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Nunavut

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Canadian Provinces

Nunavut

1 Location and Size
2 Topography
3 Climate
4 Plants and Animals
5 Environmental Protection
6 Population
7 Ethnic Groups
8 Languages
9 Religions
10 Transportation
11 History
12 Provincial Government
13 Political Parties
14 Local Government
15 Judicial System
16 Migration
17 Economy
18 Income
19 Industry
20 Labor
21 Agriculture
22 Domesticated Animals
23 Fishing
24 Forestry
25 Mining
26 Energy and Power
27 Commerce
28 Public Finance
29 Taxation
30 Health
31 Housing
32 Education
33 Arts
34 Libraries and Museums
35 Communications
36 Press
37 Tourism, Travel, and Recreation
38 Sports
39 Famous Nunavummiut
40 Bibliography

ORIGIN OF PROVINCE NAME: Inuktitut for "our land."

CAPITAL: Iqaluit.

ENTERED CONFEDERATION: Organized 1 April 1999.

COAT OF ARMS: The shield is flanked on the left by a caribou and on the right by a narwhal, symbolizing the land and sea animals that provide sustenance for the people. The five circles refer to the life-giving properties of the sun. Above the circles is the North Star. A qulliq, or Inuit stone lamp, appears to the left of the inuksuk, to represent light and the warmth of the family and the community. An iglu sits above the shield to represent the traditional life of the people. The Royal Crown above the iglu symbolizes public government.

FLAG: In the center is a red inuksuk, which symbolizes the stone monuments used throughout Nunavut as landmarks. In the upper right is a blue star on a white field representing the North Star, the traditional guide for navigation. The left side of the inuksuk is gold.

TIME: 8 AM AST = noon GMT; 7 AM EST = noon GMT; 6 AM CST = noon GMT; 5 AM MST = noon GMT.

1 Location and Size

Nunavut was formerly a part of the Northwest Territories until 1999, when it became a separate territory. Nunavut is the largest political subdivision in Canada, with 18% of the total area of the country. Nunavut has a total area of 708,434 square miles (1.83 million square kilometers), about eight times the size of the United Kingdom.

Nunavut includes most of Canada north of the 60th parallel, except the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and portions of Québec and Newfoundland. Nunavut is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean and polar ice; on the northeast and east by Baffin Bay and Davis Strait; on the southeast by Hudson Strait and Hudson Bay; on the south by Manitoba; and on the west by the Northwest Territories. From the 60th parallel, Nunavut stretches 2,212 miles (3,560 kilometers) to the North Pole. Nunavut covers 870,424 square miles (2,254,402 square kilometers) and includes the islands in Hudson, James, and Ungava Bays. Across the Kennedy Channel in the far northeast, Greenland lies less than 25 miles (40 kilometers) from Nunavut's Ellesmere Island. Canada's geographic center is in Nunavut, about 19 miles northeast of Baker Lake. The North Magnetic Pole (the place on Earth at which a compass needle actually points) is located off the coast of Bathurst Island.

2 Topography

The landscape of Nunavut has been shaped by ice sheets and glaciers, which carved out deep valleys and fjords. Upon melting, ancient ice sheets deposited an assortment of clay, stones, boulders, and ridges of sand and gravel. Today, glaciers and ice caps cover about 57,900 square miles (150,000 square kilometers) of Nunavut. However, in the 21st century, rising temperatures, retreating sea ice, and thawing permafrost are altering the landscape of Nunavut.

Major mainland rivers include the Back and Coppermine, which flow north to the Arctic coast. The Thelon, Kazan, and Dubawnt rivers flow into Hudson Bay. Permafrost prevents runoff from soaking into the ground, causing rivers and streams to flow rapidly after the spring thaw.

Nunavut's highest ground is found on Baffin Island and Ellesmere Island, where many peaks rise 4,900 feet (1,500 meters) to 6,500 feet (2,000 meters) above sea level. The highest mountain is Mount Barbeau, at 8,583 feet (2,616 meters) on northern Ellesmere Island.

