Kivalina, Alaska

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Aerial view of Kivalina, Alaska. View is to the southeast.

Kivalina is a city in Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 377.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 History
4 External links

[edit] Geography

Kivalina is located at 67°43′8″N, 164°29′32″W (67.718754, -164.492337)^GR1.

Kivalina is on the tip of an 12 km (8 mile) long barrier reef located between the Chukchi Sea and the Kivalina River. It lies 130 km (80 miles) northwest of Kotzebue.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.0 km² (3.9 mi²). 4.8 km² (1.9 mi²) of it is land and 5.2 km² (2.0 mi²) of it (51.55%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 377 people, 78 households, and 64 families residing in the city. The population density was 77.8/km² (202.1/mi²). There were 80 housing units at an average density of 16.5/km² (42.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 3.45% White and 96.55% Native American.

There were 78 households out of which 61.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.9% were non-families. 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.83 and the average family size was 5.50.

In the city the population was spread out with 44.0% under the age of 18, 13.3% from 18 to 24, 20.7% from 25 to 44, 15.9% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 21 years. For every 100 females there were 106.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,833, and the median income for a family was $30,179. Males had a median income of $31,875 versus $21,875 for females. The per capita income for the city was $8,360. About 25.4% of families and 26.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.9% of those under age 18 and 30.0% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

Kivalina is an Inupiat community. It has long been a stopping place for travelers between arctic coastal areas and Kotzebue Sound communities. 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 city in 1969. During the 1970s, a new school and an electric system were constructed in the village.

Due to severe erosion, the City intends to relocate again to a new site 12 km (7.5 miles) from the present site.