YEAR IN REVIEW 2000: SPOTLIGHT: NUNAVUT

Nunavut: The Birth of a New Territory Canada witnessed the birth of a new territory in 1999, the first change in its internal boundaries since the admission of Newfoundland into the federation 50 years ago. (See Map.) The Inuit of the Eastern Arctic were given their own homeland, Nunavut ("Our Land" in the Inuktitut language). It is a vast territory-nearly as large as Alaska and California combined-spanning three time zones, extending 1.9 million sq km (733,600 sq mi), and representing almost one-quarter of Canada's landmass. Scattered over this enormous area, which reaches to the Arctic islands close to the North Pole, are some 25,000 people living in 28 recognized communities. About 85% of Nunavut's population is Inuit; the remainder are nonnatives who moved north to participate in government or economic activities. Inuits and non-Inuits have equal rights and are expected to play a part in the affairs of the new territory.