Nunavut: Population Profile

Estimated 2006 population	29,474
Population change, 2001–2006	10.2%
Percent Urban/Rural populations, 2001
Urban	32.5%
Rural	67.5%
Foreign born population	1.7%
Population by ethnicity
Inuit	22,625
English	1,840
Scottish	1,475
Canadian	1,175
Irish	950
French	805
German	395
North American Indian	350
British, not included elsewhere	240
Ukrainian	140
American (USA)	100
Dutch (Netherlands)	95
Métis	70

Population by Age Group

Major Cities by Population

City	Population, 2006
Iqaluit	6,184
Rankin Inlet	2,358
Arviat	2,060
Baker Lake	1,728
Igloolik	1,538
Cambridge Bay	1,477
Pangnirtung	1,325
Pond Inlet	1,315
Kugluktuk	1,302
Cape Dorset	1,236

3 Climate

Average January temperatures range from −4°f (−20°c) along southern Baffin Island to −35°f (−37°c) along northern Ellesmere Island. Average July temperatures range from 50°f (10°c) along the southern mainland to 36°f (2°c) in the north; inland temperatures are warmer. The average temperatures in Iqaluit are −22°f (−30°c) in January and 41°f (5°c) in July. Grise Fiord, the northernmost community in Nunavut, has an average temperature in January of −31°f (−35°c) in January and 50°f (10°c) in July. As in the Yukon, the varying amounts of daylight over the year are an important influence on the climate: between 20 and 24 hours of daylight in June and up to 24 hours of darkness in December. In January, Iqaluit has only about 4.5 hours of daylight, but 20 hours of daylight in July. The highest recorded temperature was 110°f (43°c) in 1991 at Kugluktuk (formerly Coppermine). The record cold temperature of −51°f (−46°c) was recorded at Iqaluit.

Annual precipitation ranges from less than 3.9 inches (100 millimeters) around Ellesmere Island to 23.6 inches (600 millimeters) on southern Baffin Island. Most of Nunavut receives less than 11.8 inches (300 millimeters) of precipitation per year.

4 Plants and Animals

A short but intense summer produces many small but brilliant flowers, including purple saxifrage, sedge, louseworts, fireweed, and wintergreen. Other common flowers in the south include dandelions, chamomile daisies, harebells, and buttercups. About 200 species of flowers grow north of the tree line. The animal population in Nunavut includes mammals such as the caribou, musk ox, barren-ground grizzly bear, wolf, wol-verine, fox, ermine, lemming, and hare. Caribou alone outnumber Nunavut's human population 25 to 1. Common marine mammals include seals, walruses, whales (including belugas, narwhals, bowhead whales, killer whales, blue whales, and sperm whales), and polar bears. Bird species include gyrfalcon, snowy and short-eared owl, rough-legged hawk, golden eagle, ptarmigan, jaeger, snow goose, pintail and long-tailed duck, goldeneye, lesser scaup, and green-winged teal. Fish include lake trout, arctic grayling, arctic char, walleye, whitefish, and northern pike. Mosquitoes breed in the shallow tundra lakes.

In 2006, there were four animal species listed as endangered: Beluga whale (in the Eastern Hudson Bay), Eskimo curlew, ivory gull, and Peary caribou. The beluga whale of Cumberland Sound where considered as threatened species, as were the peregrine falcon and Ross's gull. Only one plant species, a moss called Porsild's bryum, was considered to be threatened.

5 Environmental Protection

The Arctic Environmental Strategy introduced by the federal government in 1991 as part of its Green Plan involves northerners in projects to protect the arctic environment. It also supports communities in the development of their own plans to deal with environmental issues.

A study released in 2000 for the first time linked dioxide pollution in Canada's arctic regions to specific sources in Canada, Mexico, and the Unite States. A research team identified dioxide pollution at eight locations in Nunavut. Nunavut itself has no significant sources of dioxin. US waste incinerators, together with cement kilns burning hazardous waste as fuel, and metal processing facilities, were the main sources of dioxin reaching Nunavut. US facilities were found to have contributed 70-82% of dioxin deposited at the eight locations in Nunavut. Canadian facilities contributed 11-25%, while Mexican emissions contributed 5-11%.

