Polar bear by a Hall Beach Artist, cca. 1995
 The Arctic

Arctic, the, northernmost area of the earth, centered on the NORTH POLE. It can be defined as embracing all lands located N of the ARCTIC CIRCLE (lat. 66°30´N) or all lands located N of the 50°F (10°C) July isotherm, which is roughly equivalent to the tree line. It therefore generally includes the ARCTIC OCEAN; the northern reaches of Canada, Alaska, Russia, and Norway; and most of Greenland, Iceland, and Svalbard. Ice sheets and permanent snow cover regions where average monthly temperatures remain below 32°F (0°C) all year; TUNDRA, which flourishes during the short summer season, covers areas where temperatures are between 32°F and 50°F (0°-10°C) for at least one month. The Arctic is of great strategic value as the shortest route between the U.S. and Russia. Since the International Geophysical Year (1957-58), rich oil and natural gas deposits have been discovered on Alaska's North Slope (see PRUDHOE BAY), Canada's Ellesmere Island (1972), and the northern areas of Siberia, in Russia. Traditionally, Robert E. PEARY was credited with being the first explorer to reach (1909) the North Pole, but this claim is disputed.

Arctic Links:

Canadian Arctic Resources and Links

  • Arctic Archaeology: Waterloo University
  • Arctic Dawn -- The Journeys of Samuel Hearne
  • ATCO Frontec
  • Canadian Arctic Resources Committee – Visit CARC’s web site and learn why CARC has been "a voice for citizens on the Canadian north for 25 years". The site includes CARC publications and other documents and materials about the circumpolar north. Their URL is: http://www.info@carc.org/.
  • Canadian Museum of Civilization – The Canadian Museum of Civilization has prepared a profile of The Inuvialuit of the Western Arctic which can be seen at the following URL: http://www.inuvialuit.com/cmcc6.
  • Canadian Polar Commission – The Canadian Polar Commission was created by the Government of Canada to monitor the state of polar knowledge in Canada and elsewhere. The site includes information on the Commission’s members, publications, newsletter, etc. Their URL is: http://www.polarcom.gc.ca.
  • Canoe Arctic Inc.
  • Centre for Indigenous Peoples' Nutrition and Environment (CINE)
         CINE is an independent, multi-disciplinary research and education resource for Indigenous Peoples.
  • Inuit Circumpolar Conference – The ICC is a non-government organization (NGO) that represents the Inuit of Russia, the United States of America, Canada, and Denmark (Greenland). The ICC web site has information on the structure, constitution, mandate, leaders and activities of this organization. The URL for the ICC is: http://www.inusiaat.com.
  • "nunavik.net" Web Site – This site was created as part of a pilot project to connect all of the Inuit communities in Nunavik (i.e., northern Quebec) to the Internet. This site has information on the communities in this region and lists the Inuit organizations in Nunavik. Their URL is: http://www.nunavik.net.
  • Nunavut Arbitration Board – This Board was created under Article 38 of the Nunavut Final Agreement and is mandated to resolve disputes arising from the implementation of the Agreement. http://pooka.nunanet.com/~nab.
  • Nunavut Handbook – The 1998 Nunavut Handbook is the world's most authoritative, up-to-date book about Nunavut, Canada's newest Arctic territory. Browse through the web version of the 1998 Nunavut Handbook at http://www.arctic-travel.com to discover the Inuit, their culture, Nunavut's wildlife, the ferociously beautiful landscape, the territory's communities, parks . . . well, it's hard to know where to stop.
  • Nunavut Planning Commission – The NPC was established under Article 11 of the Nunavut Final Agreement and is responsible for developing land use plans that will guide and direct resource use and development in the Nunavut Settlement Area. The URL is: http://npc.nunavut.ca.
  • "nunavut.com" Web Site – This site brings the residents of Nunavut daily news and public information. The founding partners of this site are Nortext Multimedia, CANARIE, Nunatsiaq News and Nunavut Tourism. This site has a searchable, online and perpetually updated directory of Nunavut businesses, developed in partnership with the Baffin Region Chamber of Commerce and others. PAIL has been proud to be a partner in the development of Nunavut Business Directory. The "nunavut.com" web site is found at: http://www.nunavut.com.
  • Polar Continental Shelf Project Natural Resources Canada
  • Resource Guide to Inuit Harvesters – This Resource Guide was developed in a co-operative manner and lists Inuit harvesters’ experience and knowledge in everything from archaeology and fishing, to traditional knowledge of the land and animals. You can access the skills and knowledge of Inuit harvesters across the North by way of an electronic, searchable data base that is located at this site. The URL for the site is as follows: http://www.inuit-skills.com.
  • Nunavut Tourism – If you are planning to travel to Nunavut you should visit this site to find out about Nunavut’s attractions, tourist activities and local services that are of interest to visitors. The site is located at: http://www.nunatour.nt.ca/.
  • Virtual North! - Adventures in Canada
    Travel in rural and remote areas of Canada offers exciting possibilities. Come fish or hunt, come seeking adventure, come and get reacquainted with nature, come experience the beauty. Come explore the wilderness!

