Nunavik

Nunavik
ᓄᓇᕕᒃ (Inuktitut)
Proposed autonomous area
Nunavik's location in Quebec, Canada.
Nunavik's location in Quebec, Canada.
Coordinates: 58°26′N 71°29′W / 58.433°N 71.483°W / 58.433; -71.483
CountryCanada
ProvinceQuebec
RegionNord-du-Québec
Administrative capitalKuujjuaq
Government
 • MNADenis Lamothe (since 2018)
 • MPSylvie Bérubé (since 2019)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total14,045
DemonymNunavimmiut
Ethnicity
 • Inuit88.7% (2006)
Language
 • Inuktitut75% (2006), 90% (2016)
Time zoneUTC−05 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04 (EDT)
Federal ridingAbitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou
Provincial ridingUngava (electoral district)

Nunavik (/ˈnnəvɪk/; French: [nynavik]; Inuktitut: ᓄᓇᕕᒃ) is an area in Canada which comprises the northern third of the province of Quebec, part of the Nord-du-Québec region and nearly coterminous with Kativik. Covering a land area of 443,684.71 km2 (171,307.62 sq mi) north of the 55th parallel, it is the homeland of the Inuit of Quebec and part of the wider Inuit Nunangat. Almost all of the 14,045 inhabitants (2021 census) of the region, of whom 90% are Inuit,[1] live in fourteen northern villages on the coast of Nunavik and in the Cree reserved land (TC) of Whapmagoostui, near the northern village of Kuujjuarapik.

Nunavik means "great land" in the local dialect of Inuktitut and the Inuit inhabitants of the region call themselves Nunavimmiut. Until 1912, the region was part of the District of Ungava of the Northwest Territories.

Negotiations for regional autonomy and resolution of outstanding land claims took place in the 2000s.[2][3] The seat of government would be Kuujjuaq.[4] Negotiations on better empowering Inuit political rights in their land are still ongoing.[5]

A flag for Nunavik was proposed by Nunavik artist and graphic designer Thomassie Mangiok during an April 2013 Plan Nunavik consultation in Ivujivik.[6]

  1. ^ "Aboriginal Peoples in Canada in 2006: Inuit, Métis and First Nations, 2006 Census: Inuit: Inuit population: Young and growing". Statistics Canada. Archived from the original on 2008-10-14. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  2. ^ Nunavik Government | The Agreement in Principle and Where It's At Archived 2008-03-09 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Curry, Bill (2007-08-13). "Quebec Inuit to sign historic self-governance agreement". Toronto: The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2007-08-13.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "Inuit poised to gain control of large territory in Quebec". CBC News. 2007-08-13. Archived from the original on March 9, 2008. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
  5. ^ "Que. Inuit vote against self-government plan". CBC News. April 29, 2011.
  6. ^ "A Nunavik flag could inspire the region: designer". Nunatsiaq News. May 9, 2013. Archived from the original on January 26, 2018. Retrieved June 14, 2016.