6 Population

Nunavut had an estimated population of 29,474 as of 1 April 2006, the smallest population of any province or territory. Iqaluit, the capital, had a population of 6,184 in 2006.

The population of Nunavut is by far the youngest among the provinces. Nunavut's median age was 22.1 years in 2001. The national average was 37.6 years. People age 14 and under accounted for 34% of the province's population in 2006, while those over age 65 accounted for only 3%. At the national level, 13% of the population is over age 65.

7 Ethnic Groups

Nunavut is the only place in Canada where most of the population (86.2%) are Aboriginals (Native Peoples); they live mostly in small communities. The largest Aboriginal group is the Inuit (singular: Inuk), which means "the preeminent people" in Inuktitut, accounting for 84.8% of the total. In the past, Inuit were called "Eskimos," an uncomplimentary Cree word that means "eaters of raw meat." Dene live mostly in the west. The Métis are descendants of Inuit and ethnic European parentage and comprise 0.3% of the territory's population. Non-Aboriginal ethnicities accounted for 13.5% of the population, including Scots, Irish, and French.

8 Languages

Nunavut has four official languages: English, French, Inuinnaqtun, and Inuktitut. In 2001, only 26% of the territory's residents claimed English as their native language. Inuktitut was the first language for 70% of the population. Inuit communities are often a mixture of people from different cultural and linguistic areas, but most have characteristic dialects. Inuktitut uses a syllabic alphabet originally developed for the Cree by Anglican missionaries and modified for the Inuit in the 19th century. Most Inuit children learn Inuktitut as their mother tongue.

9 Religions

About 67% of the population of Nunavut—or 17,785 people—are Protestant, most of whom are Anglicans, but members of the United Church of Canada, Pentecostals, Baptists, Lutherans, and Presbyterians are also represented. The territory also has 6,215 Catholics. There are less than 50 people each of the following: Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Hindus. About 1,655 people have no religious affiliation.

Shamanism is the native religion of the Inuit, and its practice is increasing.

10 Transportation

Unlike the NWT, Nunavut has few roads connecting communities. Many residents use snow-mobiles or all-terrain vehicles for overland transportation. Permafrost makes construction of paved roads difficult. In the Qikiqtaluk (Baffin) Region, the 13-mile (21-kilometer) route between Arctic Bay and Nanisivik is the only road between two towns. Some communities in the Kitikmeot Region have a local network of unpaved roads. There are no roads directly connecting the Kivalliq Region with southern Canada. There were 3,497 registered motor vehicles in 2005, with 14 registered buses, 43 registered motorcycles and mopeds, and 970 off road, construction, and farm vehicles. There were 71 registered trailers.

First Air, based in Iqaluit, provides jet service to more than a dozen locations throughout the northern archipelago (group of islands), as well as Ottawa, Montreal, and Nuuk, Greenland. Air Inuit flies from Cape Dorset and Sanikiluaq to points along the northwestern coast of Québec and to Montréal. NWT Air and Canadian North also provide air service.

11 History

Exploring the Arctic Islands

The first Inuit (the name given to Eskimos in Canada) are believed to have come from across the Bering Strait, which separates Asia and North America, on a land bridge about 5,000 years ago. They spread east along the Arctic coast and were the only people in the area for thousands of years. The Vikings of Europe sailed to the eastern Arctic islands about ad 1000, but they did not remain there and consequently had little impact on the region.

It was not until the 1570s that serious exploration of the northernmost part of North America began under the leadership of Englishman Martin Frobisher. In 1610, English explorer Henry Hudson—while looking for a passage to Asia—landed briefly on the western shore of the bay that now bears his name. Five years after Hudson's arrival, William Baffin and Robert Bylot mapped the Baffin coastal region in detail. Baffin Island, which is located south of Greenland, was virtually ignored during the following two centuries, as it was too cold and barren to be of interest to Europeans, but their discoveries opened the door for future exploration of northern Canada.

