Natural Resources Canada

Protected areas are composed of land, freshwater and marine areas set aside through legislation to protect representative examples of Canada’s ecosystems. They are created and managed by the federal, provincial and territorial governments. A small but increasing number is also administered by...

A protected area is a geographically defined area that is designated, regulated and managed to achieve specific conservation objectives. Canada has a long history of establishing protected areas. The first such area, Banff National Park, was created in 1885. Although there was a conscious effort...

The typical retreat of the sea ice cover from the late winter to late summer is shown on this map. Sea ice is any form of ice that is found at sea and has originated from the freezing of seawater. Melting of sea ice begins in spring in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and East Newfoundland, retreating...

Typical advance of sea ice over from late summer to late winter is shown on this map. Sea ice is any form of ice that is found at sea and has originated from the freezing of seawater. Formation of sea ice begins in mid-September in the Canadian Arctic and advances southward through the onset of...

Typical sea ice types are shown here at the end of the summer melt season, as well as how often sea ice has been present at any location on September 10 over the last 30 years . Based on the observations of sea ice extent and types over the last 30 years, this map shows how frequently sea ice has...

Typical sea ice types are shown here near the end of the winter season. Also shown is how often sea ice has been present at any location on the 26th February over the last 30 years. Based on the observations of sea ice extents and ice types over the last 30 years, this map shows how frequently...

Wetlands mainly occur low in the landscape and form areas of groundwater discharge. This aids in the accumulation and composition of peat, as water moves slowly in wetlands. Local topography and sediment characteristics, such as an underlying low-permeability clay layer, can lead to wetlands...

This is a general reference map of Canada and surrounding countries. The representation of political features on this map does not necessarily reflect the position of the Government of Canada on international issues of recognition, sovereignty or jurisdiction. Political status is as of 2009.

Canada is a vast country comprised of a multitude of very different landscapes: Atlantic provinces, the Appalachians, St. Lawrence and Great Lakes lowlands, Canadian Shield, The Prairies, mountain ranges and high plateaus of the Canadian Cordillera, and northern Canada.

A drainage basin is the area that drains all precipitation into a river or stream system into a common outlet such as a lake or sea. There are two main river basins in Nunavut: the Thelon River flows into Hudson Bay and the Back River empties into the Arctic Ocean. Most of Nunavut’s area is not...

A geological province is an extensive region characterized by rocks and structures of varying types and ages. Canada has seventeen geological provinces consisting of a shield, platforms, orogens and continental shelves. Nunavut includes four of the geological provinces: Innuitian Orogen, Arctic...

Nunavut’s cold climate makes it a territory consisting of mostly barren land and permafrost. Permafrost is soil or rocks whose temperature remains at or below the freezing point for a long period of time. Glaciers, a mass of snow and ice that does not melt from year to year prevail in the...

Nunavut lies in the Arctic, where cold temperatures mean that snow can fall at anytime in the year. Typically the ground is snow covered from September until June. Most of Nunavut has a dry Arctic climate receiving less than 200 centimetres of snow annually.

Surficial Materials are unconsolidated earth deposits of various origins. This map shows the distribution of surficial materials in Nunavut, on land and in extensive offshore areas.

Ecozones are one of several levels of ecological regions that cover all of Canada. An ecozone is a discrete system, which has resulted from the mesh and interplay of geology, landform, soil, vegetation, climate, wildlife, water and human factors. Four of the fifteen terrestrial ecozones of Canada...

Bird sanctuaries areas of importance for the protection of migratory birds, their nests, and eggs. Nunavut has an abundance of sites favourable to the migratory habits of several bird species.

National Wildlife Areas conserve essential wildlife habitats. There are two National Wildlife Areas in Nunavut: Nirjutiqavvik and Polar Bear Pass. While most human activities are prohibited, permits can be issued for activities that are compatible with conservation.

This map (MCR 102) is the latest publication in the Atlas of Canada Reference Map Series. It is an update to the 1:6 000 000 paper map of Canada published in 2006. International, provincial and territorial boundaries and the 200-mile offshore Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) are featured on the map....

The Geological Survey of Canada owns and operates slim hole geophysical sondes and recording equipment for use in PVC cased boreholes in unconsolidated overburden. Such holes are commonly drilled and cased for overburden stratigraphic or geotechnical studies related to on-going GSC projects....

High resolution forest change for Canada (Change Type) 1985-2011 The forest change data included in this product is national in scope (entire forested ecosystem) and represents the first wall-to-wall characterization of wildfire and harvest in Canada at a spatial resolution commensurate with...