Tree line
Worldwide distribution -- Arctic tree lines
Table:
Location

Approx. longitude

Approx. latitude of tree line

Notes

Norway

24°E

70°N

The North Atlantic current makes Arctic climates in this region warmer than other coastal locations at comparable latitude. In particular the mildness of winters prevents permafrost.

West Siberian Plain

75°E

66°N

Central Siberian Plateau

102°E

72°N

Extreme continental climate means the summer is warm enough to allow tree growth at higher latitudes, extending to northernmost forests of the world at 72°28'N at Ary-Mas (102° 15' E) in the Novaya River valley, a tributary of the Khatanga River and the more northern Lukunsky grove at 72°31'N, 105° 03' E east from Khatanga River.

Russian Far East (Kamchatka and Chukotka)

160°E

60°N

The Oyashio Current and strong winds affect summer temperatures to prevent tree growth. The Aleutian Islands are almost completely treeless.

Alaska

152°W

68°N

Trees grow north to the south-facing slopes of the Brooks Range. The mountains block cold air coming off of the Arctic Ocean.

Northwest Territories, Canada

132°W

69°N

Reaches north of the Arctic Circle because of the continental nature of the climate and warmer summer temperatures.

Nunavut

95°W

61°N

Influence of the very cold Hudson Bay moves the treeline southwards.

Labrador Peninsula

72°W

56°N

Very strong influence of the Labrador Current on summer temperatures as well as altitude effects (much of Labrador is a plateau). In parts of Labrador, the treeline extends as far south as 53°N. Along the coast the northernmost trees are at 58°N in Napartok Bay.

Greenland

50°W

64°N

Determined by experimental tree planting in the absence of native trees because of isolation from natural seed sources; a very few trees are surviving, but growing slowly, at Søndre Strømfjord, 67°N. There is one natural forest in the Qinngua Valley.

Drawing on the tabular data along with the relevant paragraphs listed at the end.

Respond to the question below: What is the approximate longitude of the tree line whose location shares land borders with Mongolia ? Provide just your answer in a JSON object {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Base your answer solely on the given information.

