The North Pole
The Arctic is the area located around the North Pole. When referring to the Arctic, people usually mean the part of the Earth within the Arctic Circle. Although there is no land at the North Pole, the icy Arctic Ocean is teeming with life. There is also a lot of land within the Arctic Circle (northern parts of Asia, Europe and North America). Land within the Arctic Circle is called 'tundra', and it supports less life than most other biomes because of the cold temperatures, strong dry winds, and permafrost (permanently frozen soil). Long periods of darkness (in the winter) and light (in the summer) also affect Arctic life.
When not otherwise qualified, the term 'North Pole' usually refers to the Geographic North Pole - the northern most point on the surface of the Earth, where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects the Earth's surface.
North Pole Climate
The North Pole is significantly warmer than the South Pole because it lies at sea-level in the middle of an ocean (which acts as a reservoir of heat), rather than at altitude in a continental land mass. During the winter (January) temperatures at the North Pole can range from about -43oC (-45oF) to -26oC (-15oF), perhaps averaging around -34oC (-30oF). Summer temperatures (June - August) average around freezing point. The sea ice at the North Pole is typically around two or three metres thick, though occasionally the movement of floes exposes clear water. Some studies have indicated that the average ice thickness has decreased in recent years due to global warming.