With the arrival of fur traders in the late 1700s and whalers in the 1800s, life in the region began to change substantially. The Europeans reshaped the North, bringing with them a new economy and a way of life much different than that of the Inuit. Communities grew around trading posts, mission schools, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police stations. In 1821, English explorer William Edward Parry spent two winters exploring and mapping the Igloolik area and helped establish friendly relations with the Inuit. In the mid-1840s, Sir John Franklin led several unsuccessful expeditions in search of the Northwest Passage (an ice-free sea route between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Arctic).

In 1870, as the whaling industry began to decline rapidly, the British government transferred control of what were then called the Northwest Territories to Canada. This included land that would one day become Nunavut. Ten years later, the British government added the scattered islands of the Arctic, which also became part of the Territories. The westernmost regions of Nunavut were the last to be explored by non-Inuit voyagers.

The High Cost of European Influence

During the 1920s and 1930s, missionaries—very eager to convert the Inuit to Christianity—began to establish the first residential schools. They took children as young as age five away from their families to live at these schools and immerse them in the Christian way of life. Many traditional beliefs and cultural practices of the Inuit people were lost as a result. The missionaries were also responsible for establishing some of the first hospitals in the territory.

By World War II (1939–45), mineral exploration (notably the development of nickel mines) and the military were also playing a role in northern Canadian development. The US Air Force constructed an airbase at Frobisher Bay (now Iqaluit) as part of a supply link to Europe, making it the commercial center for the Baffin region. In the 1950s, northern Canada was viewed as an important defensive area separating North America from what was then the Soviet Union.

Nunavut Land Claims

The issue of settling aboriginal land claims took up much of the 1960s and 1970s. By 1976, the Inuit people had called for the creation of a separate territory, the Nunavut territory. Four years later, in 1980, the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly voted in favor of dividing the territory to create Nunavut. Any such move would require federal approval, however, and negotiations for this continued for many years.

The Nunavut Land Claims Agreement of 1993 authorized the creation of the new territory of Nunavut, with the federal government splitting the Northwest Territories into two parts on 1 April 1999 (the eastern portion being the new territory of Nunavut). The agreement gave the Inuit rights to 355,842 square kilometers (137,355 square miles), or 19% of Nunavut's total area, with mineral rights to 35,257 square kilometers (13,069 square miles). In addition, the federal government agreed to pay the Inuit c$1.148 billion between 1993 and 2007. The Inuit also received territorial hunting rights, a greater role in the management of land and the environment, and a share of government royalties from oil, gas, and minerals extracted from federal lands.

The Bathurst Mandate Pinasuaqtavut is a government plan outlining future goals for the territory. There are four main goals: healthy communities, simplicity and unity, self-reliance, and continuing learning. Premier Paul Okalik in 2004 was attempting to put those goals into action to improve the lives of Nunavut citizens.

On 20 August 2005, same-sex marriage (SSM) became legal in Nunavut when federal law C-38, which legitimized SSM in all jurisdictions within Canada went into effect.

12 Provincial Government

Nunavut is unique in North America as it has the first government to be administered primarily by Native people. As in the NWT and the Yukon, political power rests with elected representatives. Executive power is held by a 19-seat elected legislature. This assembly then appoints the premier for the territorial government.

Besides Iqaluit, the decentralized territorial government also has administrative offices in Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay, Cape Dorset, Arviat, Gjoa Haven, Kugluktuk, Pangnirtung, Baker Lake, and Pond Inlet.

13 Political Parties

The first election was held on 15 February 1999. Of Nunavut's 12,210 eligible voters, 88% participated in the province's first election. The second election was held on 16 February 2004 to elect 19 members of the Legislative Assembly. Paul Okalik became premier in 1999 and remained in power after the 2004 elections. Nunavut operates on a consensus government system, with no political parties.

14 Local Government

Nunavut is divided into three administrative regions: Qikiqtaluk, which includes Baffin Island and the northern archipelago (group of islands) and islands in Hudson Bay; Kivalliq, which covers southern Nunavut; and Kitikmeot in the west. There are 26 communities in Nunavut.

