Yukon Territory territory (2001 pop. 28,674), 207,076 sq mi (536,327 sq km), NW Canada.

Geography and Climate

The triangle-shaped Yukon territory is bordered on the N by the Beaufort Sea of the Arctic Ocean, on the E by the Northwest Territories, on the S by British Columbia and Alaska, and on the W by Alaska. The highest point in the Yukon is Mt. Logan, 19,551 ft (5,959 m) high, part of the Coast Ranges in the southwest. Although most of the territory is a watershed for the Yukon River and its tributaries, the northern and southeastern regions drain east into the Mackenzie River system.

Immediately south of the desolate arctic coast the country is uninhabited and generally unknown. The other parts of the territory have great natural beauty, with snow-fed lakes backed by perpetually white-capped mountains and forests and streams abounding with wildlife. Kluane National Park (est. 1972) is in the St. Elias Mts. Winters are long and cold, with low humidity. During the short summers the longer day and surprisingly warm sun bring a profusion of wildflowers and enable the hardier grains and vegetables to mature.

The few settlements are situated on the riverbanks. The capital and largest town is Whitehorse , where the vast majority of the population lives. Next in importance is Dawson .

Economy

The Yukon's leading industry by far is mining; lead, zinc, silver, gold, and copper are the principal minerals. Tourism is the second most important industry; the area's colorful history and beautiful scenery draw visitors. Manufacturing has increased in importance, with such products as furniture, clothing, and handicrafts. There are hydroelectric facilities at Whitehorse, Aishihik, and Mayo. Trapping, the oldest industry, has declined in recent decades. Fishing is relatively unimportant.

Transportation facilities are limited. For many years the Yukon River system was the main artery. The White Pass and Yukon Railway, between Whitehorse and Skagway, Alaska, built during the Klondike gold rush of the 1890s, now handles only excursion traffic. The Alaska Highway and other all-weather roads have been built since World War II. Air transportation now plays a vital role, and there is an international airport at Whitehorse.

History and Government

The territory's history began with the explorations in the 1840s of Robert Campbell and John Bell, fur traders for the Hudson's Bay Company. Several trading posts were built on the Yukon River, and before long prospectors began to search for treasure. The Canadian government acquired the Yukon from the Hudson's Bay Company in 1870 and administered it as part of the Northwest Territories. After the famous gold strikes in the Klondike River region in the 1890s, thousands of fortune hunters arrived in search of gold. This colorful period was recorded in the writings of Robert Service and Jack London.

To meet the need for local government created by the influx of prospectors, the Yukon was made a separate district (1895) and then a separate territory (1898) with Dawson as capital. Whitehorse became the capital in 1952. Native land claims and the desire for provincial status are two issues that have dominated territorial politics in recent years. The land claim by the Yukon, a tribe of about 7,000, was approved by the federal government in 1991.

The government consists of a federally appointed commissioner, an elected legislative assembly of 18 members, and a 5-member cabinet appointed by the majority party of the assembly. Dennis Fentie led the conservative Yukon party to victory in the 2002 assembly elections, ousting the governing Liberal party; Fentie's government retained power after the 2006 elections. The territory sends one senator and one representative to the national parliament.

Bibliography

See K. J. Rea, The Political Economy of the Canadian North (1968); E. A. McCourt, The Yukon and Northwest Territories (1969); J. R. Lotz, Northern Realities: The Future of Northern Development in Canada (1970); M. Webb, The Last Frontier (1985); T. Stone, Miners' Justice: Migration, Law and Order on the Alaska-Yukon Frontier, 1873-1902 (1988); K. S. Coates and W. R. Morrison, A History of the Yukon (1988).