The North Atlantic Current ( NAC ) , also known as North Atlantic Drift and North Atlantic Sea Movement , is a powerful warm western boundary current within the Atlantic Ocean that extends the Gulf Stream northeastward . The NAC originates from where the Gulf Stream turns north at the Southeast Newfoundland Rise , a submarine ridge that stretches southeast from the Grand Banks . The NAC flows northward east of the Grand Banks , from 40°N to 51°N , before turning sharply east to cross the Atlantic . It transports more warm tropical water to northern latitudes than any other boundary current ; more than 40 Sv in the south and 20 Sv as it crosses the Mid-Atlantic Ridge . It reaches speeds of 2 knots near the North American coast . Directed by topography , the NAC meanders heavily , but in contrast to the meanders of the Gulf Stream , the NAC meanders remain stable without breaking off into eddies . The colder parts of the Gulf Stream turn northward near the tail of the Grand Banks at 50°W where the Azores Current branches off to flow south of the Azores . From there the NAC flows northeastward , east of the Flemish Cap ( 47°N , 45°W ) . Approaching the Mid-Atlantic Ridge , it then turns eastward and becomes much broader and more diffuse . It then splits into a colder northeastern branch and a warmer eastern branch . As the warmer branch turns southward , most of the subtropical component of the Gulf Stream is diverted southward , and as a consequence , the North Atlantic is mostly supplied by subpolar waters , including a contribution from the Labrador Current recirculated into the NAC at 45°N . West of Continental Europe , it splits into two major branches .
In geology , permafrost is ground , including rock or ( cryotic ) soil , with a temperature that remains at or below the freezing point of water 0 °C ( 32 °F ) for two or more years . Most permafrost is located in high latitudes ( in and around the Arctic and Antarctic regions ) , but at lower latitudes alpine permafrost occurs at higher elevations . Ground ice is not always present , as may be in the case of non-porous bedrock , but it frequently occurs , and it may be in amounts exceeding the potential hydraulic saturation of the ground material . Permafrost accounts for 0.022% of total water on Earth , and the permafrost region covers 24% of exposed land in the Northern Hemisphere . It also occurs subsea on the continental shelves of the continents surrounding the Arctic Ocean , portions of which were exposed during the last glacial period . The thawing of permafrost has implications for the global climate . A global temperature rise of 1.5 °C ( 2.7 °F ) above current levels would be enough to start the thawing of permafrost in Siberia , according to one group of scientists .
The West Siberian Plain , also known as Zapadno-sibirskaya Ravnina , ( Russian : За́падно-Сиби́рская равни́на ) is a large plain that occupies the western portion of Siberia , between the Ural Mountains in the west and the Yenisei River in the east , and by the Altay Mountains on the southeast . Much of the plain is poorly drained and consists of some of the world 's largest swamps and floodplains . Important cities include Omsk , Novosibirsk , Tomsk and Chelyabinsk .
The Central Siberian Plateau ( Russian : Среднесиби́рское плоского́рье , Srednesibirskoye ploskogorye ; Yakut : Орто Сибиир хаптал хайалаах сирэ ) is a vast mountainous area in Siberia , one of the Great Russian Regions .
Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature ( hot summers and cold winters ) . [ specify ] They tend to occur in the middle latitudes ( 40 to 55 north ) , where prevailing winds blow overland , and temperatures are not moderated by bodies of water such as oceans or seas . Continental climates occur mostly in the Northern Hemisphere , which has the kind of large landmasses on temperate latitudes required for this type of climate to develop . Most of northern and northeastern China , eastern and southeastern Europe , Western and north western Iran central and southeastern Canada , and the central and northeastern United States have this type of climate . In continental climates , precipitation tends to be moderate in amount , concentrated mostly in the warmer months . Only a few areas - in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest of North America and in Iran , northern Iraq , adjacent Turkey , Afghanistan , Pakistan , and Central Asia - show a winter maximum in precipitation . A portion of the annual precipitation falls as snowfall , and snow often remains on the ground for more than a month . Summers in continental climates can feature thunderstorms and frequent hot temperatures ; however , summer weather is more stable than winter weather .
