Elim ( esu, Neviarcaurluq; ik, Nivviaqhchauġluq) is a city in

Nome Census Area, Alaska Nome Census Area is a census area located in the U.S. state of Alaska, mostly overlapping with the Seward Peninsula. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,046, up from 9,492 in 2010. It is part of the unorganized borough and therefore ...

, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 330, up from 313 in 2000.

Geography

Elim is located at (64.617734, -162.256705). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the city has a total area of , all of it land.

Climate

Elim has a

subarctic climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of an ocean, ge ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

''Dfc'').

Natural history

A number of flora and fauna are found in the Elim area. This is the westernmost location for the range of

Black Spruce ''Picea mariana'', the black spruce, is a North American species of spruce tree in the pine family. It is widespread across Canada, found in all 10 provinces and all 3 territories. It is the official tree of the province of Newfoundland and Labra ...

, ''

Picea mariana ''Picea mariana'', the black spruce, is a North American species of spruce tree in the pine family. It is widespread across Canada, found in all 10 provinces and all 3 territories. It is the official tree of the province of Newfoundland and Labr ...

''.

Demographics

Elim first appeared on the 1920 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It was formally incorporated in 1970. As of the census of 2000, there were 313 people, 84 households, and 69 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 106 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 5.11%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 92.65% Native American, and 2.24% from two or more races. Of the 84 households, 60.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.7% were non-families. 14.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.73 and the average family size was 4.16. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 41.9% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 14.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 131.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 122.0 males. ElimAlaska

The median income for a household in the city was $40,179, and the median income for a family was $40,893. Males had a median income of $25,938 versus $21,250 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $10,300. About 8.0% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Airports

The

Elim Airport Elim Airport is a state-owned, public-use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) southwest of the central business district of Elim, a city in the Nome Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska. This airport is included in the FAA's N ...

is a state-owned airport with scheduled passenger flights. Also located in Elim is the

Moses Point Airport Moses Point Airport is an airport located in Elim, a city in the Nome Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is privately owned by the Elim Native Corporation. Formerly, the field operated as Moses Point Army Airfield during World War II. ...

, which is privately owned by the Elim Native Corporation.

Education

Elim is served by the

Bering Strait School District Bering Strait School District (BSSD) is a school district in northwestern Alaska, United States, serving approximately 1,700 students in grades K-12 in fifteen isolated villages. All schools in the district serve students of all ages, and most c ...

. Aniguiin School serves grades Pre-K through 12.

Boulder Creek uranium mine controversy

In 2005, mining company Full Metal Minerals announced a partnership with Triex Minerals Corporation to develop a uranium deposit north of Elim. Development of the site began with survey and exploration work in Sept 2005. Initial drilling exploration was completed in July 2006, confirming deposits of "sandstone-hosted uranium" at the Boulder Creek site in Death Valley, north of Elim. The Boulder Creek mine site is located on part of the

Tubutulik River The Tubutulik River is a waterway in the U.S. state of Alaska. The long river is situated on the Seward Peninsula. It flows southeastwards to the Kwiniuk Inlet at the northwestern end of Norton Bay, southwest of Koyuk in the Bering Sea. Its ...

. Serious water and air pollution risks, including radioactive byproducts, have been identified with "in-situ leeching", the type of uranium mining proposed for the site."ACF Partners Join Village to Stop Uranium Mine: Effects could be devastating"
2008. Alaska Conservation Foundation. Retrieved 2009-08-11. Villagers have raised concerns that radioactive by-products of uranium mining would adversely affect the plants, fish, and wildlife on which they rely. In September 2007, Irene Murray of Aniguiin High School in Elim wrote an open letter to Alaska Gov.

Sarah Palin Sarah Louise Palin (; Heath; born February 11, 1964) is an American politician, commentator, author, and reality television personality who served as the ninth governor of Alaska from 2006 until her resignation in 2009. She was the 2008 R ...

, drawing attention to projected impacts on the local environment and human health. Protests led by Elim Students Against Uranium (ESAU) have included demonstrations in 2008 and 2009 at the

Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, more commonly known as The Iditarod, is an annual long-distance sled dog race run in early March. It travels from Anchorage to Nome, entirely within the US state of Alaska. Mushers and a team of between 12 a ...

ceremonial start, and on the Iditarod trail in Elim. The village has raised legal concerns over the project that include an alleged failure by the federal

Bureau of Land Management The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior responsible for administering federal lands. Headquartered in Washington DC, and with oversight over , it governs one eighth of the country's la ...

to provide adequate public notice and public comment periods regarding the Boulder Creek mine project."Native Village of Elim Alaska Fights Uranium Mine"
Center for Water Advocacy. Retrieved 2009-08-11. Portions of the regulatory process are under the purview of the

Nuclear Regulatory Commission The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is an independent agency of the United States government tasked with protecting public health and safety related to nuclear energy. Established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, the NRC began operat ...

References

{{authority control Cities in Alaska Cities in Nome Census Area, Alaska Populated coastal places in Alaska on the Pacific Ocean