Inhabitants
For thousands of years, a number of native groups have survived in the Arctic. Reliant on the land and sea for everything, they have survived because they are experts in polar survival. These groups include the Inuit who live in Northern Canada (Inuit means `people'), the Chuckchi in the Siberian Arctic and Saami in northern Scandinavia. About 2 million people live north of 60ºN around the Arctic.
Walrus feeding hole - Steve Canipe
Antarctica has no permanent inhabitants simply because it is too cold for anyone to live there without a lot of support. As the continent is also very remote from the rest of the world - South America is the closest continent - about 3,000 km away - the supply of essential items such as food and shelter, is quite difficult. Currently, only scientists and their support staff live in Antarctica.
Antarctic scientists looking at ice cores courtesy of BAS
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Poles apart - Antarctica and the Arctic 