Traditional Arctic culture resembles a scattered family on account of social, linguistic, economic and spiritual similarities across many miles of Arctic coast and tundra. This culture region borders the Subarctic culture region.

Traditionally, inhabitants people hunted and fished. They also foraged for vegetation during the short summer season. Traditional trade and bartering could span hundreds of miles.
Arctic peoples learned to adapt to one of the harshest environments and subsisted for millennia on resources drawn from sea and land. Previous to the advent of European influence, numerous bands came into routine contact, principally for trade.
