I would like to begin by describing where they live, as it has a very direct impact on who they are. Residing from the Aleutian Islands west of Alaska, across arctic Canada and into Greenland, the Inuit represent the most widespread native population in the world. They have very similar cultural and physical characteristics, however, because the environment is so similar within this massive region. Mainly coastal, the area consists of shallow basins with rivers flowing through and many islands covered with permanent ice and mountain glaciers. The treeless shores provide no wind protection, making travel virtually impossible at times.
Temperatures are below freezing for eight or nine months of the year.
And total precipitation is so slight that the area nearly qualifies as desert. The Inuits also dealt with cruel summers. When temperatures warmed, travel on the boggy lands became slow and arduous. Marshes of standing water produced damp clothing, as well as hordes of mosquitoes and biting flies. Tracking animals became more difficult.