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“Our land” in Inuktitut. Nunavut is nearly all arctic tundra, and contains Canada's only four corners, where the boundaries of Nunavut, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Northwest Territories intersect.
The Nunavut Territory began to take shape in 1973, when the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada completed a study showing the geography of Inuit land title. Nunavut finally became a constitutional territory on April 1, 1999. Nunavut is Inuit property, other than lands designated as Crown lands that the Inuit assist in managing.
Although Nunavut's population is only around 30,000, it is the fastest growing population in Canada. Traditionally the Inuit are self-sustaining, but a cash economy has proved successful in the territory. Inuit art and crafts are in international demand, and tourism and mining are also large economic contributors. Nunavut doesn't have political parties, instead individuals run for Nunavut's Legislative Assembly, from which a premier is elected by members. Nunavut is represented in the federal House of Commons by one member, making it the largest geographical electoral riding in the world.
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