Kivalina, Alaska
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Kivalina Kivalliñiq |
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|---|---|
| City | |
Aerial view of Kivalina from the northwest
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 Location in Northwest Arctic Borough and the state of Alaska. |
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| Coordinates: 67°43′38″N 164°32′21″W / 67.72722°N 164.53917°WCoordinates: 67°43′38″N 164°32′21″W / 67.72722°N 164.53917°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Borough | Northwest Arctic |
| Incorporated | June 23, 1969 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Austin Swan, Sr. |
| • State senator | Donny Olson (D) |
| • State rep. | Dean Westlake (D) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.9 sq mi (10.0 km2) |
| • Land | 1.9 sq mi (4.8 km2) |
| • Water | 2.0 sq mi (5.2 km2) |
| Elevation | 13 ft (4 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 374 |
| • Density | 96/sq mi (37/km2) |
| Time zone | Alaska (AKST) (UTC-9) |
| • Summer (DST) | AKDT (UTC-8) |
| ZIP Code | 99750 |
| Area code | 907 |
| FIPS code | 02-39960 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1413348, 2419411 |
Kivalina (kiv-uh-LEE-nuh;Kivalliñiq in Iñupiaq) is a city and village in Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska, United States. The population was 377 at the 2000 census and 374 as of the 2010 census.
The island on which the village lies is threatened by rising sea levels and coastal erosion. As of 2013[update], it is predicted that the island will be inundated by 2025.
Kivalina is an Inupiat community first reported as "Kivualinagmut" in 1847 by Lt. Lavrenty Zagoskin of the Imperial Russian Navy. It has long been a stopping place for travelers between Arctic coastal areas and Kotzebue Sound communities. Three bodies and artifacts were found in 2009 representing the Ipiutak culture, a pre-Thule, non-whaling civilization that disappeared over a millennium ago.
It is the only village in the region where people hunt the bowhead whale. The original village was located at the north end of the Kivalina Lagoon but was relocated.
In about 1900, reindeer were brought to the area and some people were trained as reindeer herders.
An airstrip was built at Kivalina in 1960. Kivalina incorporated as a second-class city in 1969. During the 1970s, a new school and an electric system were constructed in the city.
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