Northwest Territories (N.W.T.)

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Short Introduction:

A territory of northern Canada including the Arctic Archipelago, islands in the northern Hudson Bay, and the mainland north of latitude 60° north and consists of 33% of all the land area in Canada. It joined the confederation in 1870. Sir Martin Frobisher was the first European to reach the area, but major exploration of the region was spearheaded by Henry Hudson in the 17th century, Alexander Mackenzie in the 18th century, and Sir John Franklin in the 19th century. The Hudson's Bay Company transferred its holdings to Canada in 1869-1870, leading to the formation of the territory and the creation of the provinces of Manitoba (1870) and Alberta and Saskatchewan (1905). Yellowknife is the capital and the largest city. Population, 45,741.

Two thirds of the Northwest Territories is covered by the Canadian Shield to the east, and the western part is part of the continental plain. Some of the southern Arctic islands are covered with the Canadian Shield as well, and the eastern ones are very mountainous. The southern section consists of forests of birch, larch, pine, and spruce, which provides foliage for the caribou, bears, moose, and beavers. The tundra is home to the herds of caribou in the summer and the musk-oxen and Arctic foxes.

Climate
 The climate ranges from subarctic to arctic. Long and very cold winters occur in all places; the mean January temperature is below -28.9› C (-20› F), and -51.1› C (-60› F) is often recorded. The lowest temperatures usually occur in the Mackenzie Valley rather than the Arctic Islands, where the climate is moderated by the surrounding waters. Summers in the Arctic Islands and along the continental coast are relatively cool (July average, 4.4› C/40› F) in contrast to the warm temperatures of the Mackenzie Valley and much of the mainland (July average, 15.6› C/60› F). The recorded temperature in the territories has ranged from -57.2› C (-71› F), at Fort Smith in 1917, to 39.4› C (102.9› F), also at Fort Smith in 1941. The sea is ice-covered much of the year, and in the extreme northwest for the entire year. The low temperatures and the ice-sealed waters contribute to the low annual precipitation, which averages 305 mm (12 in) on the mainland. In the Arctic Islands, annual precipitation decreases from 406 mm (16 in) in the southeast to only 51 mm (2 in) in the north and northwest. At least half the precipitation occurs as snow.

Population
 According to the 1991 census, the Northwest Territories had 57,649 inhabitants, an increase of 10.4 percent over 1986. The overall population density in 1991 was only about 1 person for every 59 sq km (about 1 per 23 sq mi). Of this number, 17,500 are Inuit. Most of the settlements in the Northwest Territories consist of only a few hundred people. There are a few larger urban centres, such as Yellowknife, Inuvik, Hay River, Iqualuit, and Fort Smith. About 37% of the NWT population lives in these urban centres. The aboriginal population consists of Inuit, Dene (Indians), metis (mixed blood), and the rest are of muliptle origins. Most of the native population have given up their nomadic lifestyles since World War II.

Mineral Resources
 The NWT is rich in mineral deposits, and mining is extremely important there. In 1920, petroleum was discovered alongside the Mackenzie River. Recently the North Slope, beyond the Mackenzie delta, and the northwestern Arctic islands are the main areas of interest for petroleum. Minerals, such as gold, zinc, and lead are also important economically.
Two years ago, very promising diamond-bearing finds have been discovered in the region North-East of Yellowknife. This find added Canada to the map of the "diamond" countries. It has also attracted individuals and companies from around the world with a promise of great riches. This has given a well-needed boost to the regional economy.

