Map of the countries with research stations in the Arctic
Countries with research stations in the Arctic (blue)
Location of some of the major research stations in the Arctic

A number of governments maintain permanent research stations in the Arctic. Also known as Arctic bases, polar stations or ice stations, these bases are widely distributed across the northern polar region of Earth.

Historically few research stations have been permanent. Most of them were temporary, being abandoned after the completion of the project or owing to lack of funding to continue the research. Some of these were military or listening posts created as a result of the proximity of the U.S. and Soviet Union to each other's landmass across the polar region.

Ice stations are constructed on land or on ice that rests on land, while others are drifting ice stations built on the sea ice of the high latitudes of the Arctic Ocean.

Research stations

Active research stations
Station nameLocationOperating countryYear establishedSummer populationWinter population
Abisko Scientific Research StationAbisko, SápmiSweden19031212
Adam Mickiewicz University Polar StationPetuniabukta, Svalbard, NorwayPoland2011
Alomar ObservatoryAndøya Space, Andøya, SvalbardNorway1994
Arctic Yellow River StationNy-Ålesund, Svalbard, NorwayChina2003252
AWIPEV Arctic Research Station (Rabot/Jean Corbel Stations)Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, NorwayFrance Germany2003/196340/<83
Barrow ObservatoryPoint Barrow, AlaskaUnited States197322
Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS) campusCambridge Bay, NunavutCanada20192626
E. K. Fyodorov Hydrometeorological Observatory (ex Chelyuskin Polar Station)Cape Chelyuskin, Krasnoyarsk KraiRussia Soviet Union1932
Chetyrokhstolbovoy Polar StationMedvezhyi Islands, SakhaRussia Soviet Union1933
China-Iceland Arctic Science Observatory(CIAO)Kárhóll, IcelandChina Iceland2018
Churchill Northern Studies Centre (CNSC)Churchill, ManitobaCanada197688
Czech Arctic Research StationLongyearbyen and Petuniabukta, Svalbard, NorwayCzech Republic201442
DaneborgWollaston Foreland, GreenlandDenmark194412
DanmarkshavnDove Bay, GreenlandDenmark19066
Dirigibile Italia Arctic StationNy-Ålesund, Svalbard, NorwayItaly19977
Dr. Neil Trivett Global Atmosphere Watch ObservatoryAlert, NunavutCanada1986
Flashline Mars Arctic Research StationDevon Island, NunavutCanada200199
Gurreholm Research StationJameson Land, GreenlandDenmark1937
HimadriNy-Ålesund, Svalbard, NorwayIndia20088
Igloolik Research CentreIgloolik, NunavutCanada19752210
IndARCKongsfjorden, Svalbard, NorwayIndia2014
International Biological Station Lena-NordenskiöldTiksi, SakhaRussia1995
Iqaluit Research CentreIqaluit, NunavutCanada19782010
Kevo Research StationKevoFinland1958127
Kilpisjärvi Biological StationKilpisjärviFinland1964
Kiruna Atmospheric and Geophysical ObservatoryKirunaSweden1957
