Yukon

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Yukon Fourth-longest river in North America, deriving its name from a Native American word for ‘great’. It rises at Lake Tagish on the border of British Columbia, Canada, and flows n and nw through Yukon Territory across the border into Alaska. It then flows sw to enter the Bering Sea. The Russians explored the lower course of the river in 1836–37; Robert Campbell explored the upper course in 1843. It was a major transportation route during the Klondike Gold Rush. It is navigable for c.2858km (1775mi) of its 3185km (1980mi) course, but is ice-bound from October to June. The river teems with salmon.

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