21.00%) is water.
, 75.43% Native American
, 0.34% Asian
, 0.68% from other races
, and 8.87% from two or more races.
There were 89 households out of which 47.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.3% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.29 and the average family size was 3.76.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 35.8% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 110.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $55,624, and the median income for a family was $60,417. Males had a median income of $50,000 versus $38,750 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $22,031. About 9.9% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those sixty five or over.
was a major trade center for the Inupiat and was especially important as a bartering place for Inupiat from Alaska and Inuit
from Canada.
Kaktovik was traditional fishing place—Kaktovik means "Seining Place"—that has a large pond of good fresh water on high ground. It had no permanent settlers until people from other parts of Barter Island and northern Alaska moved to the area around the construction of a runway and Distant Early Warning Line
station in the 1950s. The area was incorporated as the City of Kaktovik in 1971.
Due to Kaktovik's isolation, the village has maintained its Inupiat Eskimo traditions. Subsistence is highly dependent upon the hunting of caribou and whale
.
North Slope Borough, Alaska
-National protected areas:* Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge ** Cape Lisburne** Cape Thompson* Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ** Mollie Beattie Wilderness * Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve...
, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 293.
Geography
Kaktovik is located at 70°7′58"N 143°36′58"W (70.132832, -143.616230).Kaktovik is on the north shore of Barter Island
Barter Island
Barter Island is an island located on the Arctic coast of the U.S. state of Alaska, east of Arey Island in the Beaufort Sea. It is about four miles long and about two miles wide at its widest point....
, between the Okpilak and Jago rivers on the Beaufort Sea
Beaufort Sea
The Beaufort Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, and Alaska, west of Canada's Arctic islands. The sea is named after hydrographer Sir Francis Beaufort...
coast. It lies in the 19.6 million acre (79,000 km²) Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in northeastern Alaska, United States. It consists of in the Alaska North Slope region. It is the largest National Wildlife Refuge in the country, slightly larger than the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), of which, 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (21.00%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 293 people, 89 households, and 70 families residing in the city. The population density was 371.0 people per square mile (143.2/km²). There were 95 housing units at an average density of 120.3 per square mile (46.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 14.68% WhiteRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 75.43% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.34% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.68% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 8.87% from two or more races.
There were 89 households out of which 47.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.3% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.29 and the average family size was 3.76.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 35.8% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 110.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $55,624, and the median income for a family was $60,417. Males had a median income of $50,000 versus $38,750 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $22,031. About 9.9% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those sixty five or over.
History
Until the late nineteenth century Barter IslandBarter Island
Barter Island is an island located on the Arctic coast of the U.S. state of Alaska, east of Arey Island in the Beaufort Sea. It is about four miles long and about two miles wide at its widest point....
was a major trade center for the Inupiat and was especially important as a bartering place for Inupiat from Alaska and Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
from Canada.
Kaktovik was traditional fishing place—Kaktovik means "Seining Place"—that has a large pond of good fresh water on high ground. It had no permanent settlers until people from other parts of Barter Island and northern Alaska moved to the area around the construction of a runway and Distant Early Warning Line
Distant Early Warning Line
The Distant Early Warning Line, also known as the DEW Line or Early Warning Line, was a system of radar stations in the far northern Arctic region of Canada, with additional stations along the North Coast and Aleutian Islands of Alaska, in addition to the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Iceland...
station in the 1950s. The area was incorporated as the City of Kaktovik in 1971.
Due to Kaktovik's isolation, the village has maintained its Inupiat Eskimo traditions. Subsistence is highly dependent upon the hunting of caribou and whale
Whale
Whale is the common name for various marine mammals of the order Cetacea. The term whale sometimes refers to all cetaceans, but more often it excludes dolphins and porpoises, which belong to suborder Odontoceti . This suborder also includes the sperm whale, killer whale, pilot whale, and beluga...
.