Kluane Lake Research StationKluane Lake, YukonCanada196135
Koldewey StationNy-Ålesund, Svalbard, NorwayGermany1991
Labytnangi Ecological Research StationLabytnangi, Yamalo-NenetsRussia Soviet Union195425
McGill Arctic Research StationAxel Heiberg Island, NunavutCanada1960120
MestersvigScoresby Land, GreenlandDenmark1956402
Mývatn Research StationMývatnIceland1975
Netherlands Arctic Station, Univ GroningenNy-Ålesund, Svalbard, NorwayNetherlands1995
Nicolaus Copernicus University Polar StationKaffiøyra, Svalbard, NorwayPoland197520
Station NordPrincess Ingeborg Peninsula, GreenlandDenmark1952255
Northeast Science StationChersky, SakhaRussia Soviet Union1977655
Ny-ÅlesundSpitsbergen, SvalbardNorway196711735
Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL)Eureka, NunavutCanada1993
Polish Polar StationHornsund, Svalbard, NorwayPoland195710
Prima Polar StationCape Baranov, Bolshevik Island, Severnaya ZemlyaRussia Soviet Union1986
Samoylov StationLena Delta Wildlife Reserve, SakhaRussia1998168
Sermilik StationAmmassalik Island, GreenlandAustria Denmark1970, 2023306
Sodankylä Arctic Research CentreSodankyläFinland19493020
Stanisław Baranowski Spitsbergen Polar StationWerenskioldbreen, Svalbard, NorwayPoland1971
Summit StationNear summit of the Greenland ice sheet, GreenlandUnited States1989505
Thule Research StationPituffik, GreenlandDenmark199510
Toolik Field StationToolik Lake, AlaskaUnited States1975175
Troynoy Island Polar StationIzvestiy TSIK Islands, Krasnoyarsk KraiRussia Soviet Union195350
Tundra Ecosystem Research Station (TERS)Daring Lake, Northwest TerritoriesCanada1994300
University of Copenhagen Arctic StationQeqertarsuaq, GreenlandDenmark190639
Ward Hunt Island Observatory Research StationWard Hunt Island, NunavutCanada195790
Western Arctic Research CentreInuvik, Northwest TerritoriesCanada196434
Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik Research ComplexWhapmagoostui, QuebecCanada197128
White Sea Biological Station (WSBS MSU)Chupa, Republic of KareliaRussia Soviet Union193818050
Villum Research StationStation Nord, North GreenlandDenmark199014
Vize Island Arctic Research StationVize Island, Krasnoyarsk KraiRussia Soviet Union19450
Zackenberg StationWollaston Foreland, GreenlandDenmark1997250
ZeppelinZeppelinfjellet, SvalbardNorway1990
Inactive research stations
Station nameLocationOperating countryYear establishedYear deactivatedStatus
Begichev Polar StationMaly Begichev Island, Krasnoyarsk KraiRussia Soviet UnionAbandoned
Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Polar StationBolshoy Lyakhovsky Island. SakhaRussia Soviet UnionAbandoned
Borg wintering stationOff Borgjokel, Queen Louise Land, GreenlandDenmark19121913Abandoned
EismitteGreenland ice sheet, GreenlandGermany19301931Abandoned
Britannia Sø Field CampBritannia Lake, Queen Louise Land, GreenlandUK19521954Abandoned