Yukon Territory Small territory in the extreme nw of Canada, bounded by the Arctic Ocean (n), Northwest Territories (e), British Columbia (s), and Alaska (w); the capital and largest town is Whitehorse. The n consists of Arctic waste and is virtually uninhabited. Further s there is spectacular mountain scenery with lakes and coniferous forests. The region is drained by the Yukon and Mackenzie rivers. The climate is harsh, with freezing winters and short summers. The region was first explored by fur traders from the Hudson's Bay Company after 1840. The Klondike Gold Rush brought over 30,000 prospectors in the 1890s. In 1991 the Canadian government recognized the land claims of the indigenous Yukon (First Nation) Native Americans. Farming is extremely limited, but a few cereal crops and vegetables are grown in the valleys. The principal activity is mining, with deposits including lead, zinc and gold. Forestry and tourism are economically important. Area: 483,450sq km (186,675sq mi). Pop. (2001) 28,674.

http://www.gov.yk.ca

Yukon Territory

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 Yukoners
40 Bibliography

ORIGIN OF PROVINCE NAME: The name Yukon was first used by the Hudson's Bay Company trader John Bell in 1846. He called it "Yucon," derived from the Loucheux Indian word Yuchoo, meaning "the greatest river."

CAPITAL: Whitehorse.

ENTERED CONFEDERATION: 13 June 1898.

COAT OF ARMS: The blue and white wavy vertical stripes symbolize the Yukon River, while the twin red peaks represent the mountains and the gold circles stand for the mineral wealth of the territory. The red Cross of St. George honors the early British explorers and traders; the patterned circle centered on the cross represents fur trading. The crest is topped by a black and white malamute dog, which played an important role in the early history and development of the Yukon.

FLAG: Is divided into three panels: green at the mast (symbolizing forests), white in the center (representing snow), and blue at the fly (signifying water). On the white panel (which is 50 percent wider than the other two panels) the territorial coat of arms appears above a wreath of fireweed.

FLORAL EMBLEM: Fireweed.

TARTAN: Green, dark blue, magenta, yellow, and white on a light blue background.

BIRD: Common raven.

TIME: 4 AM PST = noon GMT.

1 Location and Size

The Yukon Territory in Canada's northwest covers 186,660 square miles (483,450 square kilometers). The perimeters of this mountainous territory form a rough triangle bordered on the east by the Northwest Territories, on the south by British Columbia, and on the west by the US state of Alaska. The northern tip of the triangle meets the chilly waters of the Beaufort Sea. Mount Logan, Canada's highest peak (and North America's second-highest) at 19,537 feet (5,951 meters), is located in southwestern Yukon.

2 Topography

The Yukon can be divided into two broad geographical regions: taiga and tundra. Taiga is the boreal forest belt (typified by stands of pine, aspen, poplar, and birch trees) that circles the world in the subarctic zone, including most of the Yukon. Tundra is the vast, rocky plain in the arctic regions, where the extreme climate has stunted vegetation. The Yukon River is the fifth-longest in North America.

3 Climate

The Yukon has a subarctic climate. The high altitude of much of the territory and the semiarid climate provide relatively warm summers with temperatures frequently reaching 77°f (25°c) or more during the long summer days. In winter the temperature ranges between 39°f and 58°f (4°c and −50°c) in the south and slightly colder farther north. The warmest recorded temperature in the Yukon was 97°f (36.1°c) on 14 June 1969 at Mayo; the coldest was −81°f (−63°c) on 3 February 1947 at Snag. Above the Arctic Circle (latitude 66 north), the Yukon is known as "the land of the midnight sun" because for three months in summer, sunlight is almost continuous. In winter, however, darkness sets in, and the light of day is not seen for a quarter of the year.

4 Plants and Animals

The Yukon's mountains are home to woodland caribou, lynxes, black bears, and Dall's sheep. Moose, gray wolves, golden eagles, and gyrfalcons also inhabit the Yukon. The short growing season produces an explosion of small wildflowers every year. Edible vegetation includes wild raspberries and strawberries, mossberries, and dewberries.

