Qikiqtaaluk Region facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Qikiqtaaluk
ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃ (Inuktitut)
Qikiqtani
Baffin |
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Region
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| Qikiqtaaluk Region | |
Location in Nunavut
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| Country | Canada |
| Territory | Nunavut |
| Regional centre | Iqaluit |
| Area | |
| • Total | 970,554.61 km2 (374,733.23 sq mi) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 19,355 |
| • Density | 0.0199422/km2 (0.0516501/sq mi) |
The Qikiqtaaluk Region (pronounced "Kee-kik-ta-a-look"), also known as the Qikiqtani Region or Baffin Region, is the largest and most populated administrative area in Nunavut, Canada. It covers the easternmost, northernmost, and southernmost parts of this Canadian territory. The name Qikiqtaaluk comes from the traditional Inuktitut language and refers to Baffin Island, which is a big part of this region.
This vast region is home to 19,355 people and covers an area of about 970,554 square kilometers. That's a huge space, a bit smaller than the country of Egypt! It's actually the second-largest administrative division in the entire world.
The Qikiqtaaluk Region includes many islands. The biggest is Baffin Island. Other important islands are the Belcher Islands, Akimiski Island, Mansel Island, Prince Charles Island, Bylot Island, Devon Island, Ellesmere Island, and parts of the Melville Peninsula. The main city and capital of Nunavut, Iqaluit, is located here.
Before 1999, this area was known as the Baffin Region within the Northwest Territories. A small part of Hans Island, which is shared with Greenland, also belongs to Qikiqtaaluk.
Contents
Where is Qikiqtaaluk?
The Qikiqtaaluk Region is a huge area in Canada's Arctic. It includes many islands and parts of larger landmasses. The largest island is Baffin Island. Other notable islands are Devon Island, Ellesmere Island, and Axel Heiberg Island. These places are known for their cold climates and beautiful, rugged landscapes.
Life in Qikiqtaaluk's Communities
All thirteen communities in Qikiqtaaluk are located by the water. Almost half of the region's residents live in Iqaluit, which is Nunavut's capital city. The rest of the people live in twelve smaller towns, called hamlets.
These hamlets include:
- Arctic Bay (population 994)
- Kinngait (population 1,396)
- Clyde River (population 1,181)
- Grise Fiord (population 144)
- Sanirajak (population 891)
- Igloolik (population 2,049)
- Kimmirut (population 426)
- Pangnirtung (population 1,504)
- Pond Inlet (population 1,555)
- Qikiqtarjuaq (population 593)
- Resolute (population 183)
- Sanikiluaq (population 1,010)
There are also research stations like Alert and Eureka. These places have no permanent residents. In the past, there was a mining town called Nanisivik, but it closed in 2002.
The people who live in the Qikiqtaaluk Region are called Qikiqtaalungmiut. Like many Inuit communities in Canada, they enjoy traditional foods. These include seal, Arctic char, walrus, polar bear, and caribou.
Iqaluit: The Capital City
Iqaluit is the capital of Nunavut and the largest community in the Qikiqtaaluk Region. It is a busy center with important buildings. You can find the Astro Hill Complex, the Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum, and the Legislative Building of Nunavut here. The Unikkaarvik Visitors Centre is also a great place to learn about the area.
Flora
The Qikiqtaaluk Region, located in the Canadian Arctic, is home to a fascinating variety of plants that have specially adapted to survive its cold, windy, and often snowy environment. These plants are typically small, grow close to the ground, and have unique features that help them thrive in one of the world's harshest climates.
Flowering plants
Even in the Arctic, you can find beautiful flowers! These aren't like the big, showy flowers you see in a garden, but they are just as special.
- Arctic Poppy (Papaver radicatum): This iconic Arctic flower has bright yellow or white petals and often a fuzzy stem. It's one of the few plants that can grow very far north, even on the high Arctic islands. Its cup-shaped flowers can even track the sun, like a tiny solar panel, to maximize warmth!
