The Name

• Pronounced “Noo-na-voot” in both English and French
• Means “our land” in Innuktitut, the language of Inuit

The Geography

• Nunavut is 1,994 million square kilometres, constituting one fifth of Canada
• The territory is located in northeast Canada, bordering Manitoba in the south, the Northwest Territories in the west, and reaches northeast to Greenland
• The territory includes many arctic islands, including Baffin Island, Ellesmere Island and part of Victoria Island
• The capital of Nunavut is Iqaluit (pop. 4,220), located on Baffin Island

The People

• The population of Nunavut is 24,730 (1996 Census of Canada)


• Ethnic breakdown:


• Inuit 20,480


• Non-aboriginal 3,975


• N. American Indian 90


• Metis 80


• Multiple Aboriginal 35


• Other Aboriginal 10

(1996 Census of Canada)

• Nunavut's economy is characterized by a traditional subsistence economy and a relatively young wage economy


• The subsistence economy includes the hunting of caribou, seals, whales, walrus, and fish for food and clothing


• The main sectors of the wage economy in order of importance:


• Government (approximately 40 percent of all wage-jobs in Nunavut)


• Mining (however, 85 percent are held by non-residents of Nunavut)


• Construction and the services sector (mainly services the public service sector)


• Tourism (contributes $30 million annually to Nunavut’s economy)


• Fur industry


• Arts and crafts (2, 500 earn some or all of their income from arts and crafts)

• There are only 20 kilometres of highway in Nunavut


• Iqaluit is the largest community in Nunavut with a population of 4,500


• The cost of two litres of milk is $7.00, while the cost of a loaf of bread is $3.00


• Average household income is $31,471