Nettilling Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nettilling Lake |
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Nettilling Lake is in the southern part of the island, being the upper of the two visible lakes. The lower lake is Amadjuak Lake.
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 Nettilling Lake
Location in Canada
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| Location | Baffin Island, Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut Territory |
| Coordinates | 66°29′N 70°20′W / 66.483°N 70.333°W- |
| Primary inflows | Amadjuak Lake |
| Primary outflows | Koukdjuak River |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 123 km (76 mi) |
| Surface area | 5,542 km2 (2,140 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 132 m (433 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 30 m (98 ft) |
Nettilling Lake is a very cold lake with fresh water. It is located on Baffin Island in Nunavut, Canada. This huge lake is the largest one found entirely on an island anywhere in the world!
Nettilling Lake covers an area of about 5,542 square kilometers (2,140 sq mi). It is also 123 kilometers (76 mi) long. This makes it the 31st largest lake in the world by its size. It is also the eleventh largest lake in all of Canada. The lake is found in an area called the Great Plain of the Koukdjuak. This area is about 280 kilometers (170 mi) northwest of Iqaluit, which is the capital city of Nunavut. The Arctic Circle even crosses right over the lake!
The name "Nettilling" comes from the Inuktitut language. It means "adult ringed seal." An explorer named Franz Boas visited the southern shore of the lake in 1884.
Geography and Features
Nettilling Lake is the biggest lake in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. Another large lake on Baffin Island, Amadjuak Lake, helps to fill Nettilling Lake. Many smaller lakes and streams also flow into it.
The water from Nettilling Lake flows out to the west. It goes into the Foxe Basin through a very shallow river called the Koukdjuak River.
The eastern part of Nettilling Lake has many small islands. The western part of the lake is much deeper and does not have any islands. The lake is frozen for most of the year because it is so far north.
Wildlife
Even though Nettilling Lake is very cold, some animals live there. Ringed seals can be found in the lake. Only three types of fish have been seen in the lake. These are the Arctic char, the ninespine stickleback, and the threespine stickleback.
The flat, treeless land around Nettilling Lake is called tundra. This tundra, especially south towards Amadjuak Lake, is very important. It is a key area where barren-ground caribou find food and have their babies.
