Inuvik
Inuvik is a town in northwestern Canada beyond the Arctic circle. It has 3,403 inhabitants ( as of 2011), the community area is 46.76 km ², of which 5% are used. Politically Inuvik part of the territory of the Northwest Territories. It is the largest city in Canada north of the Arctic Circle. There live many addition Pulled European origin, while the native Inuit now in the city are in the minority.
Location
Inuvik is located on the banks of the East Channel, the eastern arm of the Mackenzie Delta, about 100 km from the estuary in the Beaufort Sea on a flat, wooded plateau near the northern tree line at the transition from the taiga to tundra. From the village itself offers visitors a wide-ranging look at the Richardson Range, a 981 m high mountain range in the west side of the Mackenzie on the border of Yukon Territory. There, some 100 km to the west is the neighboring community, Aklavik, Inuvik is the largest city in the surrounding area. Aklavik can be achieved in the winter months over the frozen Mackenzie, as well as the more northerly Tuktoyaktuk on the Beaufort Sea.
Climate
From June to August appears for 56 days of the midnight sun, while it is also completely dark for several weeks in winter. The temperature is -10 ° C throughout the year, but even -57 ° C were measured in the summer maximum of 31 ° in the winter. With an annual rainfall of 266 mm, it is rather dry, because the mountain ranges in the west of the rain largely away.
Population
In the church today live more than 60% people of European origin (1991 44% ), along with locals, to the Inuit (25 %) or to the Dene and Métis (15%) are to be counted. Are spoken in addition to English native languages, especially Inuktitut ( Inuvialuktun ) and Gwich'in.
Dempster Highway
Accessible is the place whose name in Inuktitut as much as "place of the people " or "residence" is, on the 736 km long Dempster Highway, a mostly unpaved road that starts near Dawson and ends in Inuvik.
History
The first European to reach the area was in 1789, the explorer Alexander MacKenzie, after the nearby stream was named.
Traditional center of the area was Aklavik, but in the fifties it was decided to build a new church, as Aklavik had always struggled with flooding and erosion. The inauguration of the city, which at first was known as the East Tree in the planning phase took place officially on 18 July 1958 under a proclamation on the 15th session of the Council of the Northwest Territories. In 1967, the city municipality and city status in 1970. First Mayor was Richard Hill. The oil and gas industry provided jobs as well as furnished in Inuvik Military Base, which was closed in 1985, however, after about 700 inhabitants migrated.
Attractions
A point of interest is built in Igluform local church ( Igloo Church Our Lady of Victory, built in 1960 by Maurice Larocque and Joseph Adam ). In addition, the Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre to call, which was built in 1976/1977. A sports center is the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex since 1997. 1995 also the Western Arctic Visitor's Center was opened. In addition, the Canadian government in Inuvik operates a research laboratory. From Inuvik from the coast is to explore only by plane, because more roads there are not here. The airfield (Mike Zubko Airport ) with an approximately 2000 m long runway is located just over 10 km south of the town and is served daily from jet engines. Has in place a crossing is equipped only with a traffic light. Many buildings from Inuvik be heated via a pipe system with hot steam. The water supply must come from the Lake B or the private lake of the village, the Hidden Lake take place, as the East Channel in summer in particular contains brackish water. Because of the permafrost, the building of the city were built on stilts. In the resort there are an infirmary and several administrative buildings (both since 1960). In 2003, Inuvik received a modern hospital with 26 beds and 9 doctors. The CBIC has a bank branch in Inuvik, the Canadian Post has here also a branch. Furthermore, 6 hotels and motels are available in town. Worth mentioning is also a greenhouse with a floor area of approximately 500 m². This greenhouse was set up by the reconstruction of the boarding Grollier Hall for the inhabitants. Even a small theater, the Inuvik Delta Theatre is available.
Education and Research
In the village there are two schools, the Aurora College ( a member of the University of the Arctic) and some smaller training facilities.
On 10 August 2010 the German Aerospace Center (DLR ) has inaugurated its satellite data receiving station. DLR will use the new ground station to receive data for the satellite TanDEM-X mission.
Personalities
- Eric Schweig (born 1967 ), actor
- Leona Aglukkaq (born 1967 ), Canadian politician
- Floyd Roland ( b. 1961 ), Canadian politician
- Jason Elliott ( born 1975 ), former Canadian ice hockey goalie
Economy
Inuvik is base in the oil and gas industry, which operates in the area of the Mackenzie Delta. 1969 have been discovered in the region oil and gas reserves in 1970 also. On the banks of the East Channel a shipyard there.