| Summary/Abstract |
The delicate environmental and political balance that composes the Arctic has made it one of the most hotly contested regions in the world. This fragility poses a direct threat to the traditional lifestyles and fundamental human rights of peoples indigenous to the region. While Antarctica is regulated by a strong treaty system, uninhabited and under international jurisdiction, the Arctic is inhabited by four million people, roughly 10 percent of whom identify as indigenous peoples, and its government is balanced among the eight countries with territory in the region—the USA, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Russia. Decisions regarding the Arctic undergo a complicated process involving local governments, central governments, indigenous councils, and the Arctic Council—an international forum of Arctic states and interest groups. With its many levels and stakeholders, the system is far from efficient or effective.
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