Sept-Îles (English Seven Islands), city in Saguenay County, eastern part of the province of Québec, Canada, on the St. Lawrence River. It is a major port for shipping iron ore. Manufactures include machinery, processed food, and printed materials. Named by French explorer Jacques Cartier in 1535 for the seven islands that shield the harbor, the settlement slowly grew around the trading post and Jesuit mission established here in 1650. Rapid expansion occurred in the 1950s with the development of the port facilities. The city was incorporated in 1959. Population 25,637 (1986); 25,224 (1996).
