We demonstrate that there are distinct differences in the electron precipitation patterns (or the polar cap size), geomagnetic activity, and field-aligned currents in the highest-latitude region for small and large IMF Bz values when the IMF Bz component is positive. First, during periods of weakly northward IMF, there is a distinct area in the highest-latitude region in which the electron precipitation is absent except for the polar rain. By contrast, during strongly northward IMF, the entire polar region is often filled with burst-type soft electron precipitations. Second, geomagnetic disturbances and field-aligned-current intensities in the highest-latitude region (>80¿ in geomagnetic latitude) are less during a weak IMF Bz condition than those during a strongly northward IMF Bz condition. Geomagnetic activity in the auroral zone for both conditions is absent or very weak. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1988