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- We’re the biggest province or territory in Canada. With covering over 2 million square kilometres, we have a lot of space for the adventure of a lifetime.
- We have the longest coastline in Canada, too. The Arctic Archipelago is home to over 36,000 islands. Which means a lot of coastline. If you’re eager for a kayak adventure, we have plenty of waterways to explore.
- We’re the youngest province or territory in Canada. Nunavut became its own territory on April 1, 1999. We’re the 3rd territory in Canada, and the 13th jurisdiction.
- We have four official languages. While English and French remain our official Federal languages, all signage and government correspondence is also shared in the Inuit languages Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun.
- Overview
- Relief and drainage
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
- Population composition
Nunavut, vast territory of northern Canada that stretches across most of the Canadian Arctic. Created in 1999 out of the eastern portion of the Northwest Territories, Nunavut encompasses the traditional lands of the Inuit, the indigenous peoples of Arctic Canada (known as Eskimo in the United States); its name means “Our Land” in Inuktitut, the language of the Inuit. The capital is Iqaluit, at the head of Frobisher Bay on southern Baffin Island.
The Arctic Ocean bounds Nunavut to the north, Greenland (separated from it by a series of narrow straits, Baffin Bay, and Davis Strait) lies to the east, and Quebec adjoins it to the southeast across Hudson Strait and the northeastern arm of Hudson Bay. Its only land boundaries are with Manitoba to the south and the Northwest Territories to the southwest and west. Nunavut constitutes the greater part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, including its largest island, Baffin Island. In addition, several islands are divided between Nunavut and the Northwest Territories (notably Victoria and Melville islands), and Nunavut’s territory extends to numerous islands in Hudson Bay, such as the Belcher Islands. Area 808,185 square miles (2,093,190 square km). Pop. (2021) 36,858.
Nunavut comprises two distinct physiographic regions: the Canadian Shield, including the mainland and the islands around Hudson Bay, and the Arctic Archipelago in the north. The flat, often poorly drained lowlands of the Canadian Shield are underlain with ancient rock more than 1 billion years old. Thousands of lakes dot the heavily glaciated surfa...
The territory lies entirely within the Arctic climatic zone, with bitterly cold winters and cool to cold summers. Average daily January temperatures rise above −22 °F (−30 °C) only in the eastern coastal areas, and in the far north and northwest of Hudson Bay they reach only −31 °F (−35 °C). Average temperatures in July above 50 °F (10 °C) are limited to the area west of Hudson Bay, while in the far north and along the northeastern coast of Baffin Island they do not exceed 41 °F (5 °C). Precipitation is scant throughout most of the territory and falls almost entirely as snow. Annual precipitation levels of less than 8 inches (200 mm) gradually increase toward the east; the greatest amounts—more than 24 inches (600 mm)—occur on Bylot Island, just north of Baffin Island. Continuous permafrost underlies virtually the entire territory.
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Nunavut lies above the northern limit of tree growth, and the timberline—which trends northwest-southeast just within the Northwest Territories and roughly parallels the border with Nunavut—is the traditional boundary between the cultural areas of the Inuit to the north and the northern American Indians (First Nations) known as Dene to the south. T...
The Inuit constitute more than four-fifths of Nunavut’s population; nearly all of the rest are of European descent. The language of the Inuit, Inuktitut, consisting of several dialect groups, is spoken widely. It has two writing systems: roman letters and a syllabic system developed in the 19th century by European missionaries. The territorial government recognizes Inuinnaqtun, an Inuktitut dialect spoken in western Nunavut and written in roman letters, as one of the territory’s four main languages (Inuktitut, English, and French are the other three).
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The origins of the Inuit are obscure, but people have been living in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago for more than 4,000 years. The several dialect groups now present in Nunavut are all apparently descended from what is known as the Thule culture, a prehistoric maritime society. Thule peoples first arrived in what is now Nunavut about 1,000 years ago. Traditionally, the Inuit relied on trapping, hunting, and fishing for clothing and food; they lived in igloos, semisubterranean houses, or animal-skin tents.
- Nunavut is Canada’s largest province/territory with a total area of 2,093,190 sq. km. (almost 1 million square miles) That’s huge!
- Nunavut encompasses 1/5 of Canada’s total landmass. Remember it includes all those Arctic islands like Baffin Island and Ellesmere Island.
- Nunavut is very big, if it were a country it would be the 15 largest country in the world.
- The most common languages spoken are Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun, English, and French.
Nunavut comprises a major portion of Northern Canada and most of the Arctic Archipelago. Its vast territory makes it the fifth-largest country subdivision in the world, as well as North America's second-largest (after Greenland ).
- April 1, 1999 (13th)
- Canada
Aug 9, 2007 · Nunavut, or “Our Land” in Inuktitut, encompasses over 2 million km 2 and has a population of 36,858 residents (2021 census), 30,865 of whom are Inuit. Covering roughly the part of the Canadian mainland and Arctic Archipelago that lies to the north and northeast of the treeline, Nunavut is the largest and northernmost territory of Canada and ...
May 11, 2024 · Join us on a journey through 20 Nunavut interesting facts, where we unravel the mysteries and marvels of this extraordinary land. Key Takeaways: Nunavut, Canada’s largest territory, is home to the indigenous Inuit people and boasts stunning natural beauty, diverse wildlife, and a rich cultural heritage, making it a captivating destination for ...
Mar 27, 2023 · Key Facts. Nunavut, Canada's largest and northernmost territory, occupies an expansive area of 808,185 square miles. Nunavut shares borders with the Northwest Territories to the west, Manitoba to the south, and Quebec to the east. Additionally, the territory has a vast maritime boundary, as it lies adjacent to the Arctic Ocean, the Labrador Sea ...