15 Judicial System

The Canadian Constitution grants territorial and provincial jurisdiction over the administration of justice, and allows each territory and province to organize its own court system and police forces. The federal government has exclusive domain over cases involving trade and commerce, banking, bankruptcy, and criminal law. The Federal Court of Canada has both trial and appellate divisions for federal cases. The nine-judge Supreme Court of Canada is an appellate court that determines the constitutionality of both federal and territorial statutes. The Tax Court of Canada hears appeals of taxpayers against assessments by Revenue Canada.

The territorial court system consists of the Nunavut Court of Justice. It is Canada's first and only single level court. It handles cases that otherwise would be tried in both territorial courts and territorial supreme courts.

In 2005, there were 7,042 violent crimes and 5,555 property crimes per 100,000 persons.

16 Migration

Nunavut has been occupied continuously for more than 4,000 years. Paleoeskimo people emigrated from what is now Alaska in small groups beginning 4,000 years ago to as recently as 700 years ago. Another wave of migration came 1,000 years ago when whale-hunting Neoeskimo people entered Nunavut.

In 2001, 27.8% of the 450 immigrants living in Nunavut had come from the United Kingdom, 12.2% from the United States, and 11.1% from Northern and Western European countries other than the United Kingdom. Many immigrants in recent years have come from the Philippines and Germany. In the period 1996–2001, Nunavut had a net loss of 330 people or 1.4%.

17 Economy

The traditional subsistence activities of the Inuit—fishing, hunting, and trapping—have an impact on the territorial economy. Fur harvesting continues to be very important, supplementing the income of many Inuit families. Until the mid-1960s, some parts of Nunavut maintained a subsistence economy, surviving from hunting and fishing, exchanging furs for small items from trading posts.

Hunting seals for their fur was a major industry in Nunavut until the 1970s, when public sentiment and political lobbying caused the United States and several countries in Europe to ban imports of marine mammal products. As a result, joblessness increased and Nunavut's economy lost some c$2 million per year.

Inuit arts and crafts distribute a greater amount of income more widely than any other economic activity.

With the new territorial status of Nunavut, construction in the Iqaluit area is booming, with new commercial buildings, apartments, and the legislative building.

In 2005, Nunavut's gross domestic product (GDP) totaled c$1.101 billion, up from c$1.055 billion the year before. Nunavut's GDP was the smallest among Canada's 13 provinces or territories.

18 Income

The average family income in Nunavut in 2004 was c$49,900. In 2005, the average weekly wage rate was c$853.28, the second highest in Canada among the 13 provinces or territories.

19 Industry

Industry in Nunavut centers on fish and meat processing. In addition, the production of arts and crafts, such as tapestries, weavings, carvings, and prints, involves more than 27% of the territory's population at some level. The shipment value of all goods manufactured in Nunavut in 2005 was c$5.8 million.

20 Labor

As of 2005, the labor force included about 11,317 people. The leading employment sectors in 2001 were public administration, 22.6%; education, 12.6%; and trade, 12.2%. There are few salaried jobs available outside of the public sector. In 2005, the average hourly wage among all industries was c$19.71. Many jobs are seasonal.

21 Agriculture

Nunavut had no farms as of 2001. Since 2004, the Nunavut Harvesters' Association has been working with the Canadian government through a program called Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) to explore new possibilities for establishing agricultural and agri-food industries in the region.

22 Domesticated Animals

For about 2,000 years, the Inuit have bred qimmiit (Eskimo huskies) as draft animals to carry packs and later to pull sleds. Before modern transportation was available, dog teams often served as the primary form of transportation during the winter months. Fur production in 2003 was valued at about c$694,000.

23 Fishing

Sport fishing is a popular activity and is a source of income from tourism. In 2000, there were 662 active resident anglers in Nunavut. Principal species sought in Nunavut include arctic char, arctic grayling, and lake trout.

24 Forestry

Except for small areas of the south and west, Nunavut lies entirely north of the tree line (the border area just warm enough for trees to grow). There is no forestry in Nunavut; firewood is in short supply.

25 Mining

In 2005, the only metal mined in Nunavut was gold. Production that year was estimated at 480.6 pounds (218 kilograms) valued at c$3.7 million. Nunavut's Polaris lead-zinc mine on Little Cornwallis Island was the most northerly base-metal mine in the world. However, the Polaris mine shut down in 2002. No other mineral production was reported in 2005 estimates.

