Yellowknife, named for the indigenous Dene people’s use of copper to make tools, became the capital of the Northwest Territories in 1967. It is located in the southeast region of the territory, near the shores of Great Slave Lake and the outlet of the Yellowknife River.
Yellowknife is one of the three largest communities in the Northwest Territories; its population as of a 2006 census was 18,700. Five of Canada’s native languages are spoken in the city: South and North Slavey, Dogrib, Chipewyan, English, and French. The climate of Yellowknife is semi-arid and subarctic, as it is 250 miles south of the Arctic Circle. Rainfall is very little, and temperatures reach their highest, about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, in July, and drop below zero degrees during the winter months.
Yellowknife was not always the established place it is today, though. In fact, there were less than 1,000 in the region until 1940. This is due to the fact that gold mines were discovered in the 1930s and early 1940s, and a significant number of individuals migrated to seek wealth. Decades later, in the 1990s, a plethora of diamonds was found less than two hundred miles from the city, in Point Lake. Three of the main mining companies still open today are Diavik Diamond Mines, BHP Billiton and De Beers Canada.
Yellowknife is a town of entertainment and culture. Folk on the Rocks, Raven Mad Daze, and the Midnight Sun Golf Tournament are among the most popular annual festivals. In March, it will host the 2008 Arctic Winter Games, which is an international competition of a wide variety of Northern sports and games. The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, can be seen outside of Yellowknife in the early autumn and spring months, and is quite a popular attraction, as well. The town’s enticing landscape alone is enough to lure any traveler to the Northwest Territory.
Giant Gold Mine in Yellowknife
I got this photo from the Mediamentor on flickr.com
Aurora Borealis
I got this photo from nick_russill on flickr.com
Sources:
Katz, Helena. "Yellowknife has a sparkle in its future; Discovery of diamonds creates a boom town on edge of frontier." The Gazette (Montreal) 15 June 2007: K6.
Paskal, Cleo. "Yellowknife a diamond in the rough." The Toronto Star 15 July 2006: K02.
Zimmerman, Kate. "Dogsleds and bling: North America's diamond capital." National Post (Canada) 17 Dec. 2005: 13