BrønlundhusPeary Land, GreenlandDenmark1947Transformed into a museum
Buor-Khaya Polar StationBuor-Khaya Gulf, SakhaRussia Soviet UnionAbandoned
Centrumsø Research StationCentrum Lake, GreenlandDenmark1954Abandoned
Dye 3Four different locations in southern GreenlandUnited States19711991
Ernst Krenkel ObservatoryHeiss Island, Arkhangelsk OblastSoviet Union19561980
Golomyanniy Island Polar StationSredniy Island, off Severnaya ZemlyaRussia Soviet Union1954
Heiberg Polar StationHeiberg Islands, Krasnoyarsk KraiRussia Soviet Union19401995
Isachsen StationEllef Ringnes Island, NunavutCanada19481978
Izluchin Polar StationKomsomolets Island, Severnaya Zemlya, Krasnoyarsk KraiRussia Soviet UnionAbandoned
Kap Harald MoltkePeary Land, GreenlandDenmark1972
Kigilyakh Research StationKigilyakh Peninsula, Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Island, New Siberian IslandsRussia Soviet Union
Kolyuchin Polar StationKolyuchin Island, ChukotkaRussia Soviet Union1990sAbandoned
Lavrentiya Research StationLavrentiya, ChukotkaRussia Soviet Union
NEEM CampNorthern Greenland ice sheet, GreenlandDenmark20082015
North IceNorthern Greenland ice sheet, GreenlandUnited Kingdom19521954
OststationJameson Land, GreenlandGermany19301931Abandoned
Peschanny Polar StationCape Unslicht, Bolshevik Island, Severnaya ZemlyaRussia Soviet UnionAbandoned
Popov Polar StationBely Island, Yamalo-NenetsRussia Soviet Union19332001
Preobrazheniya Polar StationPreobrazheniya Island, SakhaRussia Soviet UnionAbandoned
Provideniya Research StationProvideniya, ChukotkaRussia Soviet Union
Resolute Nunavut StationResolute, NunavutCanada1947
Russky Island Arctic StationRussky Island, Nordenskiöld Archipelago, Krasnoyarsk KraiRussia Soviet Union19351999
Samuila Polar StationSamuila Island, Komsomolskaya Pravda Islands, Krasnoyarsk KraiRussia Soviet UnionAbandoned
Solnechny Polar StationSolnechny Bay, Bolshevik Island, Severnaya ZemlyaRussia Soviet Union1952Abandoned
Stolbovoy Meteorological StationStolbovoy Island, SakhaRussia Soviet UnionAbandoned
Tuktoyaktuk StationTuktoyaktuk, Northwest TerritoriesCanada1997
Tyrtov Island Polar StationTyrtov Island, Nordenskiöld Archipelago, Krasnoyarsk KraiRussia Soviet Union19401975
Uedineniya Polar StationUyedineniya Island, Krasnoyarsk KraiRussia Soviet Union1996
Ushakov Island Polar StationUshakov Island, Krasnoyarsk KraiRussia Soviet Union19541980s
Vavilov Meteorological StationOctober Revolution Island, Severnaya ZemlyaRussia Soviet Union19741988
Willem Barents Biological StationMeduza Bay, Krasnoyarsk KraiRussia Soviet Union
Wrangel Island Cape Blossom StationCape Blossom, Wrangel Island, ChukotkaRussia Soviet Union
Wrangel Island Ushakovskoye StationUshakovskoye, Wrangel Island, ChukotkaRussia Soviet Union
Yenisei Ecological StationMirnoye, Turukhansky District, Krasnoyarsk KraiRussia Soviet Union