26 Energy and Power

Although Nunavut is known to have significant reserves of crude oil and natural gas, drilling costs and the inaccessibility of the terrain has discouraged exploration, and the exploitation of these reserves. Nunavut has been estimated to have around 23% of Canada's natural gas reserves, and 10% of Canada's oil reserves. Nunavut has 614 million barrels of recoverable oil, and 12.4 trillion cubic feet (0.35 million cubic meters) of recoverable natural gas. The Sverdrup Basin, 800 kilometers (497.1 miles) north of Cambridge Bay, was the site of past petroleum production activity. The Drake Point natural gas discovery is among the largest in Canada, but there is no economical way to extract the gas. There has been no natural gas, oil, or coal production activity in Nunavut.

All of Nunavut's electric power comes from thermal (internal combustion) sources. In 2004, the province's installed power generating capacity stood at 54,275 kilowatts Electric power output in 2004 totaled 139,445 megawatt hours, all of which was generated by internal combustion sources. As of that same year, the province had no method of generating electricity.

27 Commerce

In 2005, international exports by Nunavut amounted to almost c$3.6 million, while imports that same year totaled c$2.9 million. The United States was the largest consumer of Nunavut's exports at c$752,012, followed by Australia, China, and the United Kingdom. France was the leading source of imports to the territory that same year, at c$2,024,047, followed by the United States, and re-imports from Canada. In 2004, general merchandise store sales amounted to over c$174 million. Total retail trade in 2005 amounted to over c$249 million.

Inuit arts and crafts account for a great amount of retail income in Nunavut, spread out over a wide geographical area. Services related to tourism have become increasingly important sources of income.

28 Public Finance

As of 1 April 1999, Nunavut received a grant of about c$600 million per year for five years directly from the federal government. The grant was expected to account for 95% of the territory's public revenues, with income, sales, fuel, and property taxes accounting for the remainder.

Territorial government revenues for the 2006 fiscal year totaled c$1.181 billion, while expenditures stood at c$1.119 billion, leaving a surplus of c$61 million. Major expenditures were for health, education, housing, general government services, and social services. As of 31 March 2004, data on the territory's total net direct debt was unavailable.

29 Taxation

In 2005, the territorial personal income tax rate system was set in four brackets with rates ranging from 4% (the lowest rate available in the nation) to 11.5%. There is no general sales tax. An excise (consumption) tax on gasoline was levied at c$0.64 per liter and a cigarette tax was set at c$31.20 per carton (in addition to the federal tax of c$15.85 per carton). Corporate income tax rates were set at 12% for large businesses and 4% for small businesses (with an annual income of c$300,000 or less).

For 2005/06, it was estimated that the territory collected c$24 million in personal income tax and c$7.3 million in corporate income tax.

30 Health

In 2005, there were an estimated 785 live births, an increase of 20 from 2004. There were 138 deaths in 2005, an increase of 5 from 2004. Life expectancy for men in 2001 was 66.4 years, and 71 years for women. These rates were the lowest in Canada. Reported cases of selected diseases in 2002 for Nunavut included gonococcal infections, 78; chicken pox, 70; giardiasis, 12; and salmonellosis, 26. Between 2000 and 2003, 2 residents had become infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Iqaluit has a well-equipped community hospital; smaller communities have community health centers (nursing stations). Air ambulance (Medevac) service is available and is coordinated by the local nursing stations.

31 Housing

Government housing programs stimulated the popularity of permanent housing so that by the mid-1960s, most Inuit no longer permanently lived in traditional camps.

In 2001, Nunavut had 7,175 households. The average household size was 3.7 persons, the highest number in Canada. Due to perma-frost and a short construction season, the cost of building a house is more expensive in Nunavut than elsewhere in Canada. In 2001, 4,215 households lived in single-detached houses, 140 households lived in apartments in buildings with five or more stories, 5 households lived in mobile homes, and 2,810 households lived in other dwellings, including row houses and apartments in buildings with fewer than five stories.

For the 2001/02 fiscal year, the Government of Nunavut allocated about c$54 million to the Nunavut Housing Corporation to assist with housing shortages. In 2001, c$57.3 million was invested in residential construction in Nunavut.

