Baffin Island

Baffin Island
a Canadian island in the Arctic Ocean, between Greenland and N Canada. ab. 1000 mi. (1600 km) long; 190,000 sq. mi. (492,000 sq. km). Also called Baffin Land.

* * *

Largest island in Canada and fifth largest island in the world (183,810 sq mi [476,068 sq km]), lying between Greenland and the Canadian mainland.

Located west of Baffin Bay and the Davis Strait, it is administered as part of Nunavut territory. It was probably visited by Norse explorers in the 11th century. It was sighted by Martin Frobisher during his search for a Northwest Passage (1576–78). It is uninhabited except for a few coastal settlements. The world's northernmost mines are at Nanisvik. In 1972 Auyuittuq National Park was created on the eastern coast.

* * *

 island lying between Greenland and the Canadian mainland. With an area of 195,928 square miles (507,451 square km), it is the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest in the world. Baffin Island is separated from Greenland on the north and east by Baffin Bay and Davis Strait and from the Labrador-Ungava mainland on the south by Hudson Strait. It is administered as part of Baffin region, Nunavut territory, Canada. The Arctic island is believed to have been visited by Norse explorers in the 11th century and sighted by the British explorer Martin (later Sir Martin) Frobisher (Frobisher, Sir Martin) during his search for a Northwest Passage (1576–78). It was named for William Baffin (Baffin, William), a 17th-century English navigator.

 Baffin Island is indented by numerous fjords, and a glacier-laden mountainous backbone with peaks up to 7,045 feet (2,147 metres) in height extends throughout most of its 950-mile (1,500-km) length. It is uninhabited except for a few small coastal settlements, including Iqaluit, which lies along Frobisher Bay. In 1972 Auyuittuq National Park Reserve (8,290 square miles [21,471 square km]) was created on the Cumberland Peninsula (east coast) to preserve an Arctic wilderness of jagged mountain peaks, deep valleys, spectacular fjords, and marine coastal wildlife. Iron-ore deposits have been found in the north, and Nanisivik, at its northwestern tip, is the site of one of the world's northernmost mines, producing silver, lead, and zinc.
 

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Baffin Island —   [ bæfɪn aɪlənd], Baffinland [ bæfɪn ], größte Insel des Kanadisch Arktischen Archipels und fünftgrößte Insel der Erde, verwaltungsmäßig Teil der Northwest Territories Kanadas, 507 451 km2, rd. 4 000 Einwohner; durch Davisstraße und Baffinmeer… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Baffin Island — er verdens femtestørste ø. Øen har et areal på 476.088 km2, og beliggende i Ishavet. Baffin Island er en del af Nordvestterritoriet i Canada …   Danske encyklopædi

  • Baffin Island — island off the NE coast of Canada, north of Hudson Strait: part of Baffin region of Nunavut: c. 195,928 sq mi (507,452 sq km) …   English World dictionary

  • Baffin Island — Infobox Islands name = Baffin Island Île de Baffin image caption = image size = locator map custom = no native name = ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃ ( Qikiqtaaluk ) native name link = Inuktikut nickname = location = Northern Canada coordinates =… …   Wikipedia

  • Baffin Island — Position der Baffininsel innerhalb des kanadischen Territoriums Nunavut Satellitenbild der Baffininsel Die Baffininsel (engl. Baffin …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Baffin Island — Sp Bãfino salà Ap Baffin Island angliškai Sp Bãfino Žẽmė Ap Terre de Baffin prancūziškai L Arkties vand., Kanada (Nunavutas) …   Pasaulio vietovardžiai. Internetinė duomenų bazė

  • Baffin Island Current — (or Baffin Current) is an ocean current running south down the western side of Baffin Bay in the Arctic Ocean, along Baffin Island. Its sources are the West Greenland Current and outflow from the Arctic Ocean. Its speed is approximately km to… …   Wikipedia

  • Baffin Island Current — also called  Baffin Current,         surface oceanic current, a southward moving water outflow along the west side of Baffin Bay, Canada. The Baffin Island Current, flowing at a rate of about 11 miles (17 km) per day, is a combination of West… …   Universalium

  • Baffin Island — /bæfən ˈaɪlənd/ (say bafuhn uyluhnd) noun a large Canadian island between Greenland and Hudson Bay. 476 100 km2; about 1530 km long. {named after William Baffin} …  

  • Baffin Island — noun the 5th largest island and the largest island of Arctic Canada; lies between Greenland and Hudson Bay (Freq. 1) • Instance Hypernyms: ↑island • Part Holonyms: ↑Arctic Ocean, ↑Canada …   Useful english dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”