Arctic Archipelago

The Arctic Archipelago, also known as the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, is an archipelago lying to the north of the Canadian continental mainland, excluding Greenland (an autonomous territory of the Danish Realm, which is, by itself, much larger than the combined area of the archipelago), and Iceland (an independent country).

Situated in the northern extremity of North America and covering about 1,424,500 km2 (550,000 sq mi), this group of 36,563 islands, surrounded by the Arctic Ocean, comprises much of Northern Canada, predominately Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. The archipelago is showing some effects of climate change, with some computer estimates determining that melting there will contribute 3.5 cm (1.4 in) to the rise in sea levels by 2100.

History

Around 2500 BCE, the first humans, the Paleo-Eskimos, arrived in the archipelago from the Canadian mainland. Between 1000 and 1500 CE, they were replaced by the Thule people, who are the ancestors of today's Inuit.

British claims on the islands, the British Arctic Territories, were based on the explorations in the 1570s by Martin Frobisher. Canadian sovereignty was originally (1870–80) only over island portions that drained into Foxe Basin, Hudson Bay and Hudson Strait. Canadian sovereignty over the islands was established by 1880 when Britain transferred them to Canada. The District of Franklin—established in 1895—comprised almost all of the archipelago. The district was dissolved upon the creation of Nunavut in 1999. Canada claims all the waterways of the Northwest Passage as Canadian Internal Waters; however, most maritime countries view these as international waters.[failed verification] Disagreement over the passages' status has raised Canadian concerns about environmental enforcement, national security, and general sovereignty. East of Ellesmere Island, in the Nares Strait, lies Hans Island, ownership of which is now shared between Canada and Denmark, after a decades-long dispute.

Geography

The archipelago extends some 2,400 km (1,500 mi) longitudinally and 1,900 km (1,200 mi) from the mainland to Cape Columbia, the northernmost point on Ellesmere Island. It is bounded on the west by the Beaufort Sea; on the northwest by the Arctic Ocean; on the east by Greenland, Baffin Bay and Davis Strait; and on the south by Hudson Bay and the Canadian mainland. The various islands are separated from each other and the continental mainland by a series of waterways collectively known as the Northwest Passage. Two large peninsulas, Boothia and Melville, extend northward from the mainland. The northernmost cluster of islands, including Ellesmere Island, is known as the Queen Elizabeth Islands and was formerly the Parry Islands.

The archipelago consists of 36,563 islands, of which 94 are classified as major islands, being larger than 130 km2 (50 sq mi), and cover a total area of 1,400,000 km2 (540,000 sq mi).

The islands of the Canadian Arctic over 5,000 km2 (1,900 sq mi), in order of descending area, are: As of 2021[update] the total population of all islands in the Arctic was 23,073.

