Nunavut

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Nunavut [Inuktituk,=our land], territory (2001 pop. 26,745), 772,260 sq mi (2,000,671 sq km), NE Canada. The capital and largest town is Iqaluit on Baffin Island at Frobisher Bay.

Formed from what was the E Northwest Territories (the former Baffin, Keewatin, and Kitikmeot regions), Nunavut has a western boundary wtih the Northwest Territories that runs north from the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border (at 60°N) to the Thelon River, west to just above Great Bear Lake, north to the Arctic Ocean, east into Victoria Island, and finally north, bisecting Victoria and Melville islands. Spanning three time zones and including one fifth of Canada's total land area, it is bounded on the east by Baffin Bay, the Davis Strait, and Quebec's Ungava Peninsula and on the south by Manitoba. Nunavut encompassess most of Canada's Arctic islands, including Ellesmere, Baffin, Devon, Prince of Wales, Southampton, and Coats, as well as the islands in Hudson and James bays. The establishment of Nunavut created a Canadian "Four Corners" where SW Nunavut, SE Northwest Territories, NE Saskatchewan, and NW Manitoba meet.

Geographically, the territory is largely on the Canadian Shield and almost entirely north of the tree line (except near the Manitoba border); the landscape is dominated by tundra , rock, and snow and ice. The territory is effectively controlled by the Inuit, who make up 85% of the population and speak Inuktitut as their first language, although control could change with population growth.

Most of the richest and most well-developed parts of the Northwest Territories, which lie along the Mackenzie River, were not included in Nunavut, which must rely on the development of its mineral resources, such as diamonds (which are now being mined), in addition to hunting, fishing, fur trapping, sealing, and the production of arts and crafts. The Inuit hold outright title to about 20% of Nunavut, including 13,896 sq mi (36,000 sq km) of subsurface mineral rights. The territory faces problems including high unemployment, substance abuse, and suicide rates, and some 90% of its budget currently comes from the Canadian government. There are no paved roads, and long-distance travel is largely by air. There is a small tourist trade, lured by the wildlife and vast, spare wilderness, as well as Inuit cultural attractions.

The separation of Nunavut from the Northwest Territories began with a 1992 territorial referendum in which the electorate approved the move as part of the largest native land-claim settlement in Canadian history. The process concluded with the establishment of the new territory on Apr. 1, 1999. Nunavut has an elected 19-member assembly, which will assume all governing powers by 2009. Members of the assembly are elected on a nonpartisan basis. Paul Okalik, an Inuit, was elected by the assembly as Nunavut's first premier; he was reelected in 2004, but lost to Eva Aariak in 2008. The territory sends one senator and one representative to the national parliament.

Bibliography: See R. G. Condon, Inuit Behavior and Seasonal Change in the Canadian Arctic (1983).

Nunavut After years of negotiations to settle Inuit land claims, the Canadian government agreed in 1992 to transfer an area in the Northwest Territories called Nunavut (‘Our Land’) to the native peoples living in the territories. It was to extend over an area of 2.2 million km² (850,000 sq. miles), with 350,000  km² (135,000 sq. miles) being directly transferred as their property. For the negation of further land claims, they were given a compensation of $580 million. The deal was confirmed by a referendum of the native peoples in the Northwest Territories, with 8,334 in favour and 7,020 against the proposal. Nunavut received internal autonomy in 1999, with the prospect of provincial status by 2008.

Nunavut Territory in n Canada; the capital is Iqaluit. Once part of Northwest Territory, Nunavut was granted self-government in 1999. Created as a homeland for the Inuit, its first premier was Paul Okalit. Although subsidized by central government, the local economy relies on fishing, hunting and mining lead, zinc and coal. Area: c.2 million sq km (775,000sq mi). Pop. (2001) 26,745.

http://www.gov.nu.ca/Nunavut

Nunavut, Canada A territory officially created out of the Northwest Territories in 1999, although the Nunavut Act was signed in 1993. The name means ‘Our Land’ in the Inuktitut language of the Inuit ‘The People (who are alive now)’, a name to be preferred to the derogatory Cree name of Eskimo ‘Raw Flesh Eater’.