Link to Quiz

For a fun quiz to see how much you've learned about Canada's youngest and fastest growing territory, please follow the link to http://schools.hpedsb.on.ca/smood/provinces/nunavutq.htm

Fun activites

Nunavut -- Canada's newest territory is located in the eastern far north and includes the Arctic Circle. Government parks protect the remote wilderness landscape that has features such as glaciers, fjords, highlands mountains, lakes and rivers, where muskox, caribou, Arctic wolf, walrus, Polar bears, whales and many other species live in the short-lived warmth of perpetual summer daylight and the frozen desert conditions of the perpetual winter night. Visitors are attracted to the scenery and recreational activities such as boating, fishing and hiking. Other fun activities in Nunavut include extreme sports such as dog sledding and arctic treking and camping.

Capital City

The capital of Nunavut is Iqaluit. It became the capital on April 1, 1999 when the new territory of Nunavut was officially born. The name iqaluit actually means many fish in Inuktitut, the aboriginal language of this territory. The first people to settle this place were the Americans in 1942. They used it as an air base during the Second World War. That was when Canadians decided to name the city Frobisher Bay because that is the body of water the city lies beside. When Canada created the territory of Nunavut, the city returned to it's original aboriginal name. Iqaluit was chosen by people all across the territory to be capital. Everyone voted and Iqaluit was selected over Rankin Inlet. As well as being Canada's newest and most northerly capital, Iqaluit is also Canada's fastest growing community. As of the 2006 census, Iqaluit's population was 6,184. This was a huge increase (almost 20% in five years) since 2001. People that live in Iqaluit are called Iqalummiut (more than one) or Iqalummiuq (only one).

Landscape

The entire territory of Nunavut is in the tundra. Nothing grows in the tundra because it is too cold. The tundra is smooth and a little bumpy. Mostly it is flat. Plants need water, air and warmth to grow. Nunavut has water and air, but not enough warmth to sustain plant life. So it probably looks really dead because there are no plants, and plants makes a place look alive and pretty.

Nunavut does have some rugged mountains and glaciers in the northeast. Some of them are 2000 metres high. There are low, sandy marsh, muskeg, and long tidal flats in the southwest. People say the landscape is striking because it is so stark. They also talk about the thunderous silence of this Territory as being unlike any sound heard anywhere else.

Climate

Because Nunavut is so big, the weather varies. Winters are severe. The northern cities have an average temperature in January of -35ºC (-31ºF). July temperatures average 10ºC (50ºF). Summers are milder, but the temperature can drop suddenly. Conditions in all parts of the territory can become hazardous very quickly whenever there is a low temperature and a strong wind. Local advice concerning weather conditions should be followed very carefully. Nevertheless, the summer months are suitable for a wide range of activities. People have dress properly to deal with the weather. Winter weather requires down-filled and other polar-temperature gear. Special clothing is required for adventure expeditions. Good quality windproof and waterproof clothes, warm jerseys, gloves and moulded sole shoes are needed at all times of the year. In the summer, thinner clothes are required. Sunglasses and sun screen are strongly advised. Mosquitoes are a significant irritant in some areas during July and August. A net and repellent are essential. Nunavut gets very little precipation every year. When bad weather lasted a long period of time, Inuit (aboriginal) women used to burn a piece of bear skin thinking that would change the weather.

Canada's newest territory is located in the eastern far north and includes the Arctic Circle. The parks protect the remote wilderness landscape that has features such as glaciers, fjords, highlands mountains, lakes and rivers, where muskox, caribou, Arctic wolf, walrus, Polar bears, whales and many other species live in the short-lived warmth of perpetual summer daylight and the frozen desert conditions of the perpetual winter night. Visitors are attracted to the scenery and recreational activities such as boating, fishing and hiking.

Resources

This rook is a mineral, Nunavut's natural resources are fresh water, minerals, oil and natural gas. The minerals are gold, zinc and copper. you can find minerals in the northern affairs in Canada.

Permafost

Permafrost is permanent frost or freezing that doesn't melt even in summer. Permafrost is really, really thick. Since summer temperatures only average 11 degrees celsius, the frozen ground remains all year long every year.