The Northern Territories

The Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon contain one-third of Canada's land mass but have a population of only 100,000. There are gold, lead, copper, diamond and zinc mines. The North is sometimes called the "Land of the Midnight Sun" because at the height of summer, daylight can last up to 24 hours. In winter, the sun disappears, and darkness sets in for three months. Much of the North is made up of tundra, the vast rocky Arctic plain. Because of the cold Arctic climate, there are no trees on the tundra and the soil is permanently frozen. Some continue to earn a living by hunting, fishing and trapping. Inuit art is sold throughout Canada and around the world.

Yukon

Thousands of non-indigenous miners came to the Yukon territory during the Gold Rush of the 1890s. Mining remains a significant part of the economy. The White Pass and Yukon Railway, opened from Skagway in neighbouring Alaska to the territorial capital, Whitehorse, in 1900, provides a spectacular tourist excursion across precipitous passes and bridges. Yukon holds the record for the coldest temperature ever recorded in Canada (-63°C).

Northwest Territories

The Northwest Territories (NWT) were originally carved up by the colonizers in 1870 from Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory. The capital, Yellowknife (population 20,000), is called the "diamond capital of North America." More than half the population is Aboriginal Canadian (Dene, Inuit and Métis). The Mackenzie River, at 4,200 km, is the second-longest river system in North America after the Mississippi and drains an area of 1.8 million sq. km.

Nunavut

Nunavut, meaning "our land" in Inuktitut, was established in 1999 from the eastern part of the Northwest Territories, including all of the former District of Keewatin. The capital is now known as Iqaluit, changed from former colonial name Frobisher Bay after Martin Frobisher, who came to chart the Arctic for the British Queen in 1576. The 19-member Legislative Assembly chooses a premier and ministers by consensus. The population is about 85% Inuit, and Inuktitut is an official language and the first language in schools.