North Slope Borough, Alaska

North Slope Borough
Borough
Point Barrow Refuge Station
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Alaska
Alaska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 69°18′N 153°27′W / 69.3°N 153.45°W / 69.3; -153.45
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Incorporated	July 2, 1972[1][2]
Named for	Alaska North Slope
Seat	Utqiaġvik
Largest city	Utqiaġvik
Area
• Total	94,796 sq mi (245,520 km2)
• Land	88,695 sq mi (229,720 km2)
• Water	6,101 sq mi (15,800 km2)  6.4%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	11,031
• Estimate  (2021)	11,219
• Density	0.12/sq mi (0.045/km2)
Time zone	UTC−9 (Alaska)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−8 (ADT)
Congressional district	At-large
Website	www.north-slope.org

The Anaktuvuk River flows North toward the Arctic Ocean. Much of the North Slope Borough is characterized by vast, uninhabited gently rolling tundra.

The North Slope Borough is the northernmost borough in the US state of Alaska. The borough seat and largest city is Utqiaġvik (known as Barrow from 1901 to 2016), which is also the northernmost settlement in the United States.

History[]

The borough was established in 1972 by an election of the majority Indigenous people in the region, following Congressional passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Most are Inupiat. The borough was named for the Alaska North Slope basin. In 1974 it adopted a Home Rule Charter, enabling it to exercise any legitimate governmental power. The borough has first-class status and exercises the powers of planning, zoning, taxation, and schools. ^[3]

In 2020 airline Ravn Alaska went into bankruptcy and ended operations. The government of North Slope Borough attempted to take control of the airline's assets in an attempt to keep flights and shipments coming to the community, but the Alaska Attorney General stated that the borough did not have that authority.^[4]

Government[]

It has a seven-member assembly body, elected to staggered three-year terms. The borough's executive and administrative powers are vested in a mayor, who is limited to two consecutive three-year terms.

Politics[]

The current mayor, Harry K. Brower Jr, was first elected in July 2016 in a run-off election to serve the rest of former mayor Charlotte Brower's second term. Brower was recalled in April 2016, after it was reported the year before that her office had made numerous donations to individuals (including family members), sports clubs and other groups that amounted to more than $800,000 since 2011.^[5] Former mayor, Eugene Brower, Charlotte's husband, was convicted of tax evasion involving contractor kickbacks three decades earlier.^[6]

Harry Brower is Charlotte's brother-in-law. Her predecessor, Edward Itta, had succeeded George Ahmaogak and served two terms, 2005–2011.^[7] in 2011 Charlotte Brower defeated former mayor, George Ahmaogak, in a runoff after it was revealed that he had billed the Borough for a family vacation in Hawaii. Ahmaogak's wife Maggie, had been convicted of embezzlement from the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission in 2015.^[6][8] Harry Brower ran for a full term as mayor in October 2017, but was forced into a November runoff against his nephew, Frederick Brower, where he easily won a full 3-year term.^[9][10]

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 94,796 square miles (245,520 km²), of which 88,695 square miles (229,720 km²) is land and 6,101 square miles (15,800 km²) (6.4%) is water.^[11] The borough is larger than 39 states.^[12]

Its western coastline is along the Chukchi Sea, while its eastern shores (beyond Point Barrow) are on the Beaufort Sea.

The North Slope Borough is the largest county-level political subdivision in the United States by area, with a larger land area than that of the state of Utah (Utah is the 13th-largest state in the nation). Although the adjacent Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area is larger in area, it has no borough-level government. The borough is the fourth-least densely populated county-level entity in the United States. (The Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area is the least densely populated county-level entity).

Adjacent boroughs and census areas[]

• Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska - southeast
• Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska - southwest

It shares its eastern border with Yukon, Canada, which has no subdivisions.

National protected areas[]

Map of northern Alaska showing location of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), and the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA).

• Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge (part of the Chukchi Sea unit)
  • Cape Lisburne
  • Cape Thompson
• Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (part)
  • Mollie Beattie Wilderness (part)
• Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (part)
  • Gates of the Arctic Wilderness (part)
• Noatak National Preserve (part)
  • Noatak Wilderness (part)

Other federal areas[]

• National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska

Demographics[]

As of the census^[19] of 2020, there were 11,031 people and 1,979 households in the borough. The population density was 0.12 inhabitants per square mile (0.046/km²). There were 2,631 housing units at an average density of 0.03 inhabitants per square mile (0.012/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 53.2% Native American or Alaska Native, 32.7% White, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.8% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 1.6% African American, and 5.3% were from two or more races. 4.6% of the population were veterans and 6.3% of the population was born outside of the United States. The average household size was 3.36 people. 7.9% of the population were under the age of 5, 26.8% were under the age of 18, 65.7% were between the ages of 18 and 64, and 7.5% were age 65 or older. 62.4% of the population were male and 37.6% were female. 86.2% of households contained a computer with 69.8% of households having a broadband Internet connection. 89.7% of the population had a high school diploma or higher with 16.5% having a Bachelor's degree or higher. 79.0% of the population were in the civilian labor force. (72.8% of women) The median household income was $79,306 with the average per capita income from May 2019 to April 2020 was $48,730. 11.4% of the population were in poverty.

As of the census^[20] of 2010, there were 9,430 people, 2,109 households, and 1,524 families residing in the borough. The population density was 12.03 square miles (31.2 km²) per person. There were 2,538 housing units at an average density of 35 square miles (91 km²) per unit. The racial makeup of the borough was 33.37% White, 1% Black or African American, 54.08% Native American, mostly Inuit, 4.51% Asian, 1.1% Pacific Islander, 0.71% from other races, and 5.23% from two or more races. 2.64% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.^[21] 42.84% reported speaking Iñupiaq or "Eskimo" at home, while 4.21% reported speaking Tagalog.^[22]

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,385 people. The racial makeup was 17.09% White, 0.72% Black or African American, 68.38% Native American, mostly Inuit, 5.92% Asian, 0.84% Pacific Islander, 0.50% from other races, and 6.55% from two or more races. 2.37% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,109 households, out of which 48.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% were married couples living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.45 and the average family size was 4.05.

In the borough, the population was spread out, with 38.2% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 18.10% from 45 to 64, and 4.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.90 males.

Communities[]

Cities[]

• Anaktuvuk Pass
• Atqasuk
• Utqiaġvik
• Kaktovik
• Nuiqsut
• Point Hope
• Wainwright

Census-designated places[]

• Point Lay
• Prudhoe Bay

Other unincorporated places[]

• Alpine
• Deadhorse
• Sagwon
• Umiat

See also[]

• Eskimo
• Inuit
• Iñupiat
• Iñupiaq
• List of airports in Alaska
• Nalukataq

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to North Slope Borough, Alaska.

• North-Slope.org - Official Borough Website
• Borough map, 2000 census: Alaska Department of Labor
• Borough map, 2010 census: Alaska Department of Labor

Coordinates: 69°18′N 153°27′W / 69.30°N 153.45°W / 69.30; -153.45