Ary-Mas ( Russian : Ары-Мас ) is a forest in Russia , Krasnoyarsk Krai , southern part of Taymyr Peninsula , southern bank of Novaya River . Ary-Mas comes from the Dolgan language and means forest island . Considered to be the northernmost forest of the world although Lukunsky grove to the east from it extends 6 kilometres further north . Though , while Lukunsky grove is northernmost rim of larger forest massif , Ary-Mas is a forest island separated from the nearest forest by approximately 200 kilometres wide zone of tundra .
Novaya ( Russian : Новая ) is a river in Krasnoyarsk Krai in Russia . It 's a left tributary of the Khatanga River . It originates in Lake Gavrila . River length is about 411 kilometers . The area of its basin is 16,500 square kilometers . It flows through the North Siberian Lowland in the Taymyrsky Dolgano-Nenetsky District . It is mostly fed by rain and snow melt .
The Khatanga River ( Russian : Хатанга ) is a river in Krasnoyarsk Krai in Russia . It begins at the confluence of the rivers Kotuy and Kheta . The Khatanga River is 227 kilometres ( 141 mi ) long ; the area of its basin is 364,000 square kilometres ( 141,000 sq mi ) . It flows into the Khatanga Gulf of the Laptev Sea , forming an estuary . There are more than 112,000 lakes , with a total surface area of 11,600 square kilometres ( 4,500 sq mi ) , in the basin of the river . The Khatanga River freezes up in late September-early October and breaks up in early June . Its main tributaries are the Nizhnyaya River , Bludnaya River , Popigay River , Novaya River , and Malaya Balakhnya . The Khatanga River teems with different kinds of fish , including ryapushka , omul , muksun , white salmon , taimen , loach , and others . The river is navigable . The river port of Khatanga is located on the river .
The Lukunsky grove ( Russian : Лукунский ) is a forest in Krasnoyarsk Krai , Russia , on the southern bank of the Lukunsk River , to the south of the Khatanga River . It is the northernmost forest extension in the world . [ citation needed ] Ary-Mas , to the west of the Lukunsky grove , is the northernmost isolated forest island , located approximately 6 km ( 3.7 mi ) to the south .
The Russian Far East ( Russian : Дальний Восток России , tr . Dal'niy Vostok Rossii , IPA : [ ˈdalʲnʲɪj vɐˈstok rɐˈsʲiɪ ] , literally The distant East of Russia ) is a region in North Asia which includes the Russian part of the Far East , the easternmost territory of Russia , between Lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia and the Pacific Ocean . The Far Eastern Federal District shares land borders with Mongolia , the People 's Republic of China and the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea to its south , and shares maritime borders with Japan to its southeast and with the United States to its northeast . Although occasionally considered part of Siberia , the Russian Far East is categorized separately from the Siberian Federal District to its west in Russian geographical schemes .
The Kamchatka Peninsula ( Russian : полуо́стров Камча́тка , Poluostrov Kamchatka , IPA : [ pəlʊˈostrəf kɐmˈt͡ɕætkə ] ) is a 1,250-kilometre-long ( 780 mi ) peninsula in the Russian Far East , with an area of about 270,000 km2 ( 100,000 sq mi ) . The Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Okhotsk make up the peninsula 's eastern and western coastlines , respectively . Immediately offshore along the Pacific coast of the peninsula runs the 10,500-metre ( 34,400-ft ) deep Kuril-Kamchatka Trench . The Kamchatka Peninsula , the Commander Islands , and Karaginsky Island constitute the Kamchatka Krai of the Russian Federation . The vast majority of the 322,079 inhabitants are ethnic Russians , although about 13,000 are Koryaks ( 2014 ) . More than half of the population lives in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky ( 179,526 in 2010 ) and nearby Yelizovo ( 38,980 ) . The Kamchatka peninsula contains the volcanoes of Kamchatka , a UNESCO World Heritage Site .
The Chukchi Peninsula ( also Chukotka Peninsula , Chuuk Peninsula , or Chukotski Peninsula ; Russian : Чуко́тский полуо́стров , Chukotskiy poluostrov , Russian : Чуко́тка , Chukotka ) , at about 66° N 172° W , is the easternmost peninsula of Asia . Its eastern end is at Cape Dezhnev near the village of Uelen . The Chukotka Mountains are located in the central/western part of the peninsula , which is bordered by the Chukchi Sea to the north , the Bering Sea to the south , and the Bering Strait to the east . The peninsula is part of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug of Russia . The peninsula is traditionally the home of tribes of the indigenous peoples of Siberia as well as some Russian settlers .
