Lowther Island facts for kids
 Lowther Island
Location in Nunavut
Lowther Island
Location in Canada
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| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Northern Canada |
| Coordinates | 74°33′N 097°30′W / 74.550°N 97.500°W |
| Archipelago | Queen Elizabeth Islands Canadian Arctic Archipelago |
| Area | 145 km2 (56 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
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Canada
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| Territory | Nunavut |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
Lowther Island is an island located in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. This group of islands is found in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, which is a territory in northern Canada.
Lowther Island is one of the islands located in the middle of Barrow Strait. To the north of Lowther Island, you'll find Bathurst Island and Cornwallis Island. To the south is Prince of Wales Island. Lowther Island is part of a group of islands where no one lives.
The island is about 15.5 miles (25 km) northeast of Young Island. A shipping route called Kettle Passage separates them. It is also about 13 miles (21 km) southeast of Garrett Island, with Hayes Channel in between.
About Lowther Island
Lowther Island is about 17 miles (27 km) long and between 2 to 6 miles (3 to 10 km) wide. Its total area is about 145 square kilometers (56 square miles).
The island has what are called raised beaches around its edges. These are old beaches that have been lifted higher than the current sea level. The highest point on the island is about 106.5 meters (349 feet) above sea level. Gourdeau Point is on the southern side of the island, and Lowther Shoal is located to the south and southeast.
History of Lowther Island
The first European person to see Lowther Island was William Edward Parry in the year 1819. The island was named after a relative of Hugh Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale. This relative worked for the Hudson's Bay Company, a very old trading company. Hugh Lowther himself also visited the island.
In August 1852, a person named ÉMile-Frédéric de Bray spent a week on Lowther Island. He was searching for Sir John Franklin, a famous explorer who went missing in the Arctic. De Bray also visited nearby Griffith Island.
Another explorer, Francis Leopold McClintock, visited Lowther Island too. This was part of an expedition led by Captain Henry Kellett between 1852 and 1854.
See also
- In Spanish: Isla Lowther para niños
