Northwest Arctic

Formed July 2, 1986 (12^th borough)

Northwest Arctic Borough (7,790), Kotzebue (3,201)

The metal building serves as the courthouse.  It is located on 3^rd Avenue near Bison Street.  The borough was established on July 2, 1986 as the 12^th borough.  Its name is a geographical description of its location.  The seat was named for the sound which was named for its discoverer Lieutenant Otto Von Kotzebue. 

Northwest Arctic Borough government consists of a sheriff, financial director, a mayor, district attorney, and a clerk (executive).  It has 11assembly members (legislative.)  Two Superior Judges serve the Second Judicial District which includes the Northwest Arctic Borough (judicial.)  The borough is in the northwest corner of the state on the Bering Sea.  The center of the borough is 25 miles East of Kotzebue.  The borough is surrounded clockwise by North Slope Borough, Yukon-Koyukuk and Nome Census Areas and the Bering Sea. 

The area of the borough is 35663 square miles.  It is 4 of 30 in size.  It ranks 13 out of 30 in population in the state.  It has a density of 0.21 persons per square mile making it 24 out of 30 in the state.  Northwest Arctic Borough has 89.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Kotzebue is located in the northwest part of the borough on the Kotzebue Sound.  Kotzebue is the borough seat and the largest city.  It is 41.1% of the borough population.  The borough is shaped like a fat comma.  There are no Interstates or United States Highways in the Borough.  The borough seat is pronounced KAWT-ZOO-BOO.

Shungnak