Hudson Bay

The Hudson Bay ( Baie d' Hudson French, Inuktitut Kangiqsualuk Ilua, German and Hudson Bay or Hudson Bay ) is an over 1.23 million km ² marginal sea in the northeastern part of Canada. At about the Hudson Strait connected to the Atlantic ocean bay have the Canadian provinces of Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and the territory of Nunavut share. The Hudson Bay is named after Henry Hudson, who discovered the bay in 1610.

Geography

Generally

From the mouth of the Hudson Strait down to the southern end of James Bay, one belonging to the Hudson Bay Bay, Hudson Bay reaches a length of nearly 1,400 km, while the maximum distance from the Ungava Peninsula (Québec) to the opposite coast of Nunavut slightly less than 1000 km is. While the area of ​​the Hudson Bay Hudson Strait, including James Bay, Ungava Bay and Foxe Basin is 1.23 million square kilometers, so has the actual Hudson Bay without this said part seas ledigiglich an area of ​​822,324 km ². The water volume is 200,000 cubic kilometers, the average water depth of about 240 meters. In the bay there are numerous islands, of which Southampton Iceland at the entrance of the bay which is by far the largest in the north, followed by Coats and Mansel Iceland Iceland, also at the entrance of the bay. To mention Furthermore Akimiski in the James Bay. Prior to the James Bay are also many small islands, which are summarized at the archipelago of the Belcher. All the islands of the bay are part of Nunavut.

The Hudson Bay was once considered an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, but is connected via the Foxe Channel and Foxe Basin that even with the Arctic Ocean. In the southwestern part of the bay receives water supply by some larger rivers, of which the Grande rivière de la Baleine (Quebec ), Churchill River and Nelson River ( Manitoba ) are the most important. About the latter, the Hudson Bay is connected to the Winnipeg.

The Hudson Bay is for shipping, although passable, but only of minor importance. She played an important role in the development of the Canadian hinterland by the Hudson 's Bay Company.

  • Albany River, Ontario
  • Attawapiskat River, Ontario
  • Rivière Broad Back, Quebec
  • Churchill River, Manitoba
  • La Grande Rivière, Quebec
  • Grande rivière de la Baleine ( Great Whale River in English ), Quebec
  • Hayes River, Manitoba
  • Moose River, Ontario
  • Nastapoka Rivière, Quebec
  • Nelson River, Manitoba
  • Nottaway Rivière, Quebec
  • Rivière Rupert, Quebec
  • Severn River, Ontario
  • Winisk River, Ontario

Climate

In Hudson Bay, there is a tundra and taiga climate. In winter, the bay is frozen, therefore it is also called " ice-house in North America ." However, the ice due to global warming is melting earlier and earlier, which increasingly is for the resident polar bears a threat. Most important food are the seals, to which they only reach across the frozen Hudson Bay for them.

History

Henry Hudson explored the bay in 1610 on his ship Discovery. On his fourth and last voyage he sailed along the west coast of Greenland in the bay and mapped much of the east coast there. In winter, the discovery of ice was included, with the crew at the southern end of James Bay survived on land. When the ice thawed in the spring Hudson wanted to explore the rest of the bay. However, the crew mutinied on June 22, 1611. Looking for Hudson Thomas Button explored 1612/13 the western shore of Hudson Bay. He mapped the area and discovered the mouth of the Nelson River and Mansel Island.

60 years later the ship Nonsuch reached the bay and operation with the Cree Indians successfully beaver fur trade. This led to the founding of the Hudson 's Bay Company, which bears this name today. The British Crown granted the Hudson Bay Company a monopoly of trade with the Indians in the catchment area of the water body, which was called Rupert's Land. France denied the land allocation and sent several military expeditions to the region. By the Treaty of Utrecht in April 1713 but had to give up his claims.

During this time the company built forts and trading posts at the mouths of major rivers. These included Fort Severn (Ontario), York Factory ( Manitoba ) and Churchill ( Manitoba ). The strategic location allowed expeditions into the country and more importantly, facilitated trade with the native population. The Indians brought furs to the post where they were shipped directly to Europe (which is a shorter distance than Montreal represented ). The Hudson 's Bay Company used these items to the beginning of the 20th century.

The country with an area of ​​3.9 million km ² in 1870 was ceded Canada and part of the Northwest Territories, as the trade monopoly was abandoned. As a result of a change of name, the Hudson's Bay is now called Hudson Bay, which often leads to confusion with the company.

Population

The region around the Hudson Bay has been inhabited extremely thin. It is dominated by the Inuit and the Cree Indians, who live mainly by hunting and fishing.

Among the settlements on the Hudson Bay include:

Reserves

In the area of the huge bay there are several protected areas. Here, the Polar Bear Provincial Park is an area of ​​approximately 23,552 km ², the largest and northernmost Park Ontario to protect the local polar bear population. Already in Manitoba is herein even more important Wapusk National Park, with 11,500 km ². Northwest of the Bay of Ukkusiksalik National Park is 20,000 sq km area.

Coats Island Belcher Islands Churchill River (Hudson Bay) Moose River (Ontario) Severn River (northern Ontario) Discovery (1602 ship) Churchill (Manitoba) Wapusk-Nationalpark Ukkusiksalik-Nationalpark Integrated Authority File
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