Three Fascinating Facts About the North Pole You Might Not Know

Each Christmas, a flood of letters addressed to Santa arrives at the North Pole.

So, where precisely is the North Pole? Depending on your perspective, there are multiple definitions — the North Pole itself and the North Magnetic Pole.

Here's everything you should know about the legendary — yet very real — land, from Santa's workshop and his address to the country and continent it belongs to.

Where is the North Pole located?

Let's begin with the North Pole you likely have in mind: the Geographic North Pole, often referred to as the Terrestrial North Pole. This is literally the pinnacle of the Earth, the northernmost point on the globe, and the focal point of the Northern Hemisphere.

If you examine a map of the North Pole, you'll see that its location lies in the heart of the Arctic Ocean. So which continent does the North Pole belong to? Unlike Antarctica's South Pole, which sits on solid land, the Geographic North Pole is not located on any landmass, though it is occasionally covered by a floating layer of sea ice, depending on the seasonal temperatures.

With no land to claim, the North Pole and its adjacent high seas do not belong to any nation. The same applies to the North Magnetic Pole, the point on Earth where the planet's magnetic field points directly downward (like a compass needle).

The North Magnetic Pole cannot be claimed by any country, as its location shifts over time due to changes in the Earth's magnetic core. It typically lies within the Arctic Circle, not far from the Geographic North Pole. However, the Arctic region is currently the focus of a fierce territorial dispute involving the United States, Canada, Russia, Norway, and Denmark, which governs Greenland, bordering the Arctic Circle, according to Bloomberg.

What is the Climate Like at the North Pole?

As you might expect, it’s quite cold. Summer temperatures can average around 32 degrees Fahrenheit — the freezing point of water. By Christmas, temperatures plunge even lower, averaging around negative 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

The North Pole is a place of extremes. Due to the tilt of the Earth's axis as it orbits the sun, sunlight is either constant or entirely absent depending on the season, as noted by National Geographic. During summer, the sun remains above the horizon at the North Pole, resulting in 24 hours of daylight. In winter, the sun dips below the horizon, enveloping the region in darkness for 24 hours. In fact, the North Pole experiences only one sunrise and sunset each year, occurring at the March and September equinoxes, respectively, according to the magazine.

The climate at the North Pole may also be undergoing changes due to global warming, as reported by NASA scientists and the Guardian. Record-high temperatures and melting ice caps have raised concerns about the North Pole's ecosystem and its wildlife, along with the threat of rising sea levels potentially flooding coastal cities in the future.

Does Santa Have a Workshop in the North Pole?

Absolutely — but not at the Geographic North Pole, as the constantly shifting ice makes it challenging to maintain a facility that is meant to deliver Christmas gifts to children worldwide.

Instead, Santa's workshop is located at a different North Pole — North Pole, New York, a village in Wilmington. Here, visitors can enjoy the Village of Lights, attend live performances of holiday musicals, and even have breakfast with Santa Claus himself.

Additionally, there's another North Pole in the U.S. that travelers can explore: North Pole, Alaska. While it’s not home to Santa's workshop, the city is famous for its year-round Christmas decorations and the Santa Claus House, a festive store filled with children's letters to Santa. The streets are even named after holiday themes, such as Kris Kringle Drive and Mistletoe Lane.