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Capital City: Iqaluit
The establishment of Nunavut, which means "our land" in Inuktitut, was a landmark event in the history of Inuit and Canada. On April 1, 1999, Nunavut became Canada's newest territory, encompassing the central and eastern Arctic regions -- nearly one-fifth of Canada's land mass.
Originally part of the Northwest Territories, Nunavut's creation was first proposed in the mid-1970s as part of the Inuit land claim.
Nunavut has a population of about 29,500, of whom 85 per cent are Inuit and 60 per cent are under the age of 25. Close to one-fifth of this population lives in the Iqaluit community.
Winter is close to nine months long in this region, with snow covering the ground for most of the year. Mining, shrimp and scallop fishing, hunting and trapping, and arts and crafts production are the key industries. Major attractions such as Auyuittuq National Park and the chance to experience Inuit culture first-hand make tourism a growing industry. Three new national parks will be created under the terms of the Nunavut land claim settlement.
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