Transportation
 The waterways of the Northwest Territories provided transportation for the region's early fur trade. Since the 1920s, air transportation has become dominant throughout the area, including the Arctic Islands. In addition, roads and one railroad have been constructed in the Mackenzie Valley, where the best developed transportation services are found. The Northwest Territories contains 2565 km (1594 mi) of federal and territorial roads. Linkage with the Alberta and continental highway systems is provided by the Mackenzie Highway, which extends 127 km (79 mi) north from the Alberta border to Hay River and 435 km (270 mi) down the Mackenzie River to Fort Simpson. The Liard Highway, which extends southeast from Fort Simpson to connect with the Alaska Highway, was officially opened in 1984. The Yellowknife Highway (346 km/215 mi) branches off beyond Hay River to reach the territorial capital, Yellowknife. In 1979 the Dempster Highway linked Inuvik in the Mackenzie delta with Dawson in the Yukon; about 250 km (about 155 mi) of its length is in the territories. The Great Slave Lake Railway, covering 208 km (129 mi) in the Northwest Territories, is the only railroad. It is linked to the Canadian national railroad system and parallels the Mackenzie Highway north from Alberta, terminating at Hay River and at the Pine Point mine to the east. Settlements on the Arctic coast and in the Arctic Islands receive most supplies in a summer supply visit by ships from the south, which are often escorted by icebreakers. From the base port of Hay River, tugs and barges operate along the Mackenzie River and on Great Slave Lake. Tuktoyaktuk, the northern terminus of this service, is the most important Arctic Ocean harbor in Canada. The river, however, is ice-free only three or four months a year. Scheduled airline transportation extends as far north as Resolute Bay in the north central Arctic Islands. Major airports in the Northwest Territories provide flights to Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Montr_al. An eastern-western service also links Iqaluit on Baffin Island to Yellowknife and to Whitehorse in the Yukon. Yellowknife is the busiest airport; other important airports are located at Inuvik, Iqaluit, and Resolute Bay. From these points, smaller "bush planes" provide charter service to all parts of the territories. By the mid 1980s improvements had been made to the airports and aviation support services of most communities in the Northwest Territories with populations of more than 100.

Tourism
 Because of its great size and physical isolation, the Northwest Territories has a small tourist industry, although tens of thousands of tourists do visit the territories annually. Special attractions include excellent sport fishing, unspoiled wilderness areas, and unique arctic landscapes. Four national park areas-Auyuittuq, Ellesmere Island, Nahanni, and Wood Buffalo-provide recreational opportunities.

History
 Evidence indicates that a variety of aboriginal cultures, including the Dene and the Inuit, existed in the area before the arrival of whites. From around the year 1000 to 1350, Europeans from Greenland and Iceland probably made many landfalls on the eastern shores of the Canadian arctic zone, and it is believed that the Scottish-born explorer Sir Henry Sinclair, Earl of Orkney, landed on Baffin Island in 1398. The first official explorer of the region was the English navigator Sir Martin Frobisher, who claimed Baffin Island for England in 1577. Henry Hudson, John Davis, William Baffin, Luke Foxe, Thomas James, and numerous other English explorers traversed the area of Hudson Bay and many of the northern islands from 1610 to 1632, in search of the Northwest Passage between Europe and the Orient. In 1670 the Hudson's Bay Company was given a fur-trading charter by the government of England for the entire Hudson Bay drainage area, then known as Rupert's Land. A company employee, the Canadian explorer Henry Kelsey, was the first European to penetrate into the interior of the continent from Hudson Bay. The Hudson's Bay Company and its rival, the North West Company, were responsible for much of the exploration in the region during the 18th century. Peter Pond, an American explorer in the employ of the North West Company, mapped the region of Great Slave Lake from 1768 to 1788. In 1789 Sir Alexander Mackenzie, a Scottish explorer working for the same company, became the first European to canoe to the Arctic Ocean down the river that now bears his name. Later he headed west and achieved another first, reaching the Pacific Ocean by land. The British explorer Samuel Hearne of the Hudson's Bay Company traveled overland in 1770 and 1771 from Fort Churchill (in what is now Manitoba) to the mouth of the Coppermine River on the Arctic Ocean. The search for the Northwest Passage was continued during the 19th century. Many explorers in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company and also many official expeditions sponsored by the British government explored most of the Arctic region from 1800 to 1859. The noted British navigator Sir John Franklin explored more than 3200 km (more than 2000 mi) of the Arctic coast; he was lost with his crew while seeking the passage in 1845. The remains of Franklin's ship and crew were not found until 1859; in that interval, about 40 search vessels brought back detailed descriptions of Arctic waters.

Inuksuk Pendant from Iqaluit
Inuksuk Pendant from an Iqaluit artist
(Ivory on caribou bone)

Yukon


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Order of Arctic Adventurers
(For a larger view, click on the above image)

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