Kilian Island facts for kids
 Kilian Island
Location in Nunavut
Kilian Island
Location in Canada
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| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Parry Channel |
| Coordinates | 73°35′N 107°53′W / 73.583°N 107.883°W |
| Administration | |
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Canada
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| Territory | Nunavut |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
Kilian Island is a quiet, uninhabited island located in Nunavut, Canada. It was once known as Elvira Island. This island is part of the vast Canadian Arctic Archipelago, a group of many islands in the far northern part of Canada.
Exploring Kilian Island
Kilian Island is a small piece of land in the Arctic. It is not very big, and no people live there permanently. Because it is so far north, the weather is very cold for most of the year. The island is surrounded by ice and chilly waters.
Where is Kilian Island?
You can find Kilian Island in a place called the Viscount Melville Sound. This sound is a wide channel of water in the Arctic Ocean. The island is located west of Stefansson Island and north of Victoria Island. These are all part of the Qikiqtaaluk Region in Nunavut.
How Kilian Island Got Its Name
Kilian Island has an interesting story behind its name. It is named after a man named Bernhard Kilian. He was the chief engineer on a ship called the Polar Bear.
In September 1913, Bernhard Kilian tried to save another ship, the Elvira, which had caught fire. Both the Polar Bear and the Elvira were stuck in the ice of the Beaufort Sea at the time. They were part of a big journey called the Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913–1916. This expedition was led by Vilhjalmur Stefansson, a famous explorer. The Elvira was part of a team led by Rudolph Martin Anderson during this expedition. The island was first named Elvira Island, but later changed to honor Bernhard Kilian.
