subpolära

Subpolära, or subpolar regions, designate zones lying immediately south of the polar regions. In geography, climate, and oceanography, the term denotes a transition area between polar climates and temperate zones. Subpolar areas experience cold winters and relatively short, cool summers, with strong seasonal and latitudinal variation. The climate is often influenced by the proximity of polar air masses, ocean currents, and, in coastal sectors, maritime effects.

Geographically, subpolar zones are not fixed to a single latitude but span large portions of northern high-latitude continents and northern oceans. In the Northern Hemisphere they include parts of northern Canada, Alaska, Greenland (coastal margins), Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and northwestern Russia, extending toward the Arctic. In the Southern Hemisphere, subpolar conditions occur around the subantarctic islands and the southern tips of continents, as well as in the southern oceans where cold Antarctic waters meet warmer subtropical currents.

Ecology and economy: The vegetation is dominated by boreal forests (taiga) and tundra in the coldest sectors, with diverse wildlife adapted to cold climates. Coastal subpolar regions often support productive fisheries; inland areas rely on forestry, mining, and hydroelectric power. Populations are relatively sparse, with Indigenous and local communities present in many subpolar areas. Climate change is affecting subpolar regions through sea-ice retreat, permafrost thaw, and shifts in species distributions.