The Nordic Arctic Environment : Unspoilt, Exploited, Polluted?

The Arctic parts of the Nordic region - Iceland, Greenland, Swalbard and the far North of Finland, Norway and Sweden - are amongst the most sparsely populated areas of the earth, with their vast expanses of seemingly pristine wilderness.

But are these areas as really as unspoilt as they appear?

This text shows that they have been affected by far-reaching exploitation of natural resources such as fish, game, pasturland, forests and minerals.

Furthermore, they are exposed to a steady stream of pollutants from more populous parts of the world.

This is a portrait of a region which is still rich in scenic beauty and biological interest but which is also under heavy pressure.