Kivalina

Also known as Kivalliñiq, Kivalina, Alaska

Alaska town facing tundra erosion

Key facts

Country: United States
State: Alaska
Borough: Northwest Arctic
Incorporated: June 23, 1969
Mayor: Austin Swan, Sr.
State senator: Donny Olson ( D )
State rep: Robyn Burke ( D )
Total: 4.16 sq mi (10.78 km )
Land: 1.63 sq mi (4.23 km )
Water: 2.53 sq mi (6.55 km )
Elevation: 13 ft (4 m)
Density: 272.2/sq mi (105.08/km )
Time zone

Article

Kivalina (kiv-uh-LEE-nuh) (Inupiaq: Kivalliñiq) is a city and village in Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska, United States. As of the 2020 census, Kivalina had a population of 444.

The island on which the village lies is threatened by rising sea levels and coastal erosion caused by climate change. As of 2013, it is predicted that the island will be inundated by 2025. In addition to well-publicized impacts of climate change, the Village of Kivalina has been a party in several environmentally related court cases.