The Arctic Circle is the northernmost area of the 5 major latitudinal circles marking the World Map. The term ‘Arctic’ was coined from the Greek word that meant ‘Near the bear’. With no fixed position, the Arctic Circle’s latitude depends on the axial tilt of the Earth and tidal forces that are caused by the orbit of the Moon. 17,662 km in length, the Arctic Circle passes through the Arctic Ocean, Scandinavian Peninsula, North Asia, Northern America and Greenland. Due to harsh weather and severely cold climates, only 4 million people live in the Arctic Circle.