Name (group)	Location	Area	Area rank	Pop (2021)	Notes	Coordinates
km2	sqmi	World	Canada
Baffin Island	Nunavut	507,451	195,928	5	1	13,039	Population does not include Kinngait and Qikiqtarjuaq. Both lie on small islands just off the coast of Baffin Island	68°N 70°W/68°N 70°W/ 68; -70(Baffin Island)
Victoria Island	Northwest Territories, Nunavut	217,291	83,897	8	2	2,168	Contains the world's largest island within an island within an island	70°25′N 107°45′W/70.417°N 107.750°W/ 70.417; -107.750(Victoria Island)
Ellesmere Island (Queen Elizabeth Islands)	Nunavut	196,236	75,767	10	3	144	Population includes Grise Fiord, Alert (Canada’s two most northerly communities) and Eureka	79°50′N 78°00′W/79.833°N 78.000°W/ 79.833; -78.000(Ellesmere Island)
Banks Island	Northwest Territories	70,028	27,038	24	5	104	The summer home to hundreds of thousands of migratory birds who nest at Banks Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary No. 1 and Banks Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary No. 2	72°45′02″N 121°30′10″W/72.75056°N 121.50278°W/ 72.75056; -121.50278(Banks Island)
Devon Island (Queen Elizabeth Islands)	Nunavut	55,247	21,331	27	6	0	The largest uninhabited island on Earth	75°15′N 088°00′W/75.250°N 88.000°W/ 75.250; -88.000(Devon Island)
Axel Heiberg Island (Sverdrup Islands, Queen Elizabeth Islands)	Nunavut	43,178	16,671	32	7	0	Known for its unusual fossil forests, which date from the Eocene period	79°45′N 091°00′W/79.750°N 91.000°W/ 79.750; -91.000(Axel Heiberg Island)
Melville Island (Queen Elizabeth Islands)	Northwest Territories, Nunavut	42,149	16,274	33	8	0	The most northerly report of a grizzly bear sighting occurred here in 2003	75°30′02″N 111°30′09″W/75.50056°N 111.50250°W/ 75.50056; -111.50250(Melville Island)
Southampton Island	Nunavut	41,214	15,913	34	9	1,038	One of the few Canadian areas, and the only area in Nunavut, that does not use daylight saving time	64°20′N 084°40′W/64.333°N 84.667°W/ 64.333; -84.667(Southampton Island)
Prince of Wales Island	Nunavut	33,339	12,872	40	10	0	North of North is set in the fictional town of Ice Cove, which is situated here	72°40′N 99°00′W/72.667°N 99.000°W/ 72.667; -99.000(Prince of Wales Island)
Somerset Island	Nunavut	24,786	9,570	46	12	0	Home of Fort Ross (1937-1948), the last trading post established by the Hudson's Bay Company	73°15′N 93°30′W/73.250°N 93.500°W/ 73.250; -93.500(Somerset Island)
Bathurst Island (Queen Elizabeth Islands)	Nunavut	16,042	6,194	54	13	0	Home of Brooman Point Village, Qausuittuq National Park, and the Polar Bear Pass National Wildlife Area	75°45′N 100°00′W/75.750°N 100.000°W/ 75.750; -100.000(Bathurst Island)
Prince Patrick Island (Queen Elizabeth Islands)	Northwest Territories, Nunavut	15,848	6,119	55	14	0	Mould Bay Weather Station, part of the Joint Arctic Weather Station system between Canada and the United States opened in 1948	76°45′02″N 119°30′12″W/76.75056°N 119.50333°W/ 76.75056; -119.50333(Prince Patrick Island)
King William Island	Nunavut	13,111	5,062	61	15	1,349	Sir John Franklin’s two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, were found in what is now the Wrecks of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror National Historic Site	69°10′N 97°25′W/69.167°N 97.417°W/ 69.167; -97.417(King William Island)
Ellef Ringnes Island (Sverdrup Islands, Queen Elizabeth Islands)	Nunavut	11,295	4,361	68	16	0	Isachsen, opened in 1948, formerly staffed weather station, but now an Automated Surface Observing System	78°30′N 102°15′W/78.500°N 102.250°W/ 78.500; -102.250(Ellef Ringnes Island)
Bylot Island	Nunavut	11,067	4,273	71	17	0	Sirmilik National Park is located on the island	73°13′N 78°34′W/73.217°N 78.567°W/ 73.217; -78.567(Bylot Island)
Prince Charles Island	Nunavut	9,521	3,676	77	19	0	Uninhabited, however Inuit visited the island to hunt caribou	67°47′N 76°12′W/67.783°N 76.200°W/ 67.783; -76.200(Prince Charles Island)
Cornwallis Island (Queen Elizabeth Islands)	Nunavut	6,995	2,701	97	21	183	Resolute, the only community, was established in 1953 by forced migration known as the High Arctic relocation	75°08′N 95°00′W/75.133°N 95.000°W/ 75.133; -95.000(Cornwallis Island)
Coats Island	Nunavut	5,498	2,123	107	24	0	The last home of the Sadlermiut	62°30′N 083°00′W/62.500°N 83.000°W/ 62.500; -83.000(Coats Island)
Amund Ringnes Island (Sverdrup Islands Queen Elizabeth Islands)	Nunavut	5,255	2,029	111	25	0		78°20′N 96°25′W/78.333°N 96.417°W/ 78.333; -96.417(Amund Ringnes Island)
Mackenzie King Island (Queen Elizabeth Islands)	Northwest Territories, Nunavut	5,048	1,949	116	26	0		78°02′N 109°50′W/78.033°N 109.833°W/ 78.033; -109.833(Mackenzie King Island)

After Greenland, the archipelago is the world's largest high-Arctic land area. The climate of the islands is Arctic, and the terrain consists of tundra except in mountainous regions. Most of the islands are uninhabited; human settlement is extremely thin and scattered, being mainly coastal Inuit settlements on the southern islands.