Yukon Territory: Population Profile

Estimated 2006 population	30,372%
Population Change, 2001–2006	5.9%
Percent Urban/Rural populations, 2001
Urban	58.7%
Rural	41.3%
Foreign born population	10.6%%
Populationg by ethnicity
English	7,720
Canadian	7,655
North American Indian	6,370
Scottish	6,245
Irish	5,455
German	4,085
French	3,815
Ukrainian	1,525
Norwegian	1,080
Dutch (Netherlands)	1,025
Welsh	825
Métis	570
Inuit	215

Population by Age Group

Major Cities by Population

City	Population, 2006
Whitehorse	20,461
Dawson	1,327
Watson Lake	846
Haines Junction	589
Carmacks	425

In 2006, the Baikal sedge was listed as a threatened plant species. The same year, the peregrine falcon and wood bison were listed as threatened animal species.

5 Environmental Protection

The Yukon Department of the Environment oversees the management and use of the province's renewable resources and environment. Releases of nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide (gases that cause smog) annually total around 17,000 tons, while emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide compounds annually amount to some 2,000 tons. About 3% of the territorial budget is spent on maintaining environmental and natural resources. In 2001, the Yukon government, the Canadian government, and two non-profit community groups were working together to reduce the amount of computer equipment going to local landfills.

6 Population

As of 1 April 2006, an estimated 30,372 people lived in the Yukon. Yukon had the second-smallest population of Canada's 13 provinces or territories. (Only Nunavut had a smaller population.) Whitehorse, Yukon's capital city, had a population of 20,461 in 2006. Major towns include Dawson, Watson Lake, and Haines Junction.

Between 1991 and 2001, the median age of Yukon's population grew from 31.0 years to 36.1 years. The national average was 37.6 years. People age 65 and older accounted for 8% of the population in 2006.

7 Ethnic Groups

Some 22% of the population are Aboriginals (Native Peoples). The Yukon's vast interior forests were occupied by the Athapaskans, whose cultural and linguistic traditions go back more than 1,000 years. The distinct groups of Athapaskan Indians are Gwitch'in, Han, Tutchone, Upper Tanana, Kaska, and Tagish. The Tlingit people were originally from the coast.

8 Languages

In 2001, English was reported as the mother tongue of 86.2% of the Yukon's residents, while 3.1% declared French as their first language and 9.6% had other first languages (mostly Athapaskan dialects). About 1.1% of the population spoke two or more languages.

9 Religions

Over 33% of the population—or about 9,485 people—are Protestant, including Anglicans, members of the United Church of Canada, Baptists, Lutherans, Pentecostals, and Presbyterians. The Yukon also has about 6,015 Catholics. There are 150 people or fewer of each of the following: Eastern Orthodox, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Hindus. About 38.6% of the population—nearly 11,015 people—have no religious affiliation.

10 Transportation

The territory had a total of about 2,983 miles (4,802 kilometers) of roadways in 2006. During World War II (1939–45), the United States built the Alaska Highway, creating a new overland transportation route. The Alaska Highway traverses southern Yukon and links Watson Lake with Whitehorse before continuing on to Alaska. In 1979, the Canadian government opened the Dempster Highway, which is found mostly in the Yukon Territory. It is the only public highway above the Arctic Circle that is open year-round. It runs from near Dawson, Yukon, to Inuvik, Northwest territories; a distance of 447.39 miles (720 kilometers). The paved Klondike Highway links Dawson with Whitehorse and is the primary north-south road. In 2005, the Yukon had 28,362 registered road motor vehicles, with 294 buses, 615 motorcycles and mopeds, and 1,118 off road, construction, and farm vehicles. There were 8,572 trailers.

The territorial government is responsible for 4 airports, which have paved runways, and 25 airfields, which typically have gravel runways.

11 History

Exploration of the Yukon

Eighteenth-century Russian traders were the first modern Europeans to travel to the area now known as the Yukon Territory. This frigid stretch of northwest Canadian land borders the American state of Alaska. The English explorer Sir John Franklin anchored off the Yukon's Arctic coastline back in 1825. The Hudson's Bay Company moved into the interior in the 1840s, and American traders began arriving in the late 1860s. Around the same time, visitors of another kind arrived in the Yukon. Missionaries from the Catholic and Anglican churches—eager to convert the region's native people to Christianity—set up missions along the fur trade route. In 1865, Anglican missionary William Bompass arrived in the area. He eventually became the first bishop of the Yukon diocese and was also notable for the many schools he established in the region. The Yukon was part of the Northwest Territories at this time, and when Great Britain gave the Northwest Territories to Canada in 1870, the Yukon was included in the deal.