Oyashio ( 親潮 , Parental Tide ) , also known as Oya Siwo , Okhostk or the Kurile current , is a cold subarctic ocean current that flows south and circulates counterclockwise in the western North Pacific Ocean . The waters of the Oyashio Current originate in the Arctic Ocean and flow southward via the Bering Sea , passing through the Bering Strait and transporting cold water from the Arctic Sea into the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Okhotsk . It collides with the Kuroshio Current off the eastern shore of Japan to form the North Pacific Current ( or Drift ) . The nutrient-rich Oyashio is named for its metaphorical role as the parent ( 親 , oya ) that provides for and nurtures marine organisms . The current has an important impact on the climate of the Russian Far East , mainly in Kamchatka and Chukotka , where the northern limit of tree growth is moved south up to ten degrees compared with the latitude it can reach in inland Siberia . The waters of the Oyashio Current form probably the richest fishery in the world owing to the extremely high-nutrient content of the cold water and the very high tides ( up to ten metres ) in some areas - which further enhances the availability of nutrients . However , the Oyashio Current also causes Vladivostok to be the most equatorward port to seasonally freeze and require icebreaking ships to remain open in winter . Nonetheless , this has relatively little effect on the fish yield through the Sea of Okhotsk , because the large tides mean freezing does not occur so easily . During glacial periods , when lower sea level exposed the Bering land bridge , the current could not flow in the regions the Oyashio affects today . The level of cooling with the onset of glacial conditions ( after an interglacial ) was much less than in other areas of the Earth at similar latitudes . This allowed Tōhoku and Hokkaidō - the only areas of East Asia with enough snowfall to potentially form glaciers - to remain unglaciated except at high elevations during periods when Europe and North America were largely glaciated . This lack of glaciation explains why , despite its present climate being much colder than most of Europe , East Asia has retained 96 percent of Pliocene tree genera , whereas Europe has retained only 27% .
The Aleutian Islands ( /əˈluːʃən/ ; Russian : Алеутские острова ; Aleut : Tanam Unangaa , literally Land of the Aleuts , possibly from Chukchi aliat , island ) , also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago , are a chain of 14 large volcanic islands and 55 smaller islands . Most of the Aleutian Islands belong to the U.S. state of Alaska , but some belong to the Russian federal subject of Kamchatka Krai . They form part of the Aleutian Arc in the Northern Pacific Ocean , occupying an area of 6,821 sq mi ( 17,666 km2 ) and extending about 1,200 mi ( 1,900 km ) westward from the Alaska Peninsula toward the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia , and mark a dividing line between the Bering Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south . Crossing longitude 180° , at which point east and west longitude end , the archipelago contains both the westernmost part of the United States by longitude ( Amatignak Island ) and the easternmost by longitude ( Semisopochnoi Island ) . The westernmost U.S. island in real terms , however , is Attu Island , west of which runs the International Date Line . While nearly all the archipelago is part of Alaska and is usually considered as being in the Alaskan Bush , at the extreme western end , the small , geologically related Commander Islands belong to Russia . The islands , with their 57 volcanoes , form the northernmost part of the Pacific Ring of Fire . Physiographically , they are a distinct section of the larger Pacific Border province , which in turn is part of the larger Pacific Mountain System physiographic division . Battles and skirmishes occurred on the islands during the Aleutian Islands Campaign of World War II . The Japanese landings and occupations of Kiska and Attu in June 1942 were the only two invasions of the United States during that war .
Alaska ( /əˈlæskə/ ( listen ) ; Aleut : Alax̂sxax̂ ; Inupiaq : Alaasikaq ; Alutiiq : Alas'kaaq ; Tlingit : Anáaski ; Russian : Аляска , romanized : Alyaska ) is a state located in the northwest extremity of the North American West Coast , just across the Bering Strait from Asia . An exclave of the U.S. , it borders the Canadian province of British Columbia and territory of Yukon to the east and southeast has a maritime border with Russia 's Chukotka Autonomous Okrug to the west . To the north are the Chukchi and Beaufort seas of the Arctic Ocean , while the Pacific Ocean lies to the south and southwest . Alaska is the largest U.S. state by area and the seventh largest subnational division in the world . It is the third least populous and the most sparsely populated state , but by far the continent 's most populous territory located mostly north of the 60th parallel , with an estimated population of 738,432 as 2015 - more than quadruple the combined populations of Northern Canada and Greenland . Approximately half of Alaska 's residents live within the Anchorage metropolitan area . The state capital of Juneau is the second largest city in the United States by area , comprising more territory than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware . Alaska was occupied by various indigenous peoples for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans . The state is considered the entry point for the settlement of North America by way of the Bering land bridge . The Russians were the first non-native people to settle the area beginning in the 18th century , eventually establishing the colony of Alaska that spanned most of the current state . The expense and difficulty of maintaining this distant possession prompted its sale to the U.S. in 1867 for $ 7.2 million , or approximately two cents per acre ( $ 4.74/km2 ) . The area went through several administrative changes before becoming organized as a territory on May 11 , 1912 .
