Page 160 - Travel Guide to Canada 2019

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Nunavut

AUYUITTUQ NATIONAL PARK • PARKS CANADA

Experience the real Arctic, a wild and dramatic
Canada’s landscape of glaciers, treeless tundra, mountains and

oceans that remain frozen most of the year. Meet local
Polar North Inuit who make up 84 percent of the population of

Nunavut—“our land” in Inuktitut. And get to know their
culture in this unique and little-known territory—
BY MARGO PFEIFF Canada’s newest.

The size of Western Europe, Nunavut is TRADITIONS LIVE ON In the remote hamlets, life is often still

the biggest and least populated of Canada’s While the capital of Iqaluit is an increasingly lived according to age-old timetables and
provinces and territories, 2,093,190 sq. km modern frontier town with a population of traditions. Though snowmobiles, boats and
(808,185 sq. mi.) covering one-fi fth of the 7,082, the 25 other communities scattered guns have largely replaced dogsleds, kayaks
country’s total area and reaching almost to across the territory are much smaller, some and harpoons, many Inuit continue to hunt
the North Pole. With a population that home to just a few hundred residents. No and fi sh to support their extended families.
could fi t into an average sports stadium, it roads link the tiny settlements, nor are Once nomadic, they love to go out “on the
means there is one statistically solitary there roads connecting Nunavut to the rest land,” camping throughout summer,
person for every 55.09 sq. km (21.27 sq. mi.). of Canada. collecting bird eggs and picking berries.