Kotzebue is located in Northwest Arctic County This settlement is located on the Bering Strait north of the Arctic Circle. It is home to semi-nomadic tribes. Access to the region is by daily commercial flights from Fairbanks, Anchorage and Nome.

Situated on the Baldwin Peninsula on a glacial moraine, it is the second largest Eskimo village in Alaska. The ice breaks up between mid-May and mid-June. The Nana Museum of the Arctic displays jade products.

There are no facilities in Kobuk Valley National Park, but the headquarters is open weekdays 8am to 5pm. For additional information, contact the City of Kotzebue Chamber of Commerce.

Facts about Kotzebue...

It's geographic location:66� 54' N 162� 35' W 99752

Population is about 3,500, approximately 80% Inupiat.

Located in Northwest Alaska, on the tip of the Baldwin Peninsula.

12 feet above sea level.

26 miles above (north of) the Arctic Circle.

550 miles from Anchorage.

200 miles from Russia Far East.

1,940 miles from Seattle.

No roads connecting to "outside" (lower 48 states) or any other community.

Ice roads may be constructed in the winter.

Mean (average) temperature in summer: 50's F.

Mean (average) temperature in winter: -5 to -8 F.

Record high temperature: 85 F July 5, 1958.

Record low temperature: -52 F February 19 and 22, 1968.

Precipitation averages 10.5 inches annually, 7.5 inches of rain, 45 inches of snow.

The coldest month ever recorded was February 1990. The average temperature during this month was -24 F degrees.

Prevailing winds in winter are east; in summer are west.

June 2 to July 9 the sun does not set -- 24 hours of sunlight each day.

Dark enough by late August to see northern lights again.

Just before Christmas sunrise and sunset are about one hour and forty minutes apart.

Kotzebue is the hub of 11 NANA (Northwest Arctic Native Association) Region villages.

NANA Region is size of Indiana but has only 7,500 residents.

Region contains six Conservation units: Cape Krusenstem National Park, Noatak Park and Preserve, Kobuk Valley National Park, Gates of, the Arctic National Park, Bering Land Bridge National Monument, and the Selsaik Wildlife Refuge.

Region is the home of the Northwest Alaska Caribou Herd - more than 500,000 animals.

Other animals present include Grizzly and Black Bear, Wolves, Moose, Wolverine, Sheep and Musk Oxen.

There are no roads leading to Kotzebue, 26 miles north of the Arctic Circle, which is on a Sound bordering the Chukchi Sea. It is 162 miles across the Bering Seas from the Siberian mainland. Kotzebue with a population of approximately 3,500, is a central hub for the surrounding 25,000 square mile area that is home for an additional 4,000 Inupiat Eskimo in eleven villages.

The History of Kotzebue

Kotzebue is on the Baldwin Peninsula in Kotzebue Sound, on a 3-mile-long spit, which ranges in width from 1,100 to 3,600 feet. It is located near the discharges of the Kobuk and Noatak Rivers, 549 air miles northwest of Anchorage and 26 miles above the Arctic Circle. It lies at approximately 66� 54' N Latitude, 162� 35' W Longitude (Sec. 03, T017N, R018W, Kateel River Meridian). The community is located in the Kotzebue Recording District. The area encompasses 27 sq. miles of land and 18 sq. miles of water.

This site has been occupied by Inupiat Eskimos for at least 600 years. "Kikiktagruk" was the hub of ancient arctic trading routes long before European contact, due to its coastal location near a number of rivers. The German Lt. Otto Von Kotzebue "discovered" Kotzebue Sound in 1818 for Russia. The community was named after the Kotzebue Sound in 1899 when a post office was established. Since the turn of the century, expansion of economic activities and services in the area have enabled Kotzebue to develop relatively rapidly. An Air Force Base and White Alice Communications System were later constructed.

Culture

The residents of Kotzebue are primarily Inupiat Eskimos, and subsistence activities are an integral part of the lifestyle. Each summer, the North Tent City fish camp is set up to dry and smoke the season's catch. As a regional economic center, it offers a mixture of government, transportation, and other private sector businesses. The sale of alcohol is banned in the City, although importation or possession are allowed.

Economy

Kotzebue is the service and transportation center for all villages in the northwest region. It has a healthy cash economy, a growing private sector, and a stable public sector. Due to its location at the confluence of three river drainages, Kotzebue is the transfer point between ocean and inland shipping. It is also the air transport center for the region. Activities related to oil and minerals exploration and development have contributed to the economy.

The majority of income is directly or indirectly related to government employment, such as the School District, Maniilaq Association, the City and Borough. The Red Dog Mine is a significant regional employer. Commercial fishing for chum salmon, and processing at Kotzebue Sound Area Fisheries, provide some seasonal employment. 138 residents hold commercial fishing permits. Funding for the State-owned Sikusuliaq Springs Fish Hatchery was recently discontinued, and the City is exploring alternatives to maintain the facility. Most residents rely on subsistence to supplement income.

Transportation

Air is the primary means of transportation year-round. The State-owned Ralph Wien Memorial Airport supports daily jet service to Anchorage and several air taxis to the region's villages. It has a 6,000' main runway and 4,000' crosswind gravel runway. A seaplane base is also operated by the State. The shipping season lasts 100 days, from early July to early October, when the Sound is ice-free.

Due to river sediments deposited by the Noatak River 4 miles above Kotzebue, the harbor is shallow. Deep draft vessels must anchor 15 miles out, and cargo is lightered to shore and warehoused. Crowley Marine Services operates shollow draft barges to deliver cargo to area communities. The City wants to examine the feasibility of developing a deep water port, since the cost of cargo delivery is high with the existing transportation systems. There are 26 miles of local gravel roads, used by cars, trucks and motorcycles during the summer. Snowmachines are preferred in winter for local transportation.

Climate

Kotzebue is located in the transitional climate zone, which is characterized by long, cold winters and cool summers. The average low temperature during January is -12; the average high during July is 58. Temperature extremes have been measured from -52 to 85. Snowfall averages 40 inches, with total precipitation of 9 inches per year. Kotzebue Sound is ice-free from early July until early October.

Facilities Water is supplied by the 150-million-gallon Vortac Reservoir, located one-and-a-half miles from the City. Water is treated and stored in a 1.5-million-gallon storage tank. Water is heated with a waste heat recovery system at the electric plant, and distributed in circulating loops. Piped sewage is treated in a 32-acre zero discharge facultative lagoon west of the airport. Around 80% of homes are fully plumbed, and 521 homes are served by the City system. The 30-year-old PVC water and sewer mains are currently undergoing replacement. A new landfill with baler has recently been completed. A wind energy demonstration project is underway in Kotzebue.