We use measurements of the ionospheric electron density (N_e) obtained by the EISCAT Svalbard radar (ESR) and the Sodankyla Geophysical Observatory (SGO) ionosonde for comparison with the N_e distribution predicted by a numerical model of the polar F region ionosphere. The model enables representing the main large-scale ionospheric irregularities, which are primarily controlled by the interplanetary magnetic field, particle precipitation, solar zenith angle and properties of the neutral atmosphere. The analysis utilizes the data collected in March, July and January under very quiet space weather conditions, when the radar operated almost continuously during International Polar Year. The main ionospheric parameters (magnitude and height of the F2 layer peak density) are inferred from the N_e composites constructed for each local time hour. The results indicate that the modeled N_e distributions are in a reasonable agreement with the experimental data. However, the modeled altitude and peak density systematically exceed, by about 10%, the observed values.