Pangnirtung Panniqtuuq ᐸᖕᓂᖅᑑᖅ | |
|---|---|
 "Uptown" neighbourhood of Pangnirtung. April 2006 | |
 Seal | |
| Nickname(s): "Pang", "Switzerland of the Arctic"[1] | |
  Pangnirtung  Pangnirtung | |
| Coordinates:66°08′40″N065°42′55″W / 66.14444°N 65.71528°W /66.14444; -65.71528[2] | |
| Country | Canada |
| Territory | Nunavut |
| Region | Qikiqtaaluk |
| Electoral district | Pangnirtung |
| Government | |
| • Type | Hamlet Council |
| • Mayor | Stevie Komoartok |
| • MLA | Margaret Nakashuk |
| Area (2021)[5] | |
| • Land | 7.98 km2 (3.08 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 23 m (75 ft) |
| Population (2021)[5] | |
• Total | 1,504 |
| • Density | 190.6/km2 (494/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
| Canadian Postal code | |
| Area code | 867 |
| Website | www |
Pangnirtung (orPang, also Pangniqtuuq, insyllabics: ᐸᖕᓂᖅᑑᖅ[paŋniqtuːq]) is anInuithamlet, in theQikiqtaaluk Region of theCanadian territory ofNunavut, located onBaffin Island. The community is located about 45 km (28 mi) south of theArctic Circle, and about 2,700 km (1,700 mi) from theNorth Pole. Pangnirtung is situated on a coastal plain at the coast of Pangnirtung Fjord, afjord which eventually merges withCumberland Sound. As of October 2024, the mayor is Stevie Komoartok.[3]
There is some confusion about the village name. Residents say the real name isPangniqtuuq, which means "the place of many bull caribou".[7] Early in 2005 residents voted against officially changing the name of the village to the native one, as Pangnirtung has achieved an international reputation. Its residents have created high-quality traditional arts in sculpture, as well as adaptation of themes and design inprintmaking andweaving.
Pangnirtung is nicknamed theSwitzerland of theArctic, or simply Pang.[8]
The Inuit and their ancestors,Paleo-Eskimo, have inhabited the area for thousands of years, perhaps up to 4000 years.[9] Their cultures became well-adapted to the climate and environment.
Contact with European Canadians has been limited to less than the last century. In 1921, theHudson's Bay Company established a trading post in Pangnirtung. Two years later, theRoyal Canadian Mounted Police erected a permanent office. The first government-appointed teacher arrived in 1956. The first administrative office was established in 1962.
Since then, numerous Inuit have achieved success with marketing their traditional arts. They transformed traditional drawing skills to produce lithographs and other forms of prints, allowing reproduction and wider distribution of their work. Other artists have made sculptures and carvings in local stone. Since the government established a weaving studio in 1970, many Inuit have learned to weave and are producing tapestries and other works that find an international market.[10]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 685 | — |
| 1976 | 807 | +17.8% |
| 1981 | 839 | +4.0% |
| 1986 | 1,004 | +19.7% |
| 1991 | 1,135 | +13.0% |
| 1996 | 1,243 | +9.5% |
| 2001 | 1,276 | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 1,325 | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 1,425 | +7.5% |
| 2016 | 1,481 | +3.9% |
| 2021 | 1,504 | +1.6% |
| Source:Statistics Canada [5][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] | ||
In the2021 Canadian census conducted byStatistics Canada, Pangnirtung had a population of 1,504 living in 396 of its 456 total private dwellings, a change of1.6% from its 2016 population of 1,481. With a land area of 7.98 km2 (3.08 sq mi), it had a population density of188.5/km2 (488.1/sq mi) in 2021.[5]
| Panethnic group | 2021[20] | 2016[21] | 2006[22] | 2001[23] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |||
| Indigenous | 1,415 | 94.33% | 1,395 | 94.26% | 1,240 | 93.58% | 1,210 | 94.53% | ||
| European[a] | 85 | 5.67% | 70 | 4.73% | 65 | 4.91% | 65 | 5.08% | ||
| African | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.68% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | ||
| Middle Eastern[b] | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.68% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | ||
| East Asian[c] | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 20 | 1.51% | 0 | 0% | ||
| South Asian | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.75% | 0 | 0% | ||
| Southeast Asian[d] | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | ||
| Latin American | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | ||
| Other/multiracial[e] | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | ||
| Total responses | 1,500 | 99.73% | 1,480 | 99.93% | 1,325 | 100% | 1,280 | 100.31% | ||
| Total population | 1,504 | 100% | 1,481 | 100% | 1,325 | 100% | 1,276 | 100% | ||
| Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses | ||||||||||
Pangnirtung has atundra climate (Köppen:ET;Trewartha:Ftkd) with very short, cool summers and long, cold winters lasting almost the entire year.