In 1896, a major gold discovery was made near Dawson City by prospector George Carmack and two native North Americans, Skookum Jim and Tagish Charlie. News of the discovery reached other parts of North America and Europe the next year, prompting huge numbers of prospectors (explorers searching for gold) to make their way to the Klondike region of the Yukon.

The Gold Rush

Dawson City, located on the bank of the Yukon and Klondike rivers, was no more than a small frontier settlement before the gold rush. By 1898, however, its population had grown to 40,000, making it the largest city west of Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada. To serve this growing population, numerous dance halls, saloons, hotels, and boarding houses sprang up in Dawson City, but crime accompanied the economic boom in the area. The Canadian federal government decided to give the Yukon more control over its own affairs. In 1898, the Yukon Territory was officially established, and Dawson City became the capital of the province.

As gold resources became depleted and prospectors left to seek their fortunes at other locations, the territory's growth came to a screeching halt. Between 1901 and 1911, the Yukon's population fell from 27,000 to only 8,500. Some mining did continue—coal was found at Carmacks, and silver and lead mining began around 1913—but there was little to attract new industry to the Yukon or to encourage settlement there.

During World War II (1939–45), though, the Yukon Territory generated a lot of interest. The American government, fearing a Japanese invasion from the West, wanted to build a road to connect Alaska with the other US states. With Canada's permission, construction of the 2,325-kilometer-long Alaska Highway began in 1942. This project brought thousands of temporary citizens to the Yukon, as did the Canadian Oil Pipeline, also constructed during World War II. By 1951, the Yukon's population had grown to 9,000, and in 1953, Whitehorse—with a larger population than Dawson City and a better location on the Alaska Highway—became the province's new capital. The 1950s and 1960s saw the construction of a major hydroelectric plant in Whitehorse, the beginning of the construction of the Dempster Highway, and the growth of employment opportunities in tourism and government services. Slowly, the Yukon's population increased.

Native American Land Claims

Yukon Indian land claims became a heated issue in the 1970s. The native people stated that since the time of European settlement, their culture, land rights, and ways of life had been threatened. It was not until 1993 that the Council for Yukon Indians, the Government of Canada, and the Yukon territorial government signed an Umbrella Final Agreement that set out the terms for final land claim settlements in the Territory. This and similar agreements with other tribes have served to protect the rights of the region's Native Americans.

In 1993, the Canada-Yukon Oil and Gas Accord was signed, granting control over onshore oil and gas resources to the Yukon government. Other agreements have been signed to transfer authority and control in forestry, fishery, and transportation. Economic development remains a challenge in the Yukon, however. The mineral industry is still the basis of the territory's economy, and the government continues its work to strengthen other industries such as renewable resources and tourism.

In 2004, Yukon was aiming to build a sustainable and competitive economy. The Yukon was looking forward to developing regional, national, and global markets for its goods and services. With abundant natural resources and hardy and talented people, the Yukon was looking optimistically to the future.

By the end of 2004, same-sex marriages were legal in the territory. On 20 August 2005, same-sex marriages in all jurisdictions within Canada became legal, when federal law C-38, passed in July of that same year, went into effect.