The Northwest Territories ( abbr . NT or NWT ; French : les Territoires du Nord-Ouest , abbr . TNO ; Athapascan languages : Denendeh ; Inuvialuk : Nunatsiaq ; Inuktitut : ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᖅ ) is a federal territory of Canada . At a land area of approximately 1,144,000 km2 ( 442,000 sq mi ) and a 2016 census population of 41,786 , it is the second-largest and the most populous of the three territories in Northern Canada . Its estimated population as of 2019 is 44,895 . Yellowknife became the territorial capital in 1967 , following recommendations by the Carrothers Commission . The Northwest Territories , a portion of the old North-Western Territory , entered the Canadian Confederation on July 15 , 1870 . Since then , the territory has been divided several times to create new provinces and territories or enlarge existing ones . Its current borders date from April 1 , 1999 , when the territory was divided to create Nunavut to the east , via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement . While Nunavut is mostly Arctic tundra , the Northwest Territories has a slightly warmer climate and is both boreal forest ( taiga ) and tundra , and its most northern regions form part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago . The Northwest Territories is bordered by Canada 's two other territories , Nunavut to the east and Yukon to the west , and by the provinces of British Columbia , Alberta , and Saskatchewan to the south , and may touch Manitoba at a quadripoint to the southeast .
Nunavut ( /ˈnuːnəvuːt/ ( listen ) NOO-nə-voot , French : [ nynavy ( t ) ] ; Inuktitut syllabics : ᓄᓇᕗᑦ [ ˈnunavut ] ) is the newest , largest , and most northerly territory of Canada . It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1 , 1999 , via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act , though the boundaries had been drawn in 1993 . The creation of Nunavut resulted in the first major change to Canada 's political map since incorporating the province of Newfoundland in 1949 . Nunavut comprises a major portion of Northern Canada , and most of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago . Its vast territory makes it the fifth-largest country subdivision in the world , as well as North America 's second-largest ( after Greenland ) . The capital Iqaluit ( formerly Frobisher Bay ) , on Baffin Island in the east , was chosen by the 1995 capital plebiscite . Other major communities include the regional centres of Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay . Nunavut also includes Ellesmere Island to the far north , as well as the eastern and southern portions of Victoria Island in the west , and all islands in Hudson , James and Ungava Bays , including Akimiski Island far to the southeast of the rest of the territory . It is Canada 's only geo-political region that is not connected to the rest of North America by highway . Nunavut is the second-least populous of Canada 's provinces and territories . One of the world 's most remote , sparsely settled regions , it has a population of 35,944 , mostly Inuit , spread over a land area of just over 1,877,787 km2 ( 725,018 sq mi ) , or slightly smaller than Mexico ( excluding water surface area ) . Nunavut is also home to the world 's northernmost permanently inhabited place , Alert .
Hudson Bay ( Inuktitut : Kangiqsualuk ilua , French : baie d'Hudson ) ( sometimes called Hudson 's Bay , usually historically ) is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada with a surface area of 1,230,000 km2 ( 470,000 sq mi ) . Although not geographically apparent , it is for climatic reasons considered to be a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean . It drains a very large area , about 3,861,400 km2 ( 1,490,900 sq mi ) , that includes parts of southeastern Nunavut , Alberta , Saskatchewan , Ontario , Quebec , all of Manitoba and indirectly through smaller passages of water parts of North Dakota , South Dakota , Minnesota , and Montana . Hudson Bay 's southern arm is called James Bay . The Eastern Cree name for Hudson and James Bay is Wînipekw ( Southern dialect ) or Wînipâkw ( Northern dialect ) , meaning muddy or brackish water . Lake Winnipeg is similarly named by the local Cree , as is the location for the city of Winnipeg .
