Our People, Our Land
Look up north. Look up Nunavut – our vast land, comprising almost two million square kilometres between the Arctic Ocean, Hudson Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean. Within Nunavut (which means “our land,” in Inuktitut), is 20 per cent of Canada’s land mass, and two-thirds of Canada’s coastline! As the Arctic Ocean becomes more accessible, Nunavut's strategic position for Canada's security and sovereignty grows in importance.
Our 31,000 people live in 25 coastal communities. Eighty-five per cent of our people are Inuit, and it is the Inuit language, culture, and heritage that provide the foundation for our unique way of life in Canada. And we are young – half our population is under the age of 24 – the youngest in Canada.
Nunavut was created in 1999 in accordance with Article 4 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, by which Inuit of the Nunavut Settlement Area chose a public government model for the control and direction of policy in their land. In this way, Inuit “redrew the map of Canada,” creating the country’s third and largest territory, with a rich and ancient cultural heritage, and an immense base of natural resources.
When you “look up Nunavut,” you find our young and dynamic population, our vast and beautiful land, and the key to Canada’s economic future.
The Inuit Way: A Guide to Inuit Culture (PDF)
A Plain Language Guide to the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement (PDF)
Map of Nunavut (PDF)