Alert, in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada, is the northernmost continuously inhabited place in the world. It takes its name from the Royal Navy vessel HMS Alert, which wintered east of the present station off what is now Cape Sheridan in 1875–1876. Alert's population hit a peak of 250 in the 1970s and 1980s, but technological advancements have resulted in far fewer personnel today. Today, roughly 55 people are at Alert at any given time, a mix of military and civilian personnel who are posted at the station for 6-month rotations. They represent diverse interests, including the Canadian Armed Forces, the Department of National Defense, and Environment and Climate Change Canada. The inhabitants have one thing in common: figuring out life at Alert. There, personnel must grapple with temperatures that regularly plunge below freezing, days with hardly any sunlight — and some days with nothing but sunlight — and roaming polar bears. Still, most people make the best of it. Every night there’s some sort of activity — cards, movies, a talent show, sports, etc. The group even indulges in the “Polar Bear Plunge” once a year. The social aspect of living in such a remote area is actually very good at Alert. They all have the common experience of living in a place that few people get to see, and that’s a bit of a badge of honor.
