Eight countries have land north of the Arctic Circle: Russia, Canada, the United States (through Alaska), Denmark (through Greenland), Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland, which only just makes it with the small island of Grímsey. They are the same eight that make up the Arctic Council. On a list that counts territories separately, Greenland and Svalbard are places of their own, so nine entries of the 250 reach past the line.
Where the Arctic Circle is
The Arctic Circle runs at about 66°34′ north. North of it, the sun stays above the horizon for at least one full day around the June solstice, and stays below it for at least one day around the December solstice. The farther north you go, the longer the midnight sun and the polar night last.
The line isn't fixed. It follows the tilt of Earth's axis, which changes slowly, so the circle creeps across the map over the years. On Grímsey, a large concrete sphere called Orbis et Globus marks the line, and it was designed to be moved as the circle drifts.
The eight countries, and where to cross
| Country | North of the circle | An easy place to stand on or past the line |
|---|---|---|
| Norway | Northern Norway, Lofoten, Tromsø, North Cape | The Arctic Circle Center on the E6 at Saltfjellet |
| Sweden | Swedish Lapland: Kiruna, Abisko, Jukkasjärvi | The road marker just south of Jokkmokk |
| Finland | Finnish Lapland: northern Rovaniemi, Inari, Levi | Santa Claus Village, Rovaniemi, where the line is painted on the ground |
| Russia | The Kola Peninsula, Murmansk, northern Siberia | Murmansk, the largest city north of the circle |
| United States | Northern Alaska, Utqiaġvik, Prudhoe Bay | The Arctic Circle sign on the Dalton Highway |
| Canada | Northern Yukon, the Northwest Territories, most of Nunavut | The Dempster Highway, on the way to Inuvik |
| Denmark, through Greenland | Most of Greenland: Sisimiut, Ilulissat, Disko Bay | Kangerlussuaq, whose airport sits just north of the line |
| Iceland | Only the island of Grímsey | Grímsey, by ferry or a short flight from the north coast |
Norway
Norway's Arctic is easy to reach. Tromsø and the Lofoten Islands are well north of the line, and the road and the coastal ships both cross it. Far beyond the mainland, Svalbard sits near 78°N at Longyearbyen and has scheduled flights from the mainland.
Sweden and Finland
In both countries the line runs through Lapland. Rovaniemi in Finland has turned it into an attraction, with the circle marked through Santa Claus Village. In Sweden, the Abisko area and Kiruna are the classic bases for the northern lights.
Russia
Russia's Arctic stretches farther than anyone's, from the Kola Peninsula to the Bering Strait. Murmansk is the largest city anywhere north of the line. Check your government's travel advice before planning a trip.
Alaska and Canada
Fairbanks is south of the circle; the Dalton Highway north from it crosses the line at a well-photographed sign. In Canada's Yukon, the Dempster Highway does the same on its way to Inuvik, and since 2017 a road has continued to Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean.
Greenland
Most of Greenland lies north of the circle, though the capital, Nuuk, does not. Ilulissat, on Disko Bay, is the classic stop, next to the Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Iceland
Mainland Iceland stops just short of the circle. Only Grímsey, a small island off the north coast, reaches past it, which is why the island is a pilgrimage for line-crossers.
What about Denmark, Svalbard and the territories?
On the UN's list of 193, Denmark is an Arctic country because Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, though Denmark itself lies far to the south. On the 250 list, Greenland is its own entry, and so is Svalbard and Jan Mayen, which belongs to Norway. The Travelers' Century Club lists Greenland and Spitsbergen separately too, and splits Alaska from the rest of the United States. See do territories count as countries.
So an Arctic trip can be worth very different amounts depending on your list. Tromsø adds Norway, a flight on to Svalbard adds another entry on the 250 list, and a week in Greenland adds a third.
Flying over doesn't count
Flights between Europe and North America often pass over Greenland, and a window seat gives a spectacular view of the ice cap. It isn't a visit. Globestamp is strict about this: a photo taken from a plane never counts, and when a country's only photos look as if they were taken from a plane, it asks you first. To count Greenland, you have to land.
Going north of the circle is also one of the lines on the bucket list, with ideas for where to cross it.