Map with links to islands

Reference map of Canadian Arctic Archipelago

King Christianmap 1
Bordenmap 2
Lougheedmap 3
Brockmap 4
Mackenzie Kingmap 5
Helenamap 6
Cameronmap 7
Emeraldmap 8
Prince Patrickmap 9
Île Vaniermap 10
Eglintonmap 11
Alexandermap 12
Bathurstmap 13
Melvillemap 14
Byam Martinmap 15
Banksmap 16
Stefanssonmap 17
Russellmap 18
Prince of Walesmap 19
Prescottmap 20
Somersetmap 21
Victoriamap 22
King Williammap 23
Mattymap 24
Walesmap 25
Belchermap 26
Longmap 27
Akimiskimap 28
Charltonmap 29
Ellesmeremap 30
Meighenmap 31
Axel Heibergmap 32
Ellef Ringnesmap 33
Amund Ringnesmap 34
Cornwallmap 35
Grahammap 36
North Kentmap 37
Baillie-Hamiltonmap 38
Little Cornwallismap 39
Cornwallismap 40 A
Devonmap 41
Bylotmap 42
Baffinmap 43
Kapuiviitmap 44 B
Kochmap 45
Braymap 46
Rowleymap 47
Foleymap 48
Air Forcemap 49
Prince Charlesmap 50
Nagjuttuuqmap 51 C
Qikiqtaaluk (Foxe Basin)map 52 D
Southamptonmap 53
Resolutionmap 54
Loksmap 55
Akpatokmap 56
Qikiqtarjuaq (Hudson Strait)map 57 E
Salisburymap 58
Nottinghammap 59
Manselmap 60
Coatsmap 61

Islands not on map

Beecheymap 62
Broughtonmap 63 F
Cape Chidleymap 64
Dorsetmap 65 G
Duke of Yorkmap 66
East Penmap 67
Flahertymap 68 H
Haig-Thomasmap 69
Hansmap 70
Herschelmap 71
Igloolikmap 72 I
Killiniqmap 73
Ottawamap 74
Prince Leopoldmap 75
Qikiqtaryuaqmap 76 J
Skraelingmap 77
Trodelymap 78
Umingmalikmap 79 K
Westonmap 80

Notes

^APopulation: 183
^BFormerly Jens Munk Island
^CFormerly Vansittart Island
^DFormerly White Island
^EFormerly Big Island
^FPopulation: 593
^GPopulation: 1,396
^HPopulation: 1,010
^IPopulation: 2,049
^JFormerly Jenny Lind Island
^KFormerly Gateshead Island

Communities

Community	Island	Region, territory	Population
Arctic Bay	Baffin Island	Qikiqtaaluk, NU	944
Clyde River	Baffin Island	Qikiqtaaluk, NU	1,181
Iqaluit	Baffin Island	Qikiqtaaluk, NU	7,429
Kimmirut	Baffin Island	Qikiqtaaluk, NU	426
Pangnirtung	Baffin Island	Qikiqtaaluk, NU	1,504
Pond Inlet	Baffin Island	Qikiqtaaluk, NU	1,555
Sachs Harbour	Banks Island	Inuvik, NT	104
Qikiqtarjuaq	Broughton Island	Qikiqtaaluk, NU	593
Resolute	Cornwallis Island	Qikiqtaaluk, NU	183
Kinngait	Dorset Island	Qikiqtaaluk, NU	1,396
Grise Fiord	Ellesmere Island	Qikiqtaaluk, NU	144
Sanikiluaq	Flaherty Island	Qikiqtaaluk, NU	1,010
Igloolik	Igloolik Island	Qikiqtaaluk, NU	2,049
Gjoa Haven	King William Island	Kitikmeot, NU	1,349
Coral Harbour	Southampton Island	Kivalliq, NU	1,038
Cambridge Bay	Victoria Island	Kitikmeot, NU	1,760
Ulukhaktok	Victoria Island	Inuvik, NT	408
		Total	23,073

Populated islands

Of the more than 36,000 islands, only 11 are populated. Baffin Island, the largest, also has the largest population of 13,309. The population accounts for 67.37 per cent of the 19,355 people in the Qikiqtaaluk Region, 56.51 per cent of the population of the Arctic Archipelago, and 35.38 per cent of the population of Nunavut.

