Few people live on the Arctic tundra but those who do are spread all around the polar region. Most people who live in areas of alpine tundra make their homes below the tree line. In some areas, however, people live below the tree line in winter and move onto the tundra in summer. The Kohistani people of Pakistan, for example, move from 2,000 feet (600 meters) in winter to 14,000 feet (4,300 meters) in summer. Swiss farmers move their goats to the tundra to graze during the summer. While there, the farmers raise some crops and make butter and cheese.

The native lifestyles discussed in this chapter represent traditional ways of life. Most tundra peoples, however, have adopted more modern lifestyles.

Impact of the Tundra on Human Life

The Arctic tundra is a harsh land, and life is shaped by the bitter cold. For humans, a few minutes' exposure to...