The Labrador Peninsula or the Quebec-Labrador Peninsula is a large peninsula in eastern Canada . It is bounded by the Hudson Bay to the west , the Hudson Strait to the north , the Labrador Sea to the east , and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the southeast . The peninsula includes the region of Labrador , which is part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador , and the regions of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean , Côte-Nord , and Nord-du-Québec , which are in the province of Quebec . It has an area of 1,400,000 km2 ( 541,000 sq mi ) .
Labrador ( /læbrəˈdɔːr/ lab-rə-DOR ) is a geographic and cultural region within the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador . It is the continental portion of the province and constitutes 71% of the province 's area but is home to only 6% of the province 's population . It is separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle . It is the largest and northernmost geographical region in Atlantic Canada . Labrador occupies most of the eastern part of the Labrador Peninsula . It is bordered to the west and the south by the Canadian province of Quebec . Labrador also shares a small land border with the Canadian territory of Nunavut on Killiniq Island . The aboriginal peoples of Labrador include the Northern Inuit of Nunatsiavut , the Southern Inuit-Métis of Nunatukavut ( NunatuKavut ) , and the Innu . Labrador has its own anthem , the Ode to Labrador .
Napartok Bay is a long narrow inlet or bay in Labrador at 57°59′05″N 62°18′22″W / 57.984808°N 62.306213°W / 57.984808 ; -62.306213 . From its head to the sea it is about 15 miles ( 24 km ) long . It contains the northernmost boreal forest along the eastern coast of North America .
Greenland ( Greenlandic : Kalaallit Nunaat , pronounced [ kalaːɬit nunaːt ] ; Danish : Grønland , pronounced [ ˈkʁɶnˌlænˀ ] ) is the world 's largest island , [ d ] located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans , east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago . It is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark . Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America , Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe ( specifically Norway and Denmark , the colonial powers , as well as the nearby island of Iceland ) for more than a millennium . The majority of its residents are Inuit , whose ancestors migrated from Alaska through Northern Canada , gradually settling across the island by the 13th century . Nowadays , the population is largely concentrated on the southwest coast , while the rest of the island is sparsely populated . Greenland is divided into five municipalities - Sermersooq , Kujalleq , Qeqertalik , Qeqqata , and Avannaata . It has two unincorporated areas - the Northeast Greenland National Park and the Thule Air Base . The last one , even if under Danish control , is administered by the United States Air Force . Three-quarters of Greenland is covered by the only permanent ice sheet outside Antarctica . With a population of about 56,480 ( 2013 ) , it is the least densely populated territory in the world . About a third of the population lives in Nuuk , the capital and largest city . The Arctic Umiaq Line ferry acts as a lifeline for western Greenland , connecting the various cities and settlements .
Kangerlussuaq Fjord ( old spelling : Kangerdlugssuaq , Danish : Søndre Strømfjord ) is a long fjord in the Qeqqata municipality in central-western Greenland . The fjord is 190 km ( 120 mi ) long and between 1.5 km ( 0.93 mi ) and 8 km ( 5.0 mi ) wide , flowing from the estuary of Qinnguata Kuussua river to the southwest , and emptying into the Davis Strait . It is the longest fjord of western Greenland .
Qinngua Valley , also called Qinnquadalen , Kanginsap Qinngua and Paradisdalen , in Greenland is about 15 kilometres ( 9.3 mi ) from the nearest settlement of Tasiusaq , Kujalleq . The valley has the only natural forest in Greenland and is about 15 kilometres ( 9.3 mi ) long , running roughly north to south and terminating at Tasersuag Lake . The lake drains into Tasermiut Fjord . Mountains rise as much as 1,500 metres ( 4,900 ft ) on either side of the narrow valley . The valley is situated about 50 kilometres ( 31 mi ) from the sea and protected from the cold winds coming off the interior glaciers of Greenland . In total , over 300 species of plants grow in the valley . The forest in Qinngua valley is a thicket consisting mainly of downy birch ( Betula pubescens ) and gray-leaf willow ( Salix glauca ) , growing up to 7-8 metres ( 23-26 ft ) tall . Growing sometimes to tree height is the Greenland mountain ash ( Sorbus groenlandica ) , which is usually a shrub . Green alder ( Alnus crispa ) is also found in the valley . It is possible that other forests of this type once existed in Greenland but were cleared by early settlers for firewood or building material . The valley was declared a protected natural area in 1930 . Although nearly all of ice-free Greenland has an Arctic tundra climate ( ET in the Köppen climate classification ) , Qinngua valley may have a sub-arctic Dfc climate .