About Nunavut

The People

• Nunavut's population is approximately 29,000
• Inuit make up 85 per cent of the population
• Inuktitut is spoken by 65 per cent of the population and is scheduled to be the working language of the Nunavut territorial government by 2020
• The Inuit of Nunavut are Beneficiaries of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement
• Nunavut has the youngest demographic make-up in Canada with over 60 per cent of the population below the age of 25 years

The Land

• Inuit have inhabited Nunavut for the past 4,000 years
• The Nunavut Land Claims Agreement was signed in 1993
• Nunavut was created on April 1, 1999
• There are 27 communities spread over 2 million square kilometres
• None of the communities are accessible by road or rail
• Nunavut makes up 23 per cent of Canada's land mass and more than 60 per cent of Canada's coastline
• Nunavut's capital city is Iqaluit which is located on Baffin Island

The Government

• Nunavut is governed by a consensus or non-partisan government
• There are 19 elected Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)
• The MLAs elect a premier and seven other cabinet members among its full caucus
• The Premier assigns portfolios to ministers
• Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), or Inuit traditional knowledge, is incorporated, guides and frames all government decision making

The Economy

• Nunavut's land-based or non-wage economy was estimated at $40-60 million in 2001
• Mining, fishing, arts and crafts, tourism make up the other contributing sectors of the economy
• By 2012, annual mineral production is expected to exceed $500 million with $125 million in exploration
• 27 per cent of Nunavut's population is involved in the arts and crafts economy
• Tourism contributed $61 million in 2000