32 Education

Federal schools were built in most Baffin communities in the 1950s and 1960s. All elementary and secondary schools in Nunavut are public. In 2003/2004 there were 9,362 students enrolled in the territory's elementary and secondary public schools. In 2002/2003, the latest year for which data was available, there were 537 educators employed by the territorial elementary and secondary public schools. There was no data available on school spending. The Arctic College (with centers in Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay, Iqaluit, and Igloolik) offers community college courses.

33 Arts

Many communities in Nunavut have artisans who produce clothing, accessories, tools, weavings, beadwork, carvings, or prints. Studios are often found in the more populous areas of Pangnirtung, Iqaluit, Cape Dorset, Baker Lake, and Rankin Inlet.

34 Libraries and Museums

The Nunavut Public Library Service (NPLS) is a division of the Department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth Central. In 2004, there were 11 community libraries, including Iqaluit Centennial Library in the capital city of Nunavut. Other member libraries are located in Arviat, Cambridge Bay, Clyde River, Kugluktuk (Coppermine), Nanisivik, Pangnirtung, Pond Inlet, and Rankin Inlet. In 2004, about 81.6% of all elementary and secondary schools had libraries.

In 2006, there were about nine museums in the territory. The Nunatta Sunaqutangit Museum is in Iqaluit. There is an Inuit Heritage Center in Baker Lake that houses a small gallery and the Kitikmeot Heritage Society in Cambridge Bay houses a collection of art and artifacts along with a resource library.

35 Communications

Nunavut has an AM radio station in Iqaluit and 3 FM stations (Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake, and Alert). There are no television stations in Nunavut, but the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) North transmits to Iqaluit and other communities. The Inuit Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) develops programming in Inuktitut. Iqaluit is Canada's northernmost community with cellular telephone service.

36 Press

There were no daily newspapers in Nunavut as of 2005. A weekly paper, Nunatsiaq News, was published in both English and Inuktitut.

37 Tourism, Travel, and Recreation

Tourism is increasingly important. Nunavut offers a variety of landscapes of great natural beauty, which are well-suited to fishing, hunting, wildlife observation and photography, and other outdoor activities. Tourism in Nunavut annually contributes some c$30 million to the economy. Nunavut has three national parks: Auyuittuq National Park, on Baffin Island north of Pangnirtung; Ellesmere National Park, on northern Ellesmere Island; and Sirmilik National Park, on northern Baffin Island. In addition, there are several territorial and historic parks and 20 bird and game sanctuaries.

38 Sports

There are no professional sports teams in the province. The Nunavut 200 is an annual dog sled race from Arviat to Rankin Inlet. The Midnight Sun Marathon is an internationally known annual race from Arctic Bay to Nanisivik. The international Arctic Winter Games were held in Iqaluit in 2002.

39 Famous Nunavummiut

Qillaq (Qitdlarssuaq) led one of the last Inuit migrations from Baffin Island to northwest Greenland in the 1850s and 1860s. John Amagoalik was instrumental in the design of the new territory's government. Paul Okalik (b.1964) became the first premier in 1999; he was re-elected in 2004.

40 Bibliography

BOOKS

Beckett, Harry. Nunavut. Calgary, AB: Weigl, 2001.

George, Charles. The Inuit. Detroit: KidHaven Press, 2005.

Lutz, Norma Jean. Nunavut. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2001.

McGhee, R. Ancient People of the Arctic. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 1996.

Roy, Geoffrey. North Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut: The Bradt Travel Guide. Guilford, CT: Globe Pequot, 2000.

Walsh, Kieran. Canada. Vero Beach, FL: Rourke Publishing Co., 2005.

WEB SITES

Government of Nunavut. www.gov.nu.ca (accessed on March 28, 2007).

Nunavut Tourism. Nunavut: Canada's Arctic—Untamed, Unspoiled, Undiscovered. www.nunavuttourism.com/site/index.asp (accessed on March 28, 2007).

Statistics Canada. www.statcan.ca/start.html (accessed on March 28, 2007).

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