Asking where the North Pole is seems like a pretty straightforward question. But did you know the Earth has multiple North Poles, with some sources saying there could be up to 6? And two of these North Poles are always moving.
In this article, I explain the locations of the north poles and the mystery of why some of them are not always in the same place.
When we refer to the North Pole, we usually talk about the Geographical North Pole, the northernmost point on Earth. It is a fixed point in the frozen Arctic Ocean where all lines of the Earth’s longitude converge in the northern hemisphere. This spot is also known as True North, where the North on a map points.
Kaffeklubben Island is the closest land to the North Pole. It is uninhabited and situated off the northeast coast of Greenland. The island is located in the Arctic Circle, approximately 430 miles away.
Alert on Ellesmere Island, Canada, is the closest civilisation to the North Pole, 817 km (508 mi) away. It is one of the most remote and isolated places on Earth.
A modern day political map showing the location of the Geographical North Pole in the Arctic Ocean and surrounding countries.
The North Pole is a place of constant motion and change. The Arctic sea ice covering the Ocean constantly shifts and drifts due to the absence of any land mass beneath it.
This is why Norweigan explorers led by Fridtjof Nansen attempted to reach the North Pole by drifting across it in his ship, The Fram, in 1893. You can reach the North Pole on an icebreaker cruise, but not the South Pole, which is a landmass covered in thick ice.
While the ice pack is constantly moving due to wind and currents, the Geographic North Pole is a fixed position that doesn’t move. At this point, all lines of the Earth’s longitude converge.
Standing on the multi year ice at the North Pole means standing on the Earth’s axis, a spot few people have been. From there, you can see the south from all directions.
But did you know the Earth has more than one North Pole, and it’s moving?
If you’ve ever studied navigation, you’ve likely encountered the concepts of true North and magnetic North. When you look at a compass, the needle points to the Magnetic North Pole. This is where the Earth’s magnetic field points vertically into the planet. It is not the same as the geographic North Pole.
A map has two norths: magnetic and true. The direction of the North can change depending on your location. This is because the magnetic North a compass points to differs from the true North at the Geographic North Pole.
To use a compass and map correctly, you must calculate the declination. The declination is the difference between the compass and the map. This helps you determine the correct direction to go.
The angle of declination varies significantly across the planet. This fascinating map from NCEI shows the declination both currently and historically.
The magnetic pole is moving, and NASA says it has sped up in recent years. Between 1990 and 2005, its speed increased from its previous steady speed of 0-15km a year to over 34-50km per year.
The Magnetic North Pole was found in the Canadian Arctic region in 1831 and has since moved over 600 miles across the region. Currently, it’s moving away from northern Canada towards Siberia.
NOAA reports that in 2024, the magnetic north pole will be located at 86 degrees North and 142 degrees East, approximately 400km south of the Geographic North Pole. As the magnetic North Pole is in a state of movement, this is, of course, an estimate.
A map showing the position of the Magnetic North Pole throughout history and its current trajectory.
What is interesting is the speed and direction in which it has increased in recent years.
Scientists think the magnetic north pole moving towards Siberia is because of the elongation of the flux lobe.
The Earth’s interior is filled with iron, from a solid iron inner core to a molten iron outer core. The inner core spins at a slower rate than the Earth, creating the Earth’s magnetic field.
Although scientists are still studying these effects, much remains unknown. Scientists think that the movement of molten iron and how fast the Earth spins can affect where the magnetic poles are located.
For the first time in history, reaching the magnetic North Pole will be possible. The luxury icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot will be the first to voyage across the Arctic Ocean to reach both North Poles on the Trans Arctic Expedition.
The Earth has between 3 and 6 north poles, depending on who you ask. Let me explain the differences:
A fixed geographical point, known as the terrestrial north pole, located in the Arctic Ocean on top of the globe.
A point that moves because of Earth’s magnetic field. It is about 400 km south of the Geographic North Pole and heading towards Siberia.
A hypothetical point that also moves. Imagine a straight line running through the centre of the Earth’s magnetic field to its matching place in the south. Its current position in the North is 80.7°N 72.7°W, mirrored by its position of 80.7°S at the South Geomagnetic Pole.
The Geomagnetic North Pole is currently located on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada. This is different from the North Magnetic Pole, which is the point on the Earth’s surface where the Earth’s magnetic field points vertically into the planet.
A hypothetical point that also moves. Imagine a straight line running through the centre of the Earth’s magnetic field to its matching place in the south. Its current position in the North is 80.7°N 72.7°W, mirrored by its position of 80.7°S at the South Geomagnetic Pole.
The Geomagnetic North Pole is currently located on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada. This is different from the North Magnetic Pole, which is the point on the Earth’s surface where the Earth’s magnetic field points vertically into the planet.
The place where the lowest-ever air temperature has been recorded in the hemisphere, but its location is debated.
