North Magnetic Pole
The Earth's magnetic field has two main components. The stronger component known as the Earth's poles, reverses direction at irregular intervals. The weaker variations are the Earth's magnetic map. Within these weaker areas the local directions and intensities change gradually (secular variation). A compass does not point to the true North Pole but to a direction that is a function of the North Magnetic Pole and the local secular variation to yield a magnetic declination.