Circumpolar Population and Agriculture Database

In support of the preparation of the report of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) on the state of the Arctic Environment, UNEP/GRID -Arendal is compiling a circumpolar database of human population and the output of selected products of agriculture and harvesting. The objective of the data collection was to provide support to modelling the flux of radioactivity from the environment to humans through food consumption. The data base is however also useful as a stand-alone source of population and agricultural statistics for the Arctic region. The work was done in co-operation with the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (UK), the Norwegian Mapping Authority, the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority and the AMAP Secretariat.

The data cover the northern parts of all Arctic countries and, wherever possible, are broken down by the 1st-/2nd-level sub-national units. The sources of data have been national and regional statistical offices and survey bureau, agriculture, forestry, wildlife and environment management authorities, research institutions, and international sources as FAO and UNEP. The data cover such themes as total, urban/rural, indigenous/non-indigenous population, and the output (or other related measures) of live-stock, meat, milk, potato, berries, mushrooms, fish, and reindeer. Estimation techniques were used to fill gaps in some of the data sets, e.g. regarding urban/rural population split and the calculation of agricultural output from crop area data and livestock counts. The database exists as a collection of spatial and statistical data sources, including circumpolar coverages of selected themes.

Map produced by the Norwegian Mapping Authority (Environmental Mapping Division)

Contact : David Henry, Nickolai Denisov UNEP/GRID-Arendal, Longum Park, P.O. Box 1602, Myrene, Arendal, N-4801, NORWAY Tel: + 47 370 35650 Fax: + 47 370 35050 E-mail: grid@grida.no | http://www.grida.no/prog/polar/index.htm