Nuiqsut, Alaska
Encyclopedia
Nuiqsut is a city in North Slope Borough, Alaska
, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 433.
Nuiqsut is in the North Slope Borough on the Nechelik Channel, about 35 miles from the Beaufort Sea coast. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 9.2 square miles (23.8 km²), all of it land. Air travel provides the only year-round access to Nuiqsut. It's accessible during the winter via an ice road
and was featured in season four episode of the History channel series Ice Road Truckers
, when a convoy of truckers delivered supplies to the village.
, 0.23% Black or African American
, 88.22% Native American
, 0.46% Asian
, and 0.92% from two or more races. 0.23% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos
of any race.
There were 110 households out of which 54.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.7% were married couples living together, 22.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.3% were non-families. 15.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 0.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.93 and the average family size was 4.24.
The age distribution was 42.0% under 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 13.6% from 45 to 64, and 4.4% who were 65 or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females there were 147.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 130.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $48,036, and the median income for a family was $46,875. Males had a median income of $31,667 versus $25,625 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,876. About 3.2% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Native traditions such as hunting (whale, caribou, fox, ptarmigan, etc.) and the making of native clothes and crafts continues, although the influence of modern society has reduced both need and interest in these activities to some degree. The traditional whale hunted by the whalers of Nuiqsut is the Bowhead 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. At the 2000 census the population was 433.
Geography
Nuiqsut is located at 70°12′59"N 151°0′21"W (70.216338, -151.005725).Nuiqsut is in the North Slope Borough on the Nechelik Channel, about 35 miles from the Beaufort Sea coast. 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 9.2 square miles (23.8 km²), all of it land. Air travel provides the only year-round access to Nuiqsut. It's accessible during the winter via an ice road
Ice road
Ice roads are frozen, human-made structures on the surface of bays, rivers, lakes, or seas in the far north. They link dry land, frozen waterways, portages and winter roads, and are usually remade each winter. Ice roads allow temporary transport to areas with no permanent road access...
and was featured in season four episode of the History channel series Ice Road Truckers
Ice Road Truckers
Ice Road Truckers is a documentary-style reality television series that premiered on History on June 17, 2007.-History:In 2000, History aired a 46-minute episode titled "Ice Road Truckers" as part of the Suicide Missions series...
, when a convoy of truckers delivered supplies to the village.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 433 people, 110 households, and 90 families residing in the city. The population density was 47.0 people per square mile (18.2/km²). There were 126 housing units at an average density of 13.7 per square mile (5.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 10.16% WhiteWhite American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 0.23% Black or African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 88.22% Native American
Alaska Natives
Alaska Natives are the indigenous peoples of Alaska. They include: Aleut, Inuit, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, Eyak, and a number of Northern Athabaskan cultures.-History:In 1912 the Alaska Native Brotherhood was founded...
, 0.46% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, and 0.92% from two or more races. 0.23% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
of any race.
There were 110 households out of which 54.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.7% were married couples living together, 22.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.3% were non-families. 15.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 0.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.93 and the average family size was 4.24.
The age distribution was 42.0% under 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 13.6% from 45 to 64, and 4.4% who were 65 or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females there were 147.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 130.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $48,036, and the median income for a family was $46,875. Males had a median income of $31,667 versus $25,625 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 $14,876. About 3.2% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Business, commerce and social centers
There is one commercial store in Nuiqsut, one mail receiving location (operated by the Kuukpik Native Corporation not the United States Postal Service), and one church (Presbyterian). Other areas of social activity include the city recreation center and the school. An elder's living center is currently being built.Education
There is one school in Nuiqsut for grades kindergarten through 12th grade. The school also provides preschool. There are approximately 100 students. There are approximately 9 teachers and 6 other staff members. Many community functions are held in the school and it serves as social center as well as school. The school facilities also serve as an emergency shelter for the community in times of power outages.Culture and history
The native persons of the village are Inupiat Eskimo. The village was re-established in the early 1970s when these persons moved to the region from Barrow, Alaska. For one year the residents lived in tents while housing was built. These original residents were the first to receive dividends from the oil companies in exchange for land use. The dividends are passed from the original shareholders on to the community member of their choice (often parent to child).Native traditions such as hunting (whale, caribou, fox, ptarmigan, etc.) and the making of native clothes and crafts continues, although the influence of modern society has reduced both need and interest in these activities to some degree. The traditional whale hunted by the whalers of Nuiqsut is the Bowhead Whale
Bowhead Whale
The bowhead whale is a baleen whale of the right whale family Balaenidae in suborder Mysticeti. A stocky dark-colored whale without a dorsal fin, it can grow to in length. This thick-bodied species can weigh to , second only to the blue whale, although the bowhead's maximum length is less than...
.