Melville Island (Arctic)
Closeup of Melville Island
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Northern Canada |
| Coordinates | 75°30′N 111°30′W / 75.500°N 111.500°WCoordinates: 75°30′N 111°30′W / 75.500°N 111.500°W |
| Archipelago |
Queen Elizabeth Islands Canadian Arctic Archipelago |
| Area | 42,149 km2 (16,274 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 33rd |
| Length | 341 km (211.9 mi) |
| Width | 210–292 km (130–181 mi) |
| Administration | |
| Territory |
Northwest Territories Nunavut |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Melville Island is an uninhabited island of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago with an area of 42,149 km2 (16,274 sq mi). It is the 33rd largest island in the world and Canada's eighth largest island. Melville Island is shared by the Northwest Territories, which is responsible for the western half of the island, and Nunavut, which is responsible for the eastern half. The border runs along the 110th meridian west. The mountains on Melville Island, some of the largest in the western Canadian Arctic, reach heights of 1,000 m (3,300 ft). There are two subnational pene-exclaves that lie west of the 110th meridian and form part of the Northwest Territories. These can only be reached by land from Nunavut or boat from the Northwest Territories.
The island has little or no vegetation. Where continuous vegetation occurs, it usually consists of hummocks of mosses, lichens, grasses, and sedges. The only woody species, the dwarf willow, grows as a dense twisted mat crawling along the ground. However, a diverse animal population exists: polar bear, Peary caribou, muskox, northern collared lemming, Arctic wolf, Arctic fox, Arctic hare, and ermine (stoat) are common. A 2003 sighting of a grizzly bear and grizzly tracks by an expedition from the University of Alberta represent the most northerly reports of grizzly bears ever recorded.
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