Ungava Peninsula

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Ungava Peninsula
ᐅᖓᕙ
Area252,000 km2 (97,000 mi²)
CountriesCanada

The Ungava Peninsula is the far northwestern part of the Labrador Peninsula of the province of Quebec, Canada. Bounded by Hudson Bay to the west, Hudson Strait to the north, and Ungava Bay to the east, it covers about 252,000 square kilometres (97,000 sq mi). Its northernmost point is Cape Wolstenholme, which is also the northernmost point of Quebec. The peninsula is also part of the Canadian Shield, and consists entirely of treeless tundra dissected by large numbers of rivers and glacial lakes, flowing generally east–west in a parallel fashion. The peninsula was not deglaciated until 6,500 years ago (11,500 years after the Last Glacial Maximum) and is believed to have been the prehistoric centre from which the vast Laurentide Ice Sheet spread over most of North America during the last glacial epoch.

The Unavuk Peninsula is part of the Nunavik proposed autonomous area of Quebec.

Climate

The climate is extremely cold (Dfc in the Köppen climate classification) because the Labrador Current keeps the region (and all of northern Québec) colder in the summer than other regions at comparable latitudes:[1]

Climate data for Kuujjuaq
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 5.6
(42.1)
7.8
(46.0)
12.1
(53.8)
14.7
(58.5)
31.1
(88.0)
33.1
(91.6)
32.2
(90.0)
30.3
(86.5)
28.3
(82.9)
18.3
(64.9)
10.3
(50.5)
8.3
(46.9)
33.1
(91.6)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −19.7
(−3.5)
−18.7
(−1.7)
−12.9
(8.8)
−4.1
(24.6)
4.3
(39.7)
12.4
(54.3)
17.1
(62.8)
15.6
(60.1)
9.4
(48.9)
2.2
(36.0)
−4.9
(23.2)
−15
(5)
−1.2
(29.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) −24.3
(−11.7)
−23.6
(−10.5)
−18.3
(−0.9)
−9.1
(15.6)
0.3
(32.5)
7.2
(45.0)
11.5
(52.7)
10.6
(51.1)
5.6
(42.1)
−0.7
(30.7)
−8.4
(16.9)
−19.3
(−2.7)
−5.7
(21.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −28.8
(−19.8)
−28.4
(−19.1)
−23.6
(−10.5)
−14.1
(6.6)
−3.8
(25.2)
2
(36)
5.8
(42.4)
5.6
(42.1)
1.9
(35.4)
−3.6
(25.5)
−11.9
(10.6)
−23.5
(−10.3)
−10.2
(13.6)
Record low °C (°F) −49.8
(−57.6)
−43.9
(−47.0)
−43.9
(−47.0)
−34.1
(−29.4)
−24.7
(−12.5)
−8.3
(17.1)
−1.6
(29.1)
−1.7
(28.9)
−7.8
(18.0)
−20
(−4)
−31.1
(−24.0)
−43.9
(−47.0)
−49.8
(−57.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 33.2
(1.31)
28.4
(1.12)
30.7
(1.21)
27.3
(1.07)
29.6
(1.17)
51.5
(2.03)
59.2
(2.33)
70.4
(2.77)
62.1
(2.44)
51.9
(2.04)
46.6
(1.83)
36
(1.4)
526.8
(20.74)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 0.1
(0.00)
0.6
(0.02)
0.6
(0.02)
2.5
(0.10)
14.8
(0.58)
44.8
(1.76)
59.1
(2.33)
70.0
(2.76)
54.1
(2.13)
25.7
(1.01)
4.7
(0.19)
0.4
(0.02)
277.4
(10.92)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 33.7
(13.3)
29
(11)
31.4
(12.4)
25.3
(10.0)
14.7
(5.8)
6.3
(2.5)
0.1
(0.0)
0.5
(0.2)
7.6
(3.0)
27.5
(10.8)
43.4
(17.1)
37.5
(14.8)
257
(100.9)
Source: Meteorological Service of Canada[1]

Demographics

The Ungava Peninsula has an estimated population of 10,000 inhabitants. These are 90%

Nunavut Territory. The region is accessible by air services, with links to southern Québec, and seasonal shipping when sea-ice breaks up. Thick permafrost prevents the use of conventional building techniques in some areas.[citation needed
]

Geology

The Ungava Peninsula is situated on the northeast portion of the

tectono-metamorphic event, resulting from probable continental collision. (Madore, 2001).[citation needed] Pingualuit impact crater is located on the peninsula.[2][3]

Fauna

The Ungava brown bear, an extinct population of the grizzly bear, is named after this peninsula.[4][5]

See also

References

  1. ^
    Environment Canada
    . Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  2. ^ "Pingualuit (National Park)". Nunavik Parks. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  3. ^ "Pingualuit crater (Chubb crater)". Wondermondo.
  4. . Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  5. . Retrieved 21 October 2014.

External links