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Borough in Alaska, United States

The North Slope Borough is the northernmost borough in the US state of Alaska and thus, the northernmost county or equivalent of the United States as a whole. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,031. The borough seat and largest city, comprising nearly 1/2 of the borough’s population, is Utqiaġvik (known as Barrow from 1901 to 2016), the northernmost settlement in the United States.

The borough was established in 1972 by an election of the majority Indigenous people in the region, following Congressional passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Most are Inupiat. The borough was named for the Alaska North Slope basin. In 1974 it adopted a Home Rule Charter, enabling it to exercise any legitimate governmental power. The borough has first class status and exercises the powers of planning, zoning, taxation, and schools. In 2020 airline Ravn Alaska went into bankruptcy and ended operations. The government of North Slope Borough attempted to take control of the airline's assets in an attempt to keep flights and shipments coming to the community, but the Alaska Attorney General stated that the borough did not have that authority.

The borough is governed by an eleven member assembly, elected to staggered three year terms, which meets monthly. Representation on the assembly is apportioned among the various communities; Barrow is allotted six seats, Nuiqsut, Point Hope and Wainwright one seat apiece, while the remaining two seats combine two communities; Anaktuvuk Pass with Kaktovik, and Atqasuk with Point Lay. The borough's executive and administrative powers are vested in a mayor, who is limited to two consecutive three year terms.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 94796 square miles (245,521 km2), of which 88695 square miles (229,719 km2) is land and 6101 square miles (15,802 km2) (6.4%) is water. The borough is larger than 39 states. Its western coastline is along the Chukchi Sea, while its eastern shores (beyond Point Barrow) are on the Beaufort Sea. The North Slope Borough is the largest county level political subdivision in the United States by area, with a larger land area than the state of Utah, the 13th largest state in the nation. Although the adjacent Yukon Koyukuk Census Area is larger in area, it has no borough level government. The borough is the fourth least densely populated county level entity in the United States. The Yukon Koyukuk Census Area is the least densely populated county level entity.

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,385 people. The racial makeup was 17.09% White, 0.72% Black or African American, 68.38% Native American (mostly Iñupiat), 5.92% Asian, 0.84% Pacific Islander, 0.50% from other races, and 6.55% from two or more races. 2.37% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 2,109 households, out of which 48.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% were married couples living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.45 and the average family size was 4.05. In the borough, the population was spread out, with 38.2% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 18.10% from 45 to 64, and 4.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.90 males.

"Among all North Slope Borough communities, a higher percentage of Nuiqsut households use subsistence resources for more than half of their diet."

The borough has a single school district: North Slope Borough School District. It is also the largest school district in the United States by area, totaling