The Arctic: in a hurry!The Arctic: in a hurry!

Arctic GeographyArctic Geography

• SparselySparsely populatedpopulated (approximately (approximately 40 00040 000 people)people)

• Long periodsLong periods ofof darknessdarkness in winter and daylight in in winter and daylight in summersummer

• So So coldcold! So ! So drydry!!• The largest physical The largest physical

region in Canada!region in Canada!

Did you know…Did you know…

• The lowest The lowest monthly monthly temperature ever temperature ever recorded in recorded in Canada was in Canada was in NunavutNunavut– -47 degrees -47 degrees

celsiuscelsius

Arctic GeographyArctic Geography

• Ground is permanently Ground is permanently frozen in most areas frozen in most areas ((permafrostpermafrost))– How do they build How do they build

houses?houses?– Where do their Where do their

hydro/sewage lines go?hydro/sewage lines go?

Arctic GeographyArctic Geography

• Most northerly Most northerly island = island = EllesmereEllesmere

• Most northerly Most northerly town/town/communitycommunity = = AlertAlert

The people & languageThe people & language

• The most common ethnic group in the The most common ethnic group in the Arctic is the “Arctic is the “INUITINUIT” meaning “” meaning “the the peoplepeople” ” – Don’t call them “Don’t call them “EskimosEskimos” meaning “” meaning “eater of eater of

raw fleshraw flesh” ”

• The language they speak is “The language they speak is “InuktitutInuktitut””– ““IqaluitIqaluit” means “” means “place of the fishplace of the fish””

Don’t call me an Eskimo…or else!

What’s the deal with What’s the deal with Nunavut?Nunavut?

• Nunavut “broke away” from the Nunavut “broke away” from the Northwest Territories on Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999April 1, 1999– It’s capital city is It’s capital city is IqaluitIqaluit

• Don’t forget!Don’t forget!– WhitehorseWhitehorse is the capital of the Yukon is the capital of the Yukon

TerritoryTerritory– YellowknifeYellowknife is the capital city of the is the capital city of the

Northwest TerritoriesNorthwest Territories

Did you know…Did you know…

• Nunavut meansNunavut means ““our landour land””

• In Iqaluit there In Iqaluit there are:are:– 40 taxis40 taxis– 2 tanning salons2 tanning salons– 1 high school and 1 high school and

1 college1 college– 21 km of paved 21 km of paved

road…TOTAL!road…TOTAL!

Did you know…Did you know…

• ½ the people ½ the people living in Nunavut living in Nunavut are under the age are under the age of 20!of 20!– Families have 3x Families have 3x

as many children as many children as the rest of as the rest of Canada!Canada!

Problems in the Arctic: Problems in the Arctic: POVERTYPOVERTY!!

• The average The average yearly income in yearly income in Nunavut is only Nunavut is only $11000$11000– Welfare supports Welfare supports

1/3 of Nunavut’s 1/3 of Nunavut’s residentsresidents

– UnemploymentUnemployment as as high as 70% in high as 70% in some locationssome locations

Problems in the Arctic: Problems in the Arctic: EDUCATION, EDUCATION, JOB AVAILABILITY, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, JOB AVAILABILITY, SUBSTANCE ABUSE,

SUICIDESUICIDE

• Only ¼ of all Only ¼ of all Nunavut youths Nunavut youths finish high schoolfinish high school– The suicide rate is The suicide rate is

6x the natural 6x the natural averageaverage

Problems in the Arctic:Problems in the Arctic:Prices/Cost of LivingPrices/Cost of Living

• High High transportation transportation costscosts + land that + land that can’t be used for can’t be used for farming = ridiculous farming = ridiculous prices!prices!– 1 Litre milk = $3.291 Litre milk = $3.29– 1 dozen eggs = $4.001 dozen eggs = $4.00– 1 Litre ice cream = 1 Litre ice cream =

$6.49$6.49– 2kg bag of potatoes 2kg bag of potatoes

$8.35$8.35

Why the problems?Why the problems?

• Self-governmentSelf-government has proven has proven challengingchallenging

• Conflict between the old and the Conflict between the old and the newnew!!

Traditional way of lifeTraditional way of life

• Fur used for Fur used for clothingclothing

• Caribou skins for Caribou skins for boatsboats

• Narwhal tusks for Narwhal tusks for knives, harpoonsknives, harpoons

• Seal/whale fat for Seal/whale fat for food, and source food, and source of oil for lamps of oil for lamps and cookingand cooking

Trying to changeTrying to change

• Most now live in Most now live in houseshouses similar to ours similar to ours

• Television, movies, Television, movies, internetinternet now available now available

• ClothingClothing like ours like ours• Travel by Travel by snowmobilesnowmobile• Churches, storesChurches, stores

What do you think?What do you think?

Does it make sense for the people of Does it make sense for the people of the Arctic to live like the rest of the Arctic to live like the rest of

Canada?Canada?

What might help them live a higher What might help them live a higher quality of life?quality of life?

Is there anything good in Is there anything good in the Arctic?the Arctic?

• DiamondsDiamonds!!– Canada is now the 3Canada is now the 3rdrd largest diamond largest diamond

producing country in the worldproducing country in the world

Is there anything good in Is there anything good in the Arctic?the Arctic?

• OilOil!!– Transported by a Transported by a pipelinepipeline– Good for:Good for:

• Providing Providing jobsjobs! !

– BadBad• Can hurt fragile arctic Can hurt fragile arctic environmentenvironment

(permafrost)(permafrost)• Disrupts caribou migrationDisrupts caribou migration

What will his future hold?What will his future hold?