Island	Population	Area (km2)	Area (sq mi)	Density (km2)	Density (sq mi)
Baffin Island	13,039	507,451	315,315	0.026	0.067
Banks Island	104	70,028	43,513	0.001	0.004
Broughton Island	593	127.6	79.3	4.647	12.037
Cornwallis Island	183	6,995	4,346	0.026	0.068
Dorset Island	1,396	21	8	174.500	67.375
Ellesmere Island	144	196,236	121,935	0.001	0.002
Flaherty Island	1,010	1,585	985	0.637	1.650
Igloolik Island	2,049	114.5	71.1	17.895	46.348
King William Island	1,349	13,111	8,147	0.103	0.266
Southampton Island	1,038	41,214	25,609	0.103	0.266
Victoria Island	2,168	217,291	135,018	0.010	0.026

Mapping

^map 1King Christian, 77°45′N 102°00′W/77.750°N 102.000°W/ 77.750; -102.000(King Christian Island, NU)
^map 2Borden, 78°33′N 111°10′W/78.550°N 111.167°W/ 78.550; -111.167(Borden Island, NT, NU)
^map 3Lougheed, 77°24′N 105°15′W/77.400°N 105.250°W/ 77.400; -105.250(Lougheed Island, NT)
^map 4Brock, 77°51′N 114°27′W/77.850°N 114.450°W/ 77.850; -114.450(Brock Island, NT)
^map 5Mackenzie King 77°43′N 111°57′W/77.717°N 111.950°W/ 77.717; -111.950(Mackenzie King Island, NT, NU)
^map 6Helena, 76°40′N 101°00′W/76.667°N 101.000°W/ 76.667; -101.000(Helena Island, NU)
^map 7Cameron, 77°48′N 101°51′W/77.800°N 101.850°W/ 77.800; -101.850(Cameron Island, NU)
^map 8Emerald Isle, 76°48′N 114°07′W/76.800°N 114.117°W/ 76.800; -114.117(Emerald Isle, NT)
^map 9Prince Patrick, 76°45′N 119°30′W/76.750°N 119.500°W/ 76.750; -119.500(Prince Patrick Island, NT)
^map 10Île Vanier, 76°10′N 103°15′W/76.167°N 103.250°W/ 76.167; -103.250(Île Vanier, NU)
^map 11Eglinton, 75°46′N 118°27′W/75.767°N 118.450°W/ 75.767; -118.450(Eglinton Island, NT)
^map 12Alexander, 75°52′N 102°37′W/75.867°N 102.617°W/ 75.867; -102.617(Alexander Island, NU)
^map 13Bathurst, 75°46′N 099°47′W/75.767°N 99.783°W/ 75.767; -99.783(Bathurst Island, NU)
^map 14Melville, 75°30′N 111°30′W/75.500°N 111.500°W/ 75.500; -111.500(Melville Island, NT, NU)
^map 15Byam Martin, 75°12′N 104°17′W/75.200°N 104.283°W/ 75.200; -104.283(Byam Martin Island, NU)
^map 16Banks, 73°00′N 121°30′W/73.000°N 121.500°W/ 73.000; -121.500(Banks Island, NU)
^map 17Stefansson, 73°30′N 105°30′W/73.500°N 105.500°W/ 73.500; -105.500(Stefansson Island, NU)
^map 18Russell, 74°00′N 098°25′W/74.000°N 98.417°W/ 74.000; -98.417(Russell Island, NU)
^map 19Prince of Wales, 72°36′N 098°32′W/72.600°N 98.533°W/ 72.600; -98.533(Prince of Wales Island, NU)
^map 20Prescott, 73°03′N 096°49′W/73.050°N 96.817°W/ 73.050; -96.817(Prescott Island, NU)
^map 21Somerset, 73°15′N 093°30′W/73.250°N 93.500°W/ 73.250; -93.500(Somerset Island, NU)
^map 22Victoria, 71°00′N 110°00′W/71.000°N 110.000°W/ 71.000; -110.000(Victoria Island, NT, NU)