Commissioners of Yukon Territory

TERM	COMMISSIONER	TITLE
1897–98	James Morrow Walsh	Commissioner
1898	William Ogilvie	Commissioner
1898	Thomas Fawcett	Commissioner
1898	Gordon Hunter	Commissioner
1898–1901	Edmund Cumming Senkler	Commissioner
1901–02	James Hamilton Ross	Commissioner
1902–03	Zachary Taylor Wood	Commissioner
1903–05	Frederick Tennyson Congdon	Commissioner
1905–07	William Wallace Burns McInnes	Commissioner
1907–12	Alexander Henderson	Commissioner
1907–13	F. X. Gosselin	Commissioner
1912–16	George Black	Commissioner
1913–18	George Patton MacKenzie	Commissioner
1916–18	George Norris Williams	Administrator
1918–25	George Patton MacKenzie	Commissioner
1925–28	Percy Reid	Commissioner
1928–32	George Ian MacLean	Commissioner
1932–36	George Allan Jeckell	Comptroller
1936–47	George Allan Jeckell	Controller
1947–48	John Edward Gibben	Controller
1948–50	John Edward Gibben	Commissioner
1950–51	Andrew Harold Gibson	Commissioner
1952–55	Wilfred George Brown	Commissioner
1955–62	Frederick Howard Collins	Commissioner
1962–66	Gordon Robertson Cameron	Commissioner
1966–76	James Smith	Commissioner
1976–78	Arthur MacDonald Pearson	Commissioner
1978–79	Frank B. Fingland	Commissioner
1979	Ione Jean Christensen	Commissioner
1979–80	Douglas Leslie Dewey Bell	Administrator
1980–86	Douglas Leslie Dewey Bell	Commissioner
1986–95	John Kenneth McKinnon	Commissioner
1995–00	Judy Gingell	Commissioner
2000–	Jack Cable	Commissioner

Government Leaders of Yukon Territory

TERM	COMMISSIONER	TITLE
1978–85	Christopher William Pearson	Conservative
1985	William Phelps	Conservative
1985–92	Anthony Penikett	New Democratic
1992–96	John L. Ostashek	Yukon
1996–00	Piers McDonald	New Democratic

Premiers of Yukon Territory

TERM	PREMIER	PARTY
2000–02	Pat Duncan	New Democratic
2000–	Dennis Fentie	Yukon

12 Provincial Government

In the Yukon, political power rests with elected representatives. Although a federally appointed commissioner is technically in charge of the administration, the role of that office has diminished and generally follows the lead of the elected territorial government. An 18-seat assembly serves as the legislative body, operating under the political party system. The premier is the leader of the majority party of the assembly's elected representatives. An executive council, which operates much like a provincial cabinet, consists of appointees of the commissioner who were recommended by the government leader.

As a territory, the Yukon does not have full provincial status, although it achieved a style of government similar to that of the provinces in 1979.

13 Political Parties

As of the election held on 10 October 2006, standings in the Yukon Legislative Assembly by political party were as follows: New Democratic Party, 3; Liberal Party, 5; and Yukon Party, 10.

14 Local Government

As of 2006, there was one city in the Yukon (Whitehorse), seven towns, and six local advisory areas. The most populous communities in the Yukon as of June 2006 were (in order): Whitehorse (capital); Dawson City; Watson Lake; Haines Junction; Carcross; Teslin; Carmacks; Mayo; Faro; Marsh Lake; Ross River; Pelly Crossing; Old Crow; Tagish; Beaver Creek; Burwash Landing; and Destruction Creek.

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 Territorial Court, which deals with most criminal proceedings, youth matters, child protection cases, some family matters (excluding divorce); the Yukon Supreme Court, which hears serious civil and criminal cases; and the Court of Appeal, the Yukon Territory's highest court, which hears appeals from the Territorial Court and the Yukon Supreme Court. There is a small claims court and a federal court, which reviews decisions of all federal boards, commissions or other tribunals, and also hears cases where relief is claimed against the Crown.

In 2005, there were 3,088 violent crimes committed per 100,000 people, while the property crime rate stood at 6,028 per 100,000 people. Because of the small population, the Yukon sometimes has one of the highest crime rates in Canada.

