Nunavut, the spirit of the Arctic

      Nunavut is a place of modern people living modern lives in an ancient environment - the Arctic - that offers the same challenges as it has for centuries. It is a place that combines 21st century ideas, technology and society with the Inuit way of thinking and pace. They have always adapted to meet the challenges that their environment offers them.

      Nunavut is a huge territory in Northern Canada that stretches across most of the Canadian Arctic. It was established in 1999. and is inhabited by the Inuit, the indigenous peoples of Arctic Canada, known as Eskimos in the United States. The name Nunavut means "Our Land" in the Inuit language. The capital is Iqaluit, located at the head of Frobisher Bay on southern Baffin Island.

 

       Nunavut borders the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, Quebec and the northeast arm of Hudson Bay. Nunavut makes up most of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, including its largest island, Baffin Island. In fact, Nunavut's territory extends to numerous islands in Hudson Bay.

       Nunavut consists of two distinct physical-geographical regions -

       The Canadian Shield, comprising the mainland and islands around Hudson Bay, and the Arctic Archipelago to the north. Lowlands and thousands of lakes dotted its heavily glaciated surface. The Arctic archipelago consists of lowlands in the south and mountains in the north, with the highest point being 2,616 meters. A large part of the archipelago is permanently covered with snow and ice.

      The territory is located entirely in the arctic climate zone, with bitterly cold winters and cool to cold summers. Precipitation is scarce in most of the territory and falls almost entirely as snow. Continuous permafrost has covered almost the entire territory.

      Inuit make up more than four-fifths of Nunavut's population, with the rest being of European descent. The Inuit language consists of several dialect groups. There are two writing systems: Latin letters and a syllabic system developed in the 19th century by European missionaries.

      The origins of the Inuit are unclear, but the people have lived in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago for more than 4,000 years. Traditionally, the Inuit relied on hunting and fishing for clothing and food. They lived in igloos, semi-underground houses or tents made of animal skins.

      Due to the high natural increase among the Inuit, their share in the territorial population is increasing. The age structure of the territory is significantly younger than in the rest of Canada, and more than a third of the population is under the age of 15.

      Aside from population, Nunavut's greatest economic asset is its mineral wealth, which includes iron and color ore reserves.

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