^map 23King William, 68°58′N 097°14′W/68.967°N 97.233°W/ 68.967; -97.233(King William Island, NU)
^map 24Matty, 69°28′N 095°40′W/69.467°N 95.667°W/ 69.467; -95.667(Matty Island, NU)
^map 25Wales, 68°01′N 086°40′W/68.017°N 86.667°W/ 68.017; -86.667(Wales Island, NU)
^map 26Belcher, 56°20′N 079°30′W/56.333°N 79.500°W/ 56.333; -79.500(Belcher Islands, NU)
^map 27Long, 54°52′N 079°25′W/54.867°N 79.417°W/ 54.867; -79.417(Long Island, NU)
^map 28Akimiski, 53°00′N 081°20′W/53.000°N 81.333°W/ 53.000; -81.333(Akimiski Island, NU)
^map 29Charlton, 52°00′N 079°26′W/52.000°N 79.433°W/ 52.000; -79.433(Charlton Island, NU)
^map 30Ellesmere, 79°49′N 078°00′W/79.817°N 78.000°W/ 79.817; -78.000(Ellesmere Island, NU)
^map 31Meighen, 79°59′N 099°30′W/79.983°N 99.500°W/ 79.983; -99.500(Meighen Island, NU)
^map 32Axel Heiberg, 79°26′N 090°46′W/79.433°N 90.767°W/ 79.433; -90.767(Axel Heiberg Island, NU)
^map 33Ellef Ringnes, 78°37′N 101°56′W/78.617°N 101.933°W/ 78.617; -101.933(Ellef Ringnes Island, NU)
^map 34Amund Ringnes, 78°19′N 096°25′W/78.317°N 96.417°W/ 78.317; -96.417(Amund Ringnes Island, NU)
^map 35Cornwall, 77°37′N 094°52′W/77.617°N 94.867°W/ 77.617; -94.867(Cornwall Island, NU)
^map 36Graham, 77°26′N 090°30′W/77.433°N 90.500°W/ 77.433; -90.500(Graham Island, NU)
^map 37North Kent, 76°40′N 090°15′W/76.667°N 90.250°W/ 76.667; -90.250(North Kent Island, NU)
^map 38Baillie-Hamilton, 75°53′N 094°35′W/75.883°N 94.583°W/ 75.883; -94.583(Baillie-Hamilton Island, NU)
^map 39Little Cornwallis, 75°30′N 096°30′W/75.500°N 96.500°W/ 75.500; -96.500(Little Cornwallis Island, NU)
^map 40Cornwallis, 75°05′N 095°00′W/75.083°N 95.000°W/ 75.083; -95.000(Cornwallis Island, NU)
^map 41Devon, 75°15′N 088°00′W/75.250°N 88.000°W/ 75.250; -88.000(Devon Island, NU)
^map 42Bylot, 73°13′N 078°34′W/73.217°N 78.567°W/ 73.217; -78.567(Bylot Island, NU)
^map 43Baffin, 69°00′N 072°00′W/69.000°N 72.000°W/ 69.000; -72.000(Baffin Island, NU)
^map 44Jens Munk, 69°40′N 079°40′W/69.667°N 79.667°W/ 69.667; -79.667(Jens Munk Island, NU)
^map 45Koch, 69°35′N 078°20′W/69.583°N 78.333°W/ 69.583; -78.333(Koch Island, NU)
^map 46Bray, 69°20′N 077°00′W/69.333°N 77.000°W/ 69.333; -77.000(Bray Island, NU)
^map 47Rowley, 69°05′N 078°52′W/69.083°N 78.867°W/ 69.083; -78.867(Rowley Island, NU)
^map 48Foley, 68°30′N 075°00′W/68.500°N 75.000°W/ 68.500; -75.000(Foley Island, NU)
^map 49Air Force, 67°58′N 074°05′W/67.967°N 74.083°W/ 67.967; -74.083(Air Force Island, NU)
^map 50Prince Charles, 67°45′N 076°00′W/67.750°N 76.000°W/ 67.750; -76.000(Prince Charles Island, NU)
^map 51Vansittart, 65°50′N 084°00′W/65.833°N 84.000°W/ 65.833; -84.000(Vansittart Island, NU)
