GIMLI

town, southern Manitoba, Canada. It lies on the southwestern shore of Lake Winnipeg. Established in 1875 after the eruption of Askja volcano in east-central Iceland, Gimli was the first permanent Icelandic settlement in Canada. The town was named for a place mentioned in Norse mythology, roughly equivalent in meaning to the new heaven. From it sprang several other colonies (known as New Iceland) on the west side of the lake. It was at first a part of the Northwest Territories and then (187887) a self-governing unit with its own constitution. Present-day Gimli is a commercial fishing port and fish-processing centre and has a distillery. It is also a popular resort that holds an annual (August) Islendingadagurinn (Icelandic Festival). Gimli has a training centre for railway employees. The town is connected by road and rail to Winnipeg, 50 miles (80 km) to the south. Inc. village, 1908; town, 1946. Pop. (1991) 1,579.