16 Migration

The Yukon was the first area in Canada to be settled. Anthropologists believe the ancestors of the Amerindians may have inhabited the Yukon 10,000 to 25,000 years ago when they migrated from Asia across a Bering Sea land bridge. American traders arrived after the 1867 Russian sale of Alaska to the United States. With the discovery of gold near Dawson City in 1896, the Klondike became one of the most populous regions in northwestern Canada. The Gold Rush of 1897 saw more than 30,000 people from the lower parts of Canada migrate to the Yukon and the Northwest Territories within one year. The sudden increase in population during the Klondike Gold Rush prompted the federal government to give the Yukon more control over its affairs.

In 2001, of the 3,020 immigrants living in the Yukon, 19.2% had come from the United States, and 18.4% from the United Kingdom. About 28.8% came from Northern and Western European countries other than the United Kingdom (mostly from Germany). Some 7% came from Southeast Asia (mostly from Vietnam and the Philippines).

British Columbia is the leading province of origin for incoming residents and the leading province of destination for those leaving the territory for other parts of the country. In the period 1996–2001, Yukon was among six provinces or territories to experience a net domestic migration loss across all five census age groups (5-14 years; 15-29 years; 30-44 years; 45-64 years; and 65 years and over). For that period, the province had a net loss of 2,760 people or 9.5%.

17 Economy

The gold rush of the 1890s quickly transformed the Yukon into a market-oriented economy. Gold is no longer the only natural resource sought. In fact, mining for other metals has become the most important economic activity in the territory. Tourism and hydroelectricity are also important economic sectors.

In 2005, the Yukon Territory's gross domestic product (GDP) totaled c$1.522 billion, the second smallest among Canada's 13 provinces or territories, and up from c$1.412 billion the year before.

18 Income

The average family income in 2004 was c67,800. In 2005, average weekly earnings were c$822.

19 Industry

Industry in the Yukon is reliant on the processing of raw materials. Food products, wood, printing and publishing, and nonmetallic mineral products are important manufacturing sectors. In 2005, the shipment value of manufactured products for the Yukon Territory was c$24.6 million. Preliminary data for that same year, showed that 1,500 people were employed by the territory's goods producing industries, up from 1,300 in 2004.

20 Labor

In January 2004, the Yukon had about 14,600 persons in the labor force. That year, 13,400 residents 15 years and older were employed, and 1,200 were unemployed. The overall unemployment rate in January 2004 was 8.2%. The hourly minimum wage in the Yukon was c$7.20. In 2005, the average hourly wage among all industries was c$18.83.

21 Agriculture

Agriculture—expensive by North American standards—is a small but expanding industry. It has been estimated that only about 2% of the land area is suitable for farming.

Although growth of the agricultural industry is limited by climate and the availability of productive land, new research programs hold promise for the future.

In 2001, there were 170 farms in the Yukon. Farms in the territories are smaller than those in the south, averaging under 150 acres. Hay accounts for three-quarters of total field crops in the territories. Reindeer and horses are found on territory farms. Both flowers and vegetables are produced in greenhouses. The most common greenhouse vegetables are cucumbers and tomatoes.

22 Domesticated Animals

The fur trade is important for about 3% of the population, mainly Aboriginal. There are over 400 licensed trappers in the Yukon. Fourteen species may be trapped in the Yukon. Yukon's fur harvest in 2003 was worth about c$279,000 year.

23 Fishing

A small fishing industry operates in Dawson City to export salmon. Other commercial fisheries supply local consumers.

In 2000, a total of 4,835 residents were actively engaged in sport fishing within the province.

24 Forestry

About 47% of the total land area was covered by forests as of 2005. The federal government owns all the forest land. To reduce reliance on the mining, tourism, and governmental sectors, efforts have been made to promote the forest industry. In 2004, industrial round wood production totaled over 918,181 cubic feet (26,000 cubic meters). The value of forest product exports in 2005 was c$905,000, all of which went to the United States.

25 Mining

The principal minerals and metals produced in the Yukon are gold, silver, and sand and gravel. Gold was first discovered in 1896 in the Klondike district. In 2005, gold production was estimated at about 4,274 pounds (1,939 kilograms) valued at c$33 million. That year, the total value of metallic minerals was estimated at c$33.2 million and the value of non-metallic minerals (excluding fuels) was estimated at c$1.69 million.

