Meet 15 people who brave freezing temperatures to live in the Arctic Circle

Since the Northeast is having an unseasonably warm winter, it's easy to forget that brutal winter has already hit in other parts of the world.

The Arctic Circle is one of those places. Average temperatures in the summer hover around 50° F, and in the winter they can drop below -50°F in many places.

While the Arctic is not very populated, people do inhabit the area. Photographer Cristian Barnett decided to document the lives of those people who make their homes on or near the invisible, dotted line of the Arctic Circle. In 2006, Barnett began his series, Life On The Line, which was released as a book last year.

"The Arctic Circle is much more than just hunters and polar bears," Barnett told Business Insider. "There are many thriving, modern settlements where you're more likely to meet a hairdresser than a reindeer herder."

Barnett told us about 15 of the people he photographed.

This post was originally written by Christian Storm.