Ungava Bay
| Ungava Bay | |
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Aerial view of north-eastern Ungava Bay close to Cape Chidley, seen from north-west towards south-east. In the foreground is drift-ice, in mid-July.
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| Location | Hudson Strait |
| Coordinates | 59°30′N 67°15′W / 59.500°N 67.250°WCoordinates: 59°30′N 67°15′W / 59.500°N 67.250°W |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 320 km (200 mi) |
| Max. width | 260 km (160 mi) |
| Surface area | ca. 50,000 km2 (19,000 sq mi) |
| References | "Ungava Bay", Encyclopædia Britannica, 15th edition (1992), Vol. 12, p. 129 |
Ungava Bay (French: baie d'Ungava, Inuktitut (syllabics/Roman) ᐅᖓᕙ ᑲᖏᖅᓗᒃ/ungava kangiqluk) is a large bay in northeastern Canada separating Nunavik (far northern Quebec) from Baffin Island. The bay is roughly oval-shaped, about 260 km (160 mi) at its widest point and about 320 km (200 mi) in length; it has an area of approximately 50,000 km2 (19,000 sq mi). It is generally fairly shallow, under 150 m (490 ft), though at its border with the Atlantic Ocean depths of almost 300 m (980 ft) are reached.
There are a number of islands within Ungava Bay. The largest, Akpatok Island, and others north of 60°N are part of the territory of Nunavut, while smaller islands south of 60°N belong to Quebec.
Although it is quite close to the open Atlantic (separated only by Hudson Strait), Ungava Bay is generally considered part of the Arctic Ocean because the land surrounding it has an exceedingly cold climate. Ungava Bay is separated from Hudson Bay by the Ungava Peninsula. Bathymetric studies suggest Ungava Bay may be the remnant of an impact crater (age unknown) approximately 225 km in diameter.
The southwestern corner of Ungava Bay, along with Bay of Fundy, has either the highest or second-highest tidal ranges in the world. Some sources estimate the spring tide range at the mouth of the Leaf River as being as high as 17 m (56 ft). Attempts have been made to develop tidal power in the bay, but this is made difficult by the harsh climate and the fact that the bay is ice-free for only a small part of the year.
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