26 Energy and Power

Canada's National Energy Board and the Geological Survey of Canada indicate that the Yukon Territory may contain substantial amounts of crude oil and natural gas. In 1999, Yukon began production of natural gas, which was valued that year at c$28.696 million. By 2001, natural gas production was valued at c$98.081 million. As of 31 January 2005, a total of 520.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas, and 11 million barrels of crude oil had been discovered.

Yukon has known coal deposits in seven areas. Although coal deposits were initially discovered around 1888, commercial coal production did not begin until 1900. Coal was primarily used for domestic heating, to power riverboats, and to dry mineral concentrates. In the early 1980s, coal mining operations ceased with the closure of the Anvil mine.

The majority of Yukon's electric power comes from hydroelectric sources. In 2004, the province's installed power generating capacity stood at 122,260 kilowatts, of which hydroelectric power generation accounted for 76,700 kilowatts, followed by thermal sources at 44,750 kilowatts of generating capacity. Electric power output in 2004 totaled 330,162 megawatt hours, of which hydroelectric sources accounted for 305,994 megawatt hours.

Wind-generated power output totaled 477 megawatt hours in 2004. Wind generation consisted of two wind turbines situated on Haeckel Hill in the Whitehorse area. Yukon had no steam, nuclear or combustion turbine generating capacity.

Yukon Energy generates most of the electricity in the territory.

27 Commerce

In 2005, international exports by the Yukon Territory amounted to c$11.4 million, while imports that same year totaled c$76.8 million. The United States was the largest consumer of Yukon's exports at c$5.2 million, followed by China, Germany, and Thailand. The United States was also the leading source of imports to the territory that same year, at c$67.08 million, followed by re-imports from Canada, France, and Japan.

In 2004, general merchandise store sales amounted to over c$57.6 million. Total retail trade in 2005 amounted to over c$443 million.

28 Public Finance

The fiscal year extends from 1 April to 31 March. For fiscal year 2006, total revenues were c$776 million, while expenditures totaled c$784 million, leaving a deficit of c$8 million. Major expenditures were for education, health, transportation and communication, and social services. As of 31 March 2004, the territory's total net direct debt amounted to c$30 million.

29 Taxation

In 2005, the territorial personal income tax rate system was set in four brackets with rates ranging from 7.04% to 12.76%. There is no territorial sales tax. A c$0.62 tax per liter is levied on gasoline and a cigarette tax is levied at c$26.40 per carton (in addition to the federal tax of c$15.85 per carton). In 2005, corporate income taxes ranged from 2.5% to 15% for large businesses and 4% for small businesses (with an annual income of c$300,000 or less). Property taxes are levied by municipalities.

In 2005/06, it was estimated that the territory collected c$36.9 million in personal income tax and c$5.8 million in corporate income tax.

30 Health

In 2005, there were an estimated 345 live births in the Yukon, an increase of 6 from 2004. There were 164 deaths that year, an increase of 6 from the previous year. Life expectancy for men in 2001 was 75.7 years, and 80.1 years for women. Reported cases of selected diseases in 2002 included chicken pox, 58; gonococcal infections, 11; giardiasis, 10; and salmonellosis, 3. Between November 1985 and June 2003, 37 people in the Yukon had become infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

31 Housing

The Yukon had 11,365 households in 2001. The average household size was 2.5 persons. There were 7,750 households living in single-detached houses, 5 households living in apartments in buildings with five or more stories, 910 households living in mobile homes, and 2,705 households living in other dwellings, including row houses and apartments in buildings with fewer than five stories. In 2002, c$77.8 million was invested in residential housing construction.

32 Education

The Yukon Territory has the smallest number of students enrolled in its public school system of any Canadian province or territory. As of 2004/05, there were 5,340 students enrolled in Yukon Territory's elementary and secondary public schools, down from 5,610 in 2002/03. The territorial elementary and secondary schools employed a total of 456 educators in 2004/05. Spending on the territory's elementary and secondary public schools in 2003/2004 totaled c$80 million.

