There are currently an estimated 22,000 to 31,000 polar bears left in the world as of 2025, with the majority living in Canada, and significant populations also found in Russia, Greenland, Norway, and the United States (Alaska). The numbers are in decline due to threats such as climate change and loss of sea ice—the species is listed as "Vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Polar bears are distributed across 19 recognized subpopulations in the Arctic, but some of these subpopulations are data-deficient, so estimates can vary slightly depending on the source and methodology.