Oymyakon, a town of 462 in Northern Russia, competes for the title with winter averages of −50 °C (−58 °F) and a record low of −67.7 °C (−89.9 °F).
In 2020, Oymyakon was knocked off the world’s coldest spot by the World Meteorological Association. It recorded the lowest-ever temperature of −69.6 °C (−93.3 °F) at the summit of the Greenland Ice Sheet.
So where is North Pole number 6?
North Pole Alaska is a small town located close to Fairbanks and home to 2,373 people. It’s neither the coldest nor the furthest, but it seems fitting to include it by name as it’s known for its Christmas decorations, which last all year round.
A notable attraction in this festive town is the Santa Claus House, a unique Christmas store that showcases children’s letters to Santa. If you are lucky, you can see Santa there as well.
The Geographic North Pole is not located on any continent; it is in the middle of the Arctic Ocean with no landmass underneath it. At the North Pole, the ocean floor is 4 kilometres deep, and the Pole itself is typically covered with 3 meters thick ice floe.
Similarly, the magnetic North Pole and the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility are unrelated to any continent. The exception is the Geomagnetic North Pole, part of the North American continent.
A common question is so what country is the North Pole located in?
No country has ownership of the North Pole or sovereignty over it under international law. Russia, Denmark, and Canada have all staked territorial claims as to its rights.
The dispute will continue because these countries are interested in the area for its mineral rights. The Arctic is believed to have oil and gas reserves worth billions of dollars. While everyone is concerned about the welfare of the Arctic, scientists and conservationists rightfully argue that the area should be protected.
The nearest town to the North Pole with a year round population of over 1000 inhabitants is Longyearbyen in Svalbard located 1316 kilometres to the south. Today many expeditions including icebreaker cruises to the North Pole depart from Longyearbyen.
The closest settlement to the North Pole is the scientific research town of Ny-Ã…lesund on Spitsbergen. It makes sense that many historical expeditions departed from Svalbard, either from Ny-Ã…lesund or uninhabited islands further to the north. `
In 2007, Russia used two submarines to plant a titanium flag on the seabed of the North Pole on the Lomonosov Ridge, which it claims as its territory. At depths of over 2 miles below sea depth, this dive set a world record. This action symbolically represented Russia’s claim to the Arctic and its rights to oil and gas reserves.
The North and South Poles have fundamental differences. Land is under the ice at the South Pole, while at the North Pole, it is a frozen Ocean. The South Pole is more remote than the North Pole, with the nearest civilization located 3,900 km (2425 miles) away at the small settlement of Puerto Toro, the southernmost permanently inhabited community in the world.
Due to its location on ice, the weather at the South Pole is also significantly colder than the North Pole. During the summer, the average temperature at the North Pole is 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit), which is the freezing point of water, with average lows of -40 degrees Celsius and Fahrenheit during the winter.
This starkly contrasts with the South Pole, which has an average temperature of -28.2 degrees Celsius during the summer and a staggering -60 degrees Celsius (-76 degrees Fahrenheit) during the winter. The difference in temperature extremes is explained by the Arctic being covered by an ocean and Antarctica being covered by land. The ocean warms and cools more slowly than land, regulating the temperature and preventing extremes.
Altitude also affects the temperature differences. The North Pole is at sea level, while the South Pole is 2,830 meters above sea level. The higher the altitude, the colder it gets, so this also contributes to the South Pole being much cooler than the North Pole.
No one lives on the North Pole because the sea ice constantly moves, making permanent structures impossible. The climate is also extremely harsh during winter, making it unsuitable for human habitation. Scientists and researchers do not live on the North Pole, either.
Research takes place on icebreakers, drifting ice stations, and camps on the sea ice, all of which are constantly in motion.
While it is rare to see animals at the North Pole, the region is home to diverse species, including walruses, polar bears, seals, and Arctic birds.
In 2001, a polar bear was sighted 13 nautical miles from the North Pole on the Russian Icebreaker Yamal, demonstrating that polar bears can roam anywhere in the Arctic. Please refer to our guide for a complete list of animals in the North Pole region.
Penguins are a species found only in the southern hemisphere, from the Galapagos Islands south. While Antarctica and South Georgia are home to many penguins, the Arctic seems like the perfect home for them. Penguins spend most of their time in the water, hunting for fish.
Since the Arctic lacks land masses for them to live on, they would be stuck in an ocean permanently covered by ice. Antarctica has rich waters and plenty of fish for them to live off. Without this, they would die of starvation.
Yes, it is possible to visit the North Pole. Please refer to our North Pole Travel Guide for more information. Here you can see all of our North Pole Cruises.
I hope this article has given you some insight into the location and the differences between the North Poles.
If you are interested in the geography of the North Pole, check out our article on the History Of North Pole Maps
Thanks for reading.
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