Drifting ice stations

Station nameHead of the first shiftDrift start dateDrift end dateDrift start coordinateDrift end coordinateDrift distance (km)
North Pole-1I.D.PapaninMay 21, 1937February 19, 193889°25′N 78°40′W/89.417°N 78.667°W/ 89.417; -78.667(North Pole-1 (start))70°40′N 19°16′W/70.667°N 19.267°W/ 70.667; -19.267(North Pole-1 (finish))2,850
North Pole-2M.M.SomovApril 2, 1950April 11, 195176°03′N 166°36′W/76.050°N 166.600°W/ 76.050; -166.600(North Pole-2 (start))81°44′N 163°48′W/81.733°N 163.800°W/ 81.733; -163.800(North Pole-2 (finish))2,600
Fletcher's Ice Island19521978
North Pole-3A.F.TrioshnikovApril 4, 1954April 20, 195585°58′N 175°00′W/85.967°N 175.000°W/ 85.967; -175.000(North Pole-3 (start))86°00′N 24°00′W/86.000°N 24.000°W/ 86.000; -24.000(North Pole-3 (finish))1,865
North Pole-4E.I.TolstikovApril 8, 1954April 19, 195775°48′N 178°25′W/75.800°N 178.417°W/ 75.800; -178.417(North Pole-4 (start))85°52′N 00°00′W/85.867°N -0.000°E/ 85.867; -0.000(North Pole-4 (finish))6,970
North Pole-5N.A.VolkovApril 21, 1955October 8, 195682°10′N 156°51′E/82.167°N 156.850°E/ 82.167; 156.850(North Pole-5 (start))84°18′N 63°20′E/84.300°N 63.333°E/ 84.300; 63.333(North Pole-5 (finish))3,630
North Pole-6K.A.SychevApril 19, 1956September 14, 195974°24′N 177°04′W/74.400°N 177.067°W/ 74.400; -177.067(North Pole-6 (start))82°06′N 03°56′E/82.100°N 3.933°E/ 82.100; 3.933(North Pole-6 (finish))8,650
North Pole-7V.A.VedernikovApril 23, 1957April 11, 195982°06′N 164°11′W/82.100°N 164.183°W/ 82.100; -164.183(North Pole-7 (start))85°14′N 33°03′W/85.233°N 33.050°W/ 85.233; -33.050(North Pole-7 (finish))3,520
North Pole-8V.M.RogachyovApril 27, 1959March 19, 196276°11′N 164°24′W/76.183°N 164.400°W/ 76.183; -164.400(North Pole-8 (start))83°15′N 132°30′W/83.250°N 132.500°W/ 83.250; -132.500(North Pole-8 (finish))6,090
North Pole-9V.A.ShamontyevApril 26, 1960March 28, 196177°23′N 163°00′E/77.383°N 163.000°E/ 77.383; 163.000(North Pole-9 (start))86°36′N 76°00′W/86.600°N 76.000°W/ 86.600; -76.000(North Pole-9 (finish))2,660
North Pole-10N.A.KornilovOctober 17, 1961April 29, 196475°27′N 177°10′E/75.450°N 177.167°E/ 75.450; 177.167(North Pole-10 (start))88°32′N 90°30′E/88.533°N 90.500°E/ 88.533; 90.500(North Pole-10 (finish))3,960
North Pole-11N.N.BryazginApril 16, 1962April 20, 196377°10′N 165°58′W/77.167°N 165.967°W/ 77.167; -165.967(North Pole-11 (start))81°10′N 139°34′W/81.167°N 139.567°W/ 81.167; -139.567(North Pole-11 (finish))2,400
North Pole-12L.N.BelyakovApril 30, 1963April 25, 196576°50′N 165°34′W/76.833°N 165.567°W/ 76.833; -165.567(North Pole-12 (start))81°06′N 145°47′W/81.100°N 145.783°W/ 81.100; -145.783(North Pole-12 (finish))1,595
North Pole-13A.Ya. BuzuyevApril 22, 1964April 20, 196773°55′N 161°19′W/73.917°N 161.317°W/ 73.917; -161.317(North Pole-13 (start))87°55′N 03°32′E/87.917°N 3.533°E/ 87.917; 3.533(North Pole-13 (finish))3,545
North Pole-14Yu. B.KonstantinovMay 1, 1965February 12, 196672°42′N 175°25′W/72.700°N 175.417°W/ 72.700; -175.417(North Pole-14 (start))76°59′N 154°49′E/76.983°N 154.817°E/ 76.983; 154.817(North Pole-14 (finish))1,040
