The Arctic sea ice area is expected to continue decreasing until September.

UNESCO: EDUCATION

And in February 2009 it was discovered that scientists had previously been underestimating the re-growth of Arctic sea ice by an area larger than the state of California (twice as large as New Zealand).

FORBES: Hot Sensations Vs. Cold Facts

Compared to September conditions in the 1980s and 1990s, this represents a 45 percent reduction in the area of the Arctic covered by sea ice.

FORBES: On Romney's 'Rising Oceans', Time To Get A Bigger Boat

However, although the sea ice is shrinking -- covering less total area as well as becoming thinner -- the Arctic is still a world ruled by ice, a lesson well learned when the Polar Pioneer encountered heavy pack ice between Svalbard and the eastern coast of Greenland, forcing the captain to divert the boat and drop speed to just a few knots.

BBC: Life in the fragile, frozen Arctic

As summer ice in the Arctic has declined in recent years, the area has become the subject of intense interest from oil and gas companies.

BBC: Concerns raised over 'useless' Arctic oil spill plan

For the past three years, the vast cap of shining-white ice covering the Arctic has melted away in summer to an area that would have been unbelievable just a decade ago.

ECONOMIST: An imminent answer to an Arctic riddle