The only postsecondary institution in the territory is Yukon College, which has several community campuses across the territory. It had an enrollment of 634 full-time students and 2,942 part-time students in 2005.

33 Arts

The Yukon Arts Centre opened in 1992 and provides the province with a variety of professional, community, and educational events. The center houses an art gallery where an average of 14 exhibitions are displayed each year. The Frostbite Music Festival in February was started as a folk music festival, but has expanded to include many other types of music performed by Canadian and world artists. Per capita territorial spending on the arts in the Yukon in 2000/01 was c$451, the highest amount among all of Canada's provinces and territories. The national average for provincial and territorial spending on the arts was c$68.

34 Libraries and Museums

The territorial Department of Community Service oversees a system of public libraries, with Whitehorse Public Library and branches in 14 communities (Beaver Creek, Burwash Landing, Carcross, Carmacks, Dawson City, Faro, Haines Junction, Mayo, Old Crow, Pelly Crossing, Ross River, Tagish, Teslin, and Watson Lake). In 2004/05, the combined circulation of all libraries was 116,983 items.

In 2006, there were about 19 museums in the Yukon Territory. The Dawson City Museum and Historical Society and the MacBride Museum (located in Whitehorse) are two of the territory's larger historical museums. The Kluane Museum of Natural History (located in Burwash Landing) displays wildlife and native handicrafts. The Northern Lights Space & Science Centre in Watson Lake is specifically designed to highlight the phenomena known as the northern lights or aurora borealis.

35 Communications

As of 2003, Yukon had four newspapers, six radio stations, and two television stations.

36 Press

In 2005, The Whitehorse Star, with an average daily circulation of 2,009, was the only daily newspaper published in the province. Yukon News is a weekly newspaper.

37 Tourism, Travel, and Recreation

Tourism, offering a wilderness experience in a unique and relatively unspoiled environment, provides a further base for jobs and services. It is estimated that around 1,900 jobs are directly dependent on tourism. In 2000, the non-resident tourism industry in the Yukon was worth c$164 million. Visitation to the Yukon was up 11% in 2002 compared with 2001. In 2002, there were 313,290 border crossings in the Yukon.

38 Sports

The Arctic Winter games have been held in Whitehorse five times since the games began in 1970. The Yukon was scheduled to host the Canada Games in 2007. The annual Klondike Trail of '98 International Road Relay is a race that begins in Skagway, Alaska, and follows the trail of the Gold Rush Stampeders over the White Pass, through British Columbia, and into Whitehorse, Yukon. The 108.74-mile (175-kilometer) relay race, which typically lasts for two days, is sponsored by the territorial organization Yukon Sports. Amateur leagues for other sports such as soccer and curling are active in the territory.

39 Famous Yukoners

Joseph Francis Ladue (b. New York, 1855–1900) was a prospector and businessman who founded Dawson City. William Carpenter Bompas (b. England, 1834–1906) was an Anglican bishop and missionary for the region. Martha Louise Black (1866–1957) was the Yukon's first, and Canada's second, female member of Parliament. Popular writer and historian Pierre Berton (1920–2004) was a native of Whitehorse.

40 Bibliography

BOOKS

Ferry, Steven, Blake Harris, and Liz Szynkowski. Yukon Territory. San Diego: Lucent, 2003.

Holt, John. Arctic Aurora: Canada's Yukon and Northwest Territories. Camden, ME: Countrysport Press, 2004.

LeVert, Suzanne. Yukon. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2001.

McNeese, Tim. The Yukon River. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2005.

Nobleman, Marc Tyler. The Klondike Gold Rush. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2006.

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

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

WEB SITES

Canada Tourism Commission. www.canadatourism.com/index.html (accessed on March 28, 2007).

Government of Yukon, Canada. www.gov.yk.ca (accessed on March 28, 2007).

Yukon, Canada's True North. travelyukon.com/en (accessed on March 28, 2007).