North Pole-15V.V.PanovApril 15, 1966March 25, 196878°49′N 168°08′E/78.817°N 168.133°E/ 78.817; 168.133(North Pole-15 (start))85°45′N 10°30′W/85.750°N 10.500°W/ 85.750; -10.500(North Pole-15 (finish))2,330
North Pole-16Yu. B.KonstantinovApril 10, 1968March 22, 197275°31′N 172°00′W/75.517°N 172.000°W/ 75.517; -172.000(North Pole-16 (start))86°00′N 85°27′W/86.000°N 85.450°W/ 86.000; -85.450(North Pole-16 (finish))5,850
North Pole-17N.I.BlinovApril 18, 1968October 16, 196980°30′N 165°26′E/80.500°N 165.433°E/ 80.500; 165.433(North Pole-17 (start))86°48′N 25°20′E/86.800°N 25.333°E/ 86.800; 25.333(North Pole-17 (finish))1,750
North Pole-18N.N.OvchinnikovOctober 9, 1969October 24, 197175°10′N 165°02′W/75.167°N 165.033°W/ 75.167; -165.033(North Pole-18 (start))86°06′N 153°51′E/86.100°N 153.850°E/ 86.100; 153.850(North Pole-18 (finish))5,240
North Pole-19A.N.ChilingarovNovember 7, 1969April 16, 197374°54′N 160°13′E/74.900°N 160.217°E/ 74.900; 160.217(North Pole-19 (start))83°08′N 16°17′E/83.133°N 16.283°E/ 83.133; 16.283(North Pole 19- (finish))6,705
North Pole-20Yu. P.TikhonovApril 22, 1970May 17, 197275°56′N 175°22′E/75.933°N 175.367°E/ 75.933; 175.367(North Pole-20 (start))81°44′N 166°47′W/81.733°N 166.783°W/ 81.733; -166.783(North Pole-20 (finish))3,780
North Pole-21G.I.KizinoApril 30, 1972May 17, 197474°06′N 178°15′E/74.100°N 178.250°E/ 74.100; 178.250(North Pole-21 (start))86°16′N 143°35′E/86.267°N 143.583°E/ 86.267; 143.583(North Pole-21 (finish))3,605
North Pole-22V.G.MorozSeptember 13, 1973April 8, 198276°16′N 168°31′W/76.267°N 168.517°W/ 76.267; -168.517(North Pole-22 (start))86°10′N 00°00′W/86.167°N -0.000°E/ 86.167; -0.000(North Pole-22 (finish))17,069
North Pole-23V.M.PiguzovDecember 5, 1975November 1, 197873°51′N 178°25′W/73.850°N 178.417°W/ 73.850; -178.417(North Pole-23 (start))87°40′N 22°31′W/87.667°N 22.517°W/ 87.667; -22.517(North Pole-23 (finish))5,786
North Pole-24I.K.PopovJune 23, 1978November 19, 198076°45′N 163°00′E/76.750°N 163.000°E/ 76.750; 163.000(North Pole-24 (start))86°03′N 29°40′E/86.050°N 29.667°E/ 86.050; 29.667(North Pole-24 (finish))5,652
North Pole-25V.S.SidorovMay 16, 1981April 20, 198475°01′N 168°35′E/75.017°N 168.583°E/ 75.017; 168.583(North Pole-25 (start))85°50′N 122°15′W/85.833°N 122.250°W/ 85.833; -122.250(North Pole-25 (finish))5,754
North Pole-26V.S.SidorovMay 21, 1983April 9, 198678°30′N 174°46′E/78.500°N 174.767°E/ 78.500; 174.767(North Pole-26 (start))82°46′N 170°31′W/82.767°N 170.517°W/ 82.767; -170.517(North Pole-26 (finish))5,380
North Pole-27Yu. P.TikhonovJune 2, 1984May 20, 198778°31′N 160°30′E/78.517°N 160.500°E/ 78.517; 160.500(North Pole-27 (start))86°28′N 09°02′W/86.467°N 9.033°W/ 86.467; -9.033(North Pole-27(finish))5,655
North Pole-28A.F.ChernyshovMay 21, 1986January 23, 198980°40′N 168°29′E/80.667°N 168.483°E/ 80.667; 168.483(North Pole-28 (start))79°40′N 03°09′E/79.667°N 3.150°E/ 79.667; 3.150(North Pole-28 (finish))7,634