^map 52White, 65°46′N 084°53′W/65.767°N 84.883°W/ 65.767; -84.883(White Island, NU)
^map 53Southampton, 64°30′N 084°30′W/64.500°N 84.500°W/ 64.500; -84.500(Southampton Island, NU)
^map 54Resolution, 61°35′N 065°00′W/61.583°N 65.000°W/ 61.583; -65.000(Resolution Island, NU)
^map 55Loks Land, 62°26′N 064°38′W/62.433°N 64.633°W/ 62.433; -64.633(Loks Land Island, NU)
^map 56Akpatok, 60°25′N 068°08′W/60.417°N 68.133°W/ 60.417; -68.133(Akpatok Island, NU)
^map 57Big, 62°43′N 070°43′W/62.717°N 70.717°W/ 62.717; -70.717(Big Island, NU)
^map 58Salisbury, 63°35′N 077°00′W/63.583°N 77.000°W/ 63.583; -77.000(Salisbury Island, NU)
^map 59Nottingham, 63°17′N 077°55′W/63.283°N 77.917°W/ 63.283; -77.917(Nottingham Island, NU)
^map 60Mansel, 62°00′N 079°50′W/62.000°N 79.833°W/ 62.000; -79.833(Mansel Island, NU)
^map 61Coats, 62°35′N 082°45′W/62.583°N 82.750°W/ 62.583; -82.750(Coats Island, NU)
^map 62Beechey, 74°43′N 091°51′W/74.717°N 91.850°W/ 74.717; -91.850(Beechey Island, NU)
^map 63Broughton, 67°34′N 063°54′W/67.567°N 63.900°W/ 67.567; -63.900(Broughton Island, NU)
^map 64Cape Chidley, 60°25′45″N 64°27′50″W/60.42917°N 64.46389°W/ 60.42917; -64.46389(Cape Chidley Islands, NU)
^map 65Dorset, 64°12′N 76°32′W/64.200°N 76.533°W/ 64.200; -76.533(Dorset Island, NU)
^map 66Duke of York, 68°15′N 112°30′W/68.250°N 112.500°W/ 68.250; -112.500(Duke of York Archipelago, NU)
^map 67East Pen, 56°45′N 088°40′W/56.750°N 88.667°W/ 56.750; -88.667(East Pen Island, NU)
^map 68Flaherty, 56°14′N 079°17′W/56.233°N 79.283°W/ 56.233; -79.283(Flaherty Island, NU)
^map 69Haig-Thomas, 78°15′N 094°30′W/78.250°N 94.500°W/ 78.250; -94.500(Haig-Thomas Island, NU)
^map 70Hans, 80°49′N 066°27′W/80.817°N 66.450°W/ 80.817; -66.450(Hans Island, Canada, Denmark)
^map 71Herschel, 69°35′N 139°04′W/69.583°N 139.067°W/ 69.583; -139.067(Herschel Island)
^map 72Igloolik, 69°23′N 081°40′W/69.383°N 81.667°W/ 69.383; -81.667(Igloolik Island, NU)
^map 73Killiniq, 60°22′N 064°37′W/60.367°N 64.617°W/ 60.367; -64.617(Killiniq Island, NU)
^map 74Ottawa, 59°34′N 080°16′W/59.567°N 80.267°W/ 59.567; -80.267(Ottawa Islands, NU)
^map 75Prince Leopold, 74°01′N 090°04′W/74.017°N 90.067°W/ 74.017; -90.067(Prince Leopold Island, NU)
^map 76Jenny Lind, 68°43′N 101°58′W/68.717°N 101.967°W/ 68.717; -101.967(Jenny Lind Island, NU)
^map 77Skraeling, 78°55′N 075°40′W/78.917°N 75.667°W/ 78.917; -75.667(Skraeling Island, NU)
^map 78Trodely, 52°14′N 079°26′W/52.233°N 79.433°W/ 52.233; -79.433(Trodely Island, NU)
^map 79Gateshead, 70°35′N 100°25′W/70.583°N 100.417°W/ 70.583; -100.417(Gateshead Island, NU)
^map 80Weston, 52°32′N 079°35′W/52.533°N 79.583°W/ 52.533; -79.583(Weston Island, NU)