Iqaluit, capital of the territory of Nunavut, Canada. Most of the people of Iqaluit are Inuit, and the town's name means “the place where the fish are” in Inuktitut, the Inuit language. Before 1987 Iqaluit was known by the European name of Frobisher Bay. At one time, Iqaluit was part of the Northwest Territories, but when the Northwest Territories were divided into two territories in 1999, Iqaluit became the capital of the new territory of Nunavut.
Iqaluit is located on Koojesse Inlet, at the head of Frobisher Bay, on the southern coast of Baffin Island. It is situated along a rocky coastline and protected by the Everett Mountains to the southwest and the mountains of the Hall Peninsula to the northeast. The local climate is extremely harsh, with very cold winters and moderately cold summers. During the summer, the sun dips below the horizon for only a short period each day; in winter, much of the day passes in darkness. Iqaluit's cold climate and rocky terrain support only minimal vegetation.
