Towards estimating the indigenous population in circumpolar regions

Area of Science:

• Arctic studies
• Demographics
• Indigenous populations

Background:

• Indigenous peoples are vital to the Arctic, yet their population size and distribution remain unquantified.
• Accurate demographic data is crucial for understanding and addressing the needs of circumpolar communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the total population of indigenous peoples within the Arctic Council member states.
• To identify the distribution and approximate numbers of distinct indigenous groups across the Arctic region.

Main Methods:

• Defined indigenous peoples based on "permanent participants" of the Arctic Council.
• Utilized national census data (Canada, Russia, US), proxy measures (Greenland), and diverse sources like voter lists and cohort studies (Nordic countries).

Main Results:

• An estimated 1.13 million indigenous people inhabit the Arctic regions of the 8 member states.
• Key groups include Inuit (145,900), Sami (76,300), Aleut (8,100), and Athabaskans (32,400), with a significant population of 866,400 in other Russian indigenous groups.
• Methodological challenges and data gaps were identified across different regions.

Conclusions:

• This study presents the first comprehensive population estimate for Arctic indigenous peoples.
• Significant complexities and knowledge gaps exist in quantifying circumpolar populations.
• Further discussion and improved data collection are needed to support health strategies for indigenous Arctic inhabitants.