| Climate data for Pangnirtung WMO ID: 71826; Climate ID: 2403049; coordinates66°08′36.3″N65°42′40.5″W / 66.143417°N 65.711250°W /66.143417; -65.711250 (Pangnirtung); elevation: 22.6 m (74 ft); 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1995–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record highhumidex | 5.9 | 8.6 | 6.0 | 9.9 | — | 20.2 | 23.3 | 25.3 | 14.8 | 11.1 | 8.8 | 6.6 | 25.3 |
| Record high °C (°F) | 6.8 (44.2) | 5.0 (41.0) | 7.1 (44.8) | 10.2 (50.4) | 11.5 (52.7) | 20.4 (68.7) | 24.2 (75.6) | 23.8 (74.8) | 15.5 (59.9) | 11.5 (52.7) | 7.0 (44.6) | 7.0 (44.6) | 24.2 (75.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −21.1 (−6.0) | −21.8 (−7.2) | −17.2 (1.0) | −8.6 (16.5) | 0.3 (32.5) | 7.1 (44.8) | 11.9 (53.4) | 11.1 (52.0) | 5.6 (42.1) | −0.9 (30.4) | −6.9 (19.6) | −13.6 (7.5) | −4.5 (23.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −24.5 (−12.1) | −25.1 (−13.2) | −21.0 (−5.8) | −12.6 (9.3) | −2.5 (27.5) | 4.1 (39.4) | 8.6 (47.5) | 8.2 (46.8) | 3.3 (37.9) | −3.2 (26.2) | −9.6 (14.7) | −16.6 (2.1) | −7.6 (18.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −27.7 (−17.9) | −28.3 (−18.9) | −24.3 (−11.7) | −16.6 (2.1) | −5.5 (22.1) | 1.1 (34.0) | 5.2 (41.4) | 5.1 (41.2) | 0.9 (33.6) | −5.4 (22.3) | −12.1 (10.2) | −19.5 (−3.1) | −10.6 (12.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −38.5 (−37.3) | −41.6 (−42.9) | −40.0 (−40.0) | −34.5 (−30.1) | −24.0 (−11.2) | −5.2 (22.6) | −2.0 (28.4) | −2.4 (27.7) | −8.0 (17.6) | −16.5 (2.3) | −27.7 (−17.9) | −39.5 (−39.1) | −41.6 (−42.9) |
| Record lowwind chill | −55.1 | −53.6 | −53.6 | −41.4 | −33.1 | −11.3 | −6.5 | −6.4 | −14.9 | −26.8 | −37.6 | −49.5 | −55.1 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%)(at 1500 LST) | 74.1 | — | 77.9 | 81.1 | 77.8 | 59.4 | 53.9 | 63.6 | 74.6 | 86.0 | 82.4 | 76.9 | — |
| Source:Environment and Climate Change Canada Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020[24] | |||||||||||||
The community operates aturbot fishery. In 2008, the federal government budgeted for the construction of a harbour.[25] Pangnirtung Fisheries Limited operates a packing plant to process local turbot catches.[26] Founded in 1992 during peak summer operations the company has over 40 employees during peak season.[27]
Auyuittuq Lodge is the hamlet's only hotel, which comprises 25 rooms, shared facilities, a dining room, and a lounge.
