Current Population: 594 (2003 State Demographer est.) Incorporation Type: 2nd Class City Borough Located In: Unorganized School District: Bering Straits Schools Regional Native Corporation: Bering Straits Native Corp. Location: Shishmaref is located on Sarichef Island, in the Chukchi Sea, just north of Bering Strait. Shishmaref is five miles from the mainland, 126 miles north of Nome and 100 miles southwest of Kotzebue. The village is surrounded by the 2.6 million-acre Bering Land Bridge National Reserve. It is part of the Beringian National Heritage Park, endorsed by Presidents Bush and Gorbachev in 1990. It lies at approximately 66.256670° North Latitude and -166.07194° West Longitude. (Sec. 23, T010N, R035W, Kateel River Meridian.) Shishmaref is located in the Cape Nome Recording District. The area encompasses 2.8 sq. miles of land and 4.5 sq. miles of water. The area experiences a transitional climate between the frozen arctic and the continental Interior. Summers can be foggy, with average temperatures ranging from 47 to 54; winter temperatures average -12 to 2. Average annual precipitation is about 8 inches, including 33 inches of snow. The Chukchi Sea is frozen from mid-November through mid-June. Culture: It is a traditional Inupiat Eskimo village with a fishing and subsistence lifestyle. The sale or importation of alcohol is banned. Economy: The Shishmaref economy is based on subsistence supplemented by part-time wage earnings. Two residents hold a commercial fishing permit. Year-round jobs are limited. Villagers rely on fish, walrus, seal, polar bear, rabbit, and other subsistence foods. Two reindeer herds are managed from here. Reindeer skins are tanned locally, and meat is available at the village store. The Friendship Center, a cultural center and carving facility, was recently completed for local artisans. Facilities: Water is derived from a surface source and is treated and stored in a new tank. Shishmaref is undergoing major improvements, with the construction of a flush/haul system and household plumbing. 19 HUD homes have been completed, and 71 homes remain to be served. The new system provides water delivery, but the unserved homes continue to haul water. Honeybuckets and the new flush tanks are hauled by the City. The school, clinic, Friendship Center, City Hall and fire hall are connected to a sewage lagoon. A new landfill is planned for the City; an access road is under construction. Transportation: Shishmaref's primary link to the rest of Alaska is by air. A State-owned 5,000' long by 70' wide paved runway is available. Charter and freight services are available from Nome. Most people own boats for trips to the mainland. Climate: The area experiences a transitional climate between the frozen arctic and the continental Interior. Summers can be foggy, with average temperatures ranging from 47 to 54; winter temperatures average -12 to 2. Average annual precipitation is about 8 inches, including 33 inches of snow. The Chukchi Sea is frozen from mid-November through mid-June. *Source: Alaska Department of Community & Economic Development   This information was made possible in part by a grant from the Technology Opportunities Program, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.