The region now known as Nunavut
has supported a continuous population for approximately 4000 years.
Nunavut means 'our land' in Inuktitut, the language of the Inuit.
The written history begins in 1576,
with the first recorded contact between European and Inuit.
The contact was hostile.
Both sides took prisoners who subsequently perished.
With the signing of the Nunavut
Land Claims Agreement Act
in 1993, and the establishment of the
Nunavut government on Apr 1, 1999,
the management of Nunavut’s
environment is now
shared with the federal government.
The aim is to combine aboriginal traditions with modern values,
in order to strike a balance between the ecology and economy.
Within this co~management arrangement, conservation focuses
not only on using resources wisely and protecting the wildlife,
but also on the hunting rights of the pre~colonial inhabitants.
Canada's newest territory
encompasses 1/5 of the country's land mass.
Nunavut covers about
1.9 million km² (750000 mi²) of land and 161000 km² (62000 mi²) of water,
with an extensive coastline
of 45000 km (28000 mi) that runs along the
Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and Hudson Bay.
If Nunavut were a sovereign nation,
it would be the least densely populated country in the world,
with less than 30 thousand residents.
This vast area encompasses
many regional variations of arctic climate,
landforms and eco~systems,
from the flat barren lands and shallow tundra lakes of western
Nunavut to the majestic fjords,
mountain ranges and icebergs of
eastern Nunavut.
WEATHER
Nunavut lies entirely within the
Arctic climatic zone.
The arctic climate is the coldest of all climates.
Summers are the coolest on the planet, and winters are extremely cold.
The arctic climate has a short summer that can be
measured in days rather than weeks or months.
July and August are the summer months.
Temperatures reach 12 ° C on Baffin Island and
up to 24 ° C on the mainland.
In July, temperatures above 50 ° F (10 ° C) are limited to
the area west of Hudson Bay.
In the far north, and along the northeastern coast of Baffin Island,
they do not exceed 41 ° F (5 ° C).
Springtime usually comes from March to June.
Temperatures range from -20 to -1 ° C.
The 18 hours a day of bright sunshine can make it seem warmer.
The arctic climate is also noted for its long, cold winter,
beginning as early as September.
The ice begins to freeze by October.
January temperatures rise above -22 ° F (-30 ° C)
only in the eastern coastal areas.
In the far north and northwest of Hudson Bay they reach
only -31 ° F (-35 ° C).
The weather in winter is characterized by clear skies,
although arctic storms and blizzards frequently happen.
Precipitation is scant throughout most of the territory
and falls almost entirely as snow.
Annual precipitation levels of less than 8 in (200 mm)
gradually increase toward the east.
The highest level anywhere is 24 in (600 mm) on Bylot Island.
Above 70°N, where even summer
conditions are too cold for vegetation to survive,
the land gives way to polar desert.
Precipitation in the polar desert is usually under
100 mm (4 in) per year,
mainly in the summer.
ECONOMY
Nunavut is an expensive place to live and conduct business.
Expenses are higher because building materials and foodstuffs must be transported to Nunavut from the south.
To offset the high cost of living,
wages are higher in Nunavut.
There is no provincial sales tax in Nunavut.
The Nunavut Department of Finance
is committed
to providing direction and leadership, ensuring
fiscal responsibility, creating a secure
base for Nunavut’s economic growth,
promoting and maintaining public
confidence in the prudence, propriety
and integrity of government financial
operations, and respecting the principles
of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
The Nunavut Dept of Economic Development
puts people first, helping to build healthy communities
and the infrastructure they need to link to each other,
to the rest of Canada, and to the world.
The Department's primary goal is to ensure
that the citizens of Nunavut participate fully
in the benefits of economic growth.
Nunavut’s economy is extremely small,
contributing less than 0.1% to
Canada’s gross domestic product.
Nunavut’s economy has 3 sectors:
• traditional Inuit hunting, fishing, & trapping
• mining
• the service industry.
Several mining projects are in the works.
Minerals being produced are diamonds, gold, lead, nickel, zinc, and copper.
Oil and gas deposits exist,
but the cost of developing and marketing these resources is high.
Very little manufacturing takes place in Nunavut.
Most manufacturing involves the processing of ore.
Such processing is necessary because it costs
less to ship higher grade ore over long distances.
There is no commercial agriculture or forestry in
Nunavut
because of the extreme cold.
Hunting, fishing, and
gathering activities provide about 40% of the food
consumed by Inuit residents.
The fur industry is based on seal and white fox.
Arctic char is the most important commercial fish.
Hunting is a traditional aspect of the
Inuit culture and provides fresh meat for Inuit families.
Caribou and seal remain major sources of food.
Aboriginal families consume large quantities of fish and game
that they obtain themselves.
Locally caught fish and game are
known as "country food".
Estimates show that replacing country food with
store~bought food would cost millions of dollars.
Nunavut has a labor force of about 10 thousand people.
About 85% are employed in the service sector,
primarily as public employees.
This denotes the central role of government and
federal funding
in Nunavut’s economy.
Private sector firms depend
heavily on government business and contracts.
Nunavut attracts many tourists, especially in the summer.
SCHOOLS
The Nunavut Department of Education's
mission is to provide the path and guide the life~long learning journey
of the people of Nunavut.
The Department strives for excellence in education and
training, so the people can benefit from their past while
creating their own future in a productive, prosperous society.
The Nunavut Teachers Association is the negotiating and
representative organization for teachers, vice~principals,
principals, and RSO & TLC coordinators in Nunavut.
Their role is to ensure that members' rights and benefits,
under the existing Collective Agreement and other legislation,
are advocated and protected.
Aside from protecting its members, the Association is very active
in promoting and encouraging professional improvement.
All teachers in Nunavut must take part in professional
improvement activities in order to maintain their certification.
There are many opportunities for its members to access
funding to support professional improvement activities.
Nunavut Arctic College,
working with the Department of Education,
provides adult education services within Nunavut.
The College has 3 campuses and 24 Community Learning Centres.
Other government
organizations also participate, as well as communities,
non~profit & native organizations,
and the private sector.
For more details please contact the
Nunavut Department of Education.
HOSPITALITY
Discover Canada's best kept secret.
Nunavut is an exciting arctic
destination that offers a pristine, raw, non~commercialized,
truly natural experience.
The Inuit people have survived here for thousands of years.
Now it's your turn to explore Nunavut.
The variety of adventure knows no limits.
Nunavut is geographically diverse.
Visit ice~flows, ride the rapids,
camp by tranquil lakes, ski cross~country,
hunt & fish, try dog~sledding,
or go extreme mountain hiking or biking.
Relax and enjoy nature in the comfort of
full service wilderness lodges.
These lodges are located in some of the most untouched
environments in the world.
Nunavut Tourism works with domestic
and international travel trade and tour operators interested
in Nunavut as a
destination in their program.
For more details please contact
Nunavut Tourism.
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