Whitehorse's population in 1996 was 19,157, up from 17,925 in 1991 and 15,199 in 1986. The entire metropolitan area had a 1996 population of 21,808. Since its founding in the late 1890s, the city's growth has been linked to the development of mining and transportation in the Yukon Territory. The completion of the White Pass and Yukon Railway in 1900 connected Whitehorse and Skagway, Alaska. This significantly decreased the cost of transporting minerals and increased the amount of mining.
World War II (1939-1945) also influenced the growth of Whitehorse, which was an important United States military base and a key site for the building of the Alaska Highway. The influx of military personnel pushed the population to an estimated 40,000 in 1943. However, after the end of construction projects in the summer of 1944, the population dropped to approximately 8000.
Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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