Where do the majority of polar bears currently live?

The majority of polar bears currently live in Canada. Approximately 60% of the world’s polar bear population is found within Canadian territory, making Canada the single most important country for the species.

Canadian polar bears inhabit the Arctic regions of Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, Yukon, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Much of their habitat is marine: they spend large parts of their lives on sea ice, where they hunt seals, rest, travel, and sometimes raise cubs.

A common mix-up is answering “the Arctic.” That is the correct broader region, since polar bears also live in Greenland, the United States, Russia, and Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. However, the question asks where the majority live, so “Canada” is the more precise answer. Zoos hold only a tiny fraction of the global population, and “Soda Commercials” is a humorous distractor referencing advertising imagery rather than habitat.

Canada’s large share also gives it an outsized role in polar-bear conservation. Loss of seasonal sea ice, caused largely by climate change, threatens access to the seals that form the bears’ main food source.