Power is supplied to Pangnirtung via standalone diesel generators operated byQulliq Energy.
Fuel is imported via tanker and stored in a tank farm near thePangnirtung Airport. The purchase of diesel fuel is the responsibility of the government of Nunavut.[28]
Water, sewage, and garbage services are provided by the municipality of Pangnirtung. Water trucks fill up at a reservoir adjacent to the hamlet and deliver seven days a week. Sewage is pumped out and treated at the municipal treatment plant. Garbage is picked up five days a week and transported to a landfill that slowly deteriorates due to Arctic temperatures.[29]
For emergency services it is protected by the 14-member Pangnirtung Fire Department.[30] The fire service uses one pumper with one older reserve from one station. Policing is provided by theRoyal Canadian Mounted Police Pangnirtung Detachment[31] attached to V Division.[32]
Mini C,The North West Company (Northern Store),Pangnirtung Inuit Co-op and Co-op Express are the only local retailers and grocery options.[33][34]KFC Express,Pizza Hut and Co-op Express are the only fast food restaurants in the hamlet. Perishable goods are shipped by air and all other items bysealift when waters are ice-free.
Banking is done through the Co-op or money orders[35]
Gasoline for cars or snowmobiles is done at the Quickstop or the Co-op.
There are two schools in Pangnirtung:[36]
Post secondary-studies opportunities can be made throughNunavut Arctic College's Community Learning Centre.
Aksayuk Arena is a sports and recreational centre.
Like all Nunavut communities Pangnirtung is a fly-in community with no road access to the rest of Nunavut.Pangnirtung Airport provides the only viable means of access. There are gravel roads in the community and residents use SUV's, pickup trucks, 4-wheel ATV's and snowmobiles.
Two churches can be found in Pangnirtung:[37]
Basic medical services are available at the Health Centre. Four beds are available for assessment only, with advance care viamedevac toIqaluit.[39]
Pangnirtung is the nearest town (1 hour by boat) toAuyuittuq National Park and the location of one of two park offices, the other is inQikiqtarjuaq. Located near to theParks Canada office is the Angmarlik Visitor Centre.[40][41]Iglunga, now uninhabited, is an Inuit hamlet, just south ofIglunga Island, is about 65 km (40 mi) to the west.
In 2009, the thenCanadian Prime Minister,Stephen Harper, proposed building a new modern harbour in Pangnirtung to support the region'sturbot-fishing industry.[42][43][44] Harper received a warm welcome with many residents gathered at the airport to greet him. The town's 1,500 residents listened as Harper announced that $17 million worth of harbour construction promised in the last two budgets would get under way in the fall of that year.[45] Harper said the greatest potential for the hamlet's future lies in the inshoreturbot fishery. The shortfalls of the previous harbour were a big problem for fishermen: When the tide ebbed, the harbour turned to mud.
The work on the harbour was completed in September 2013. The entire project ended up costing about $40.5 million. The improvements to the harbour include afixed wharf,breakwater, marshalling area, sea lift ramp and a dredged channel and basin. The improvements will allow residents to unload their catches faster by allowing smaller crafts to dock easily and safely.[46]
The community has been served by theQiniq network since 2005. Qiniq is a fixed wireless service to homes and businesses, connecting to the outside world via a satellite backbone. The Qiniq network is designed and operated bySSI Micro. In 2017, the network was upgraded to 4G LTE technology, and 2G-GSM for mobile voice.
The 2022 Canadian Inuit science fiction filmSlash/Back was filmed in Pangnirtung. It was directed byNyla Innuksuk in her feature debut, and starred largely local actors recruited for the film.
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