North Pole-29V.V.LukinJune 10, 1987August 19, 198880°22.8′N 112°59′E/80.3800°N 112.983°E/ 80.3800; 112.983(North Pole-29 (start))84°42.8′N 56°34.3′W/84.7133°N 56.5717°W/ 84.7133; -56.5717(North Pole-29 (finish))2,686
North Pole-30V.M.PiguzovOctober 9, 1987April 4, 199174°18′N 171°24′W/74.300°N 171.400°W/ 74.300; -171.400(North Pole-30 (start))82°31′N 126°26′W/82.517°N 126.433°W/ 82.517; -126.433(North Pole-30 (finish))7,675
North Pole-31V.S.SidorovOctober 22, 1988July 25, 199176°35′N 153°10′W/76.583°N 153.167°W/ 76.583; -153.167(North Pole-31 (finish))73°33′N 161°04′W/73.550°N 161.067°W/ 73.550; -161.067(North Pole-31 (finish))5,475
North Pole-32V.S.KoshelevApril 25, 2003March 6, 200487°52.5′N 148°03′E/87.8750°N 148.050°E/ 87.8750; 148.050(North Pole-32 (start))84°41′N 03°33′W/84.683°N 3.550°W/ 84.683; -3.550(North Pole-32 (finish))2,418
North Pole-33A.A.VishnevskySeptember 9, 2004October 5, 200585°05′N 156°31′E/85.083°N 156.517°E/ 85.083; 156.517(North Pole-33 (start))86°14′N 95°54′E/86.233°N 95.900°E/ 86.233; 95.900(North Pole-33 (finish))3,156
North Pole-34T.V.PetrovskySeptember 19, 2005May 25, 200685°39′N 115°19′E/85.650°N 115.317°E/ 85.650; 115.317(North Pole-34 (start))87°26′N 07°39′E/87.433°N 7.650°E/ 87.433; 7.650(North Pole-34 (finish))2,032
North Pole-35Vladimir ChupunSeptember 21, 2007July 22, 200881°30′N 103°54′E/81.500°N 103.900°E/ 81.500; 103.900(North Pole-35 (start))81°00′N 31°18′E/81.000°N 31.300°E/ 81.000; 31.300(North Pole-35 (finish))3,614
North Pole-36Yuri KatrayevSeptember 7, 2008August 24, 200982°32′N 144°56′E/82.533°N 144.933°E/ 82.533; 144.933(North Pole-36 (start))85°53′N 26°41′W/85.883°N 26.683°W/ 85.883; -26.683(North Pole-36 (finish))2,905
North Pole-37Sergey LesenkovSeptember 7, 2009May 31, 201081°28′N 164°35′W/81.467°N 164.583°W/ 81.467; -164.583(North Pole-37 (start))80°04′N 140°40′W/80.067°N 140.667°W/ 80.067; -140.667(North Pole-37 (finish))2,076
North Pole-38Tomash PetrovskiyOctober 14, 2010September 20, 201176°07′N 176°32′W/76.117°N 176.533°W/ 76.117; -176.533(North Pole-38 (start))83°53′N 154°18′W/83.883°N 154.300°W/ 83.883; -154.300(North Pole-38 (finish))3,024
North Pole-39Alexander IpatovOctober 2, 2011September 15, 201284°10′N 148°49′W/84.167°N 148.817°W/ 84.167; -148.817(North Pole-39 (start))83°57′N 96°44′W/83.950°N 96.733°W/ 83.950; -96.733(North Pole-39 (finish))1,885
North Pole-40Nikolai FomichevOctober 1, 2012June 7, 201385°21′N 142°53′W/85.350°N 142.883°W/ 85.350; -142.883(North Pole-40 (start))82°25′N 130°25′W/82.417°N 130.417°W/ 82.417; -130.417(North Pole-40 (finish))1,736
North Pole-2015Dmitrij MamadalievApril 11, 2015August 9, 201589°34′N 17°08′W/89.567°N 17.133°W/ 89.567; -17.133(North Pole-2015 (start))86°15′N 07°52′W/86.250°N 7.867°W/ 86.250; -7.867(North Pole-2015 (finish))714
Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC Expedition)Markus RexOctober 4, 2019July 30, 202085°00′N 137°00′E/85.000°N 137.000°E/ 85.000; 137.000(MOSAiC (start))N/A1,700

In fiction

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See also

External links

  • Media related to Scientific stations in the Arctic at Wikimedia Commons