- Purple Saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia): This is one of the earliest flowers to bloom in the Arctic, sometimes appearing even before all the snow has melted. It forms low, cushion-like mats covered in beautiful purple or pink flowers. It's so tough that it's the territorial flower of Nunavut!
- Arctic Willow (Salix arctica): Unlike the tall willows you might know, the Arctic willow is a dwarf shrub that creeps along the ground. It has fuzzy catkins (flower clusters) and provides important food for animals like caribou and muskox. It's one of the few woody plants in the region.
- Mountain Avens (Dryas integrifolia): This plant forms dense mats with small, leathery leaves and beautiful white, daisy-like flowers. Its leaves often stay green all winter, ready to start photosynthesizing as soon as the snow melts. It's another important food source for Arctic animals.
- Lupine (Lupinus arcticus): With its tall spikes of blue or purple flowers, the Arctic lupine adds a splash of color to the tundra. It's a nitrogen-fixing plant, meaning it helps enrich the soil, which is often poor in nutrients in the Arctic.
Non-Flowering Plants: The Ground Huggers
These plants don't have flowers but are incredibly important parts of the Arctic ecosystem.
- Mosses: There are many different kinds of mosses in the Qikiqtaaluk Region. They form thick, spongy carpets on the ground, especially in damp areas. Mosses help hold moisture in the soil and provide insulation.
- Lichens: Lichens are truly unique! They are actually two different organisms living together: a fungus and an alga. They come in many shapes and colors – crusty, leafy, or even bushy. Lichens can grow on rocks, soil, and even dead wood. They are incredibly hardy and are a vital food source for caribou, especially in winter. Reindeer lichen is a famous example.
Berries: Sweet Treats of the Tundra
Yes, you can find berries in the Arctic! These small, flavorful fruits are a welcome treat for both animals and people.
- Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum): This low-growing shrub produces small, dark purple or black berries. They are a favorite food for birds and small mammals, and people also enjoy them.
- Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus): Also known as "bakeapple" in some areas, cloudberries are golden-orange berries that grow on small, low plants. They are sweet and juicy and are highly prized for jams and desserts.
A Look at Qikiqtaaluk's Past
Ancient People of the North
Experts who study people and history believe that the Inuit are descendants of the Thule people. The Thule arrived in this region and eventually replaced an earlier group called the Dorset culture. By the year 1300, the Inuit had already set up trading routes with groups living further south.
Early Trading and Changes
Around 1910, European markets became very interested in white fox furs. This led to big changes for the Inuit. They started to expand their hunting areas to find more white foxes for trade. Sometimes, their traditional food sources, like seal and caribou, were not found in the same places as the foxes.
The Hudson's Bay Company, a very old trading company, had opened many fur trading posts across Canada. By 1922, most of the goods that the Inuit bought from outside their communities came from this company. This fur trade changed how Inuit lived and moved around their land.
Protecting Nature in Qikiqtaaluk
The Qikiqtaaluk Region is home to many beautiful and important natural areas. These places are protected to keep their wildlife and landscapes safe for the future.
Here are some of the protected areas:
- Auyuittuq National Park
- Bowman Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
- Katannilik Territorial Park Reserve
- Kekerten Territorial Park
- Mallikjuak Territorial Park
- Pisuktinu-Tunngavik Territorial Park
- Polar Bear Pass National Wildlife Area
- Quammaarviit Territorial Park
- Quttinirpaaq National Park
- Sirmilik National Park
- Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park
People and Population
In the 2021 Census, the Qikiqtaaluk Region had a population of 19,355 people. This was a small increase from its 2016 population of 18,988. With its large land area, the region has a very low population density. This means there are very few people per square kilometer.
Nearby Regions
The Qikiqtaaluk Region shares borders or is near several other administrative areas. These include:
- Division No. 11, Newfoundland and Labrador (Nunatsiavut)
- Division No. 23, Manitoba
- Inuvik Region
- Kivalliq Region
- Kitikmeot Region
More to Explore
In Spanish: Región Qikiqtaaluk para niños
- Akudnirmiut Inuit
- Netsilik Inuit
- Ellesmere Island Volcanics
- Strathcona Fiord
