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On April 1st,
1999, the map of Canada changed for the first time in 50 years with
the creation of Nunavut Territory. The Northwest Territories was split
and approximately 2 million square kilometers of the central and
eastern arctic became 'Nunavut'.
Significant Events Leading to Formation of Nunavut Territory
General Information
 Nunavut,
meaning “our land” in Inuktitut, became Canada’s newest territory on
April 1, 1999. The map of Canada now recognizes 10 provinces and three
territories (Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut).
See Map of Nunavut
Why did Canada
establish a new territory? Why go through all the expense and bother
of dividing the Northwest territories? ...well for two reasons.
Since the 1950’s the
Government of Canada was trying to find a way to split the NWT, to
make it smaller and more manageable since that territory represented
1/3 of all Canada.
The Inuit entered
the picture in 1976 with a proposal that the Inuit people of the
eastern Arctic establish a territory and government that respected
their unique culture and traditions. After 25 years of plebiscites,
negotiations and logistics, Nunavut was born.
Official Flag and Symbols of Nunavut |
