Kati ya tabia zake ni tabianchi baridi sana, maji yenye chumvi kidogo, uhaba wa uoto, wanyama na wakazi wa kibinadamu, uwingi wa barafu inayoyeyuka kwenye miezi ya Agosti – Septemba pekee.
Wakazi asilia walikuwa makabila ya kienyeji wavindajiwawindaji, wavuwiwavuvi na wafugaji wa reindeer. Leo hii walio wengi ni Warusi. Kazi yao inapatikana hasa katika migodi na kama mabaharia. Mji mkubwa ni bandari la [[Pevek]] ambayo ni mji kaskazini zaidi ya Urusi bara mwenye wakazi 4,721.<ref>William Elliott Butler [http://books.google.com/books?id=zG7Xz5eEIIsC&pg=PA60 Northeast arctic passage] (1978) ISBN 90-286-0498-7, p. 60</ref><ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/1999/01/06/world/forsaken-in-russia-s-arctic-9-million-stranded-workers.html?pagewanted=all Forsaken in Russia's Arctic: 9 Million Stranded Workers], NYTimes, January 6, 1999</ref><ref>[http://www.yakutiatoday.com/travel/reviews_vancouver.shtml From Vancouver to Moscow Expedition], Yakutia Today</ref><ref>[http://www.pevek.ru/?cat=2 History of Pevek], Pevek web portal (in Russian)</ref><ref>[http://vlad.tribnet.com/2002/ISS338/index.html Polar bear strays onto Chukotka runway], Vladivostok News, Issue 338 November 22, 2002.</ref>
