Citizendia

A map of Yukon
A map of Yukon

The Yukon Territory is in the northwestern corner of Canada. A map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, Regions, and Themes Yukon (ˈjuːkɒn is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three territories. Yukon (ˈjuːkɒn is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three territories. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The sparsely populated territory abounds with natural scenic beauty, with snowmelt lakes and perennial whitecapped mountains, including many of Canada's highest mountains. Although the climate is arctic and subarctic and very dry, with long cold winters, the long sunshine hours in the short summer allow a profusion of flowers and fruit to blossom. Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of The Climate of the Arctic is characterized broadly by long cold winters and short cool summers Regions having a subarctic climate (also called boreal climate) are characterized by long usually very cold winters and brief warm summers Most of the territory is boreal forest, tundra being the main vegetation zone only in the extreme north and at high elevations. Taiga (ˈtaɪgə from Turkic or Mongolian) is a Biome characterized by Coniferous forests In physical Geography, tundra is an area where the Tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons The world's largest non-polar icefield, the Kluane icefields is mostly in the Yukon. An ice field (also spelled icefield) is an area less than 50000 km² (19305 mile²) of Ice often found in the colder climates and higher altitudes

The territory is about the shape of a right triangle, bordering the American state of Alaska to the west, the Northwest Territories to the east and British Columbia to the south. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent The Northwest Territories (ˌnɔrθˌwɛstˈtɛrɨtɔriz ( NWT or NT; French, les Territoires du Nord-Ouest) is a territory British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C The Yukon covers 482,443 square kilometres, of which 474,391 km² is land and 8,052 km² is water. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here Surface areas between 100000 km² and 1000000 km² M^2 redirects here For other uses see M². CM2 redirects here




It is bounded on the south by the 60th parallel of latitude. Latitude, usually denoted symbolically by the Greek letter phi ( Φ) gives the location of a place on Earth (or other planetary body north or south of the Its northern coast is on the Beaufort Sea. Its western boundary is 141 degrees west longitude. Longitude (ˈlɒndʒɪˌtjuːd or ˈlɒŋgɪˌtjuːd symbolized by the Greek character Lambda (λ is the east-west Geographic coordinate measurement Its ragged eastern boundary mostly follows the divide between the Yukon River Basin and the Mackenzie River watershed to the east in the Mackenzie mountains. A drainage divide, water divide, divide or (outside North America) watershed is the line separating neighbouring Drainage basins The Yukon River is a major watercourse of northwestern North America. The Mackenzie River (Fleuve Mackenzie originates in Great Slave Lake, in the Northwest Territories, and flows north into the Arctic Ocean. A drainage basin is an extent of Land where Water from Rain or Snow melt drains downhill into a body of water such as a River, The Mackenzie Mountains are a Mountain range forming part of the Yukon - Northwest Territories boundary between the Liard and Peel rivers All of the Yukon is west of Vancouver, British Columbia and contains Canada's westernmost communities. Vancouver (vænˈkuːvɚ is a coastal

Contents

Physical Geography

Except for the coastal plain on the Beaufort Sea (Arctic Ocean) coast, most of the Yukon is part of the American cordillera. The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major The American cordillera consists of an essentially continuous sequence of Mountain ranges that form the western "backbone" of North America, Central The terrain includes mountain ranges, plateaus and river valleys. A mountain range is a chain of Mountains bordered by highlands or separated from other mountains by passes or valleys In Geology and Earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there In Geology, a valley (also called a vale, dale, glen or strath and near or in Appalachia, a draw) is

The southwest is dominated by the Kluane icefields in Kluane National Park and Reserve, the largest non-polar icefields in the world. Kluane National Park and Reserve are two units of Canada's national park system located in the extreme southwestern corner of Yukon Territory An ice field (also spelled icefield) is an area less than 50000 km² (19305 mile²) of Ice often found in the colder climates and higher altitudes Kluane National Park also contains eight of Canada's ten highest mountains, including the five highest, all in the Saint Elias Mountains. The Saint Elias Mountains are a subgroup of the Pacific Coast Ranges located in southeastern Alaska ( United States) southwestern Yukon and the A number of glaciers flow out of the icefields, including the Logan Glacier, the Hubbard Glacier and the Kaskawulsh Glacier. Logan Glacier is a Glacier in the US state of Alaska. It heads down the northern slopes of Mount Logan, flowing northwest across the Hubbard Glacier is a tidewater Glacier in the US state of Alaska and the Yukon Territory of Canada.

Permafrost is common. This article is about frozen ground For other meanings see Permafrost (disambiguation. The northern part of the territory has continuous permafrost, while it is widespread in the central part. Even the southern Yukon has scattered patches of permafrost.

Two major faults, the Denali fault and the Tintina fault have created major valleys called trenches: the Shakwak trench and the Tintina trench. In Geology a fault, or fault line, is a planar rock fracture which shows evidence of relative movement The oceanic trenches are hemispheric-scale long but narrow topographic depressions of the sea floor The Shakwak trench separates the Kluane ranges from other mountain ranges north of it. The Haines Highway and the Alaska Highway north of Haines Junction are built in the Shakwak trench. See also Alaska Route 7 The Haines Highway or Haines Cut-Off (and still often called the Haines "Road" is a Highway that connects The Alaska Highway (also known as the Alaskan Highway, Alaska-Canadian Highway, or ALCAN Highway) was constructed during World War II and connects Haines Junction is a village in the Yukon, Canada. It is located at Kilometre 1632 (historical mile 1016 of the Alaska Highway at its junction with the The Tintina trench bisects the Yukon from northwest to southeast and its edges have rich mineral deposits including the Klondike gold and the lead-zinc deposits near Faro. The Klondike or Clondike is a region of the Yukon Territory in northwest Canada, east of the Alaska border Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Characteristics Lead has a dull luster and is a dense, Ductile, very soft highly Zinc (ˈzɪŋk from Zink is a Metallic Chemical element with the symbol Zn and Atomic number 30 Faro is a small Town in the central Yukon, Canada, formerly the home of the largest open pit Lead - Zinc mine in the world as well as

Sources: Yukon Geological Survey, Yukon Geoprocess File User Guide (PDF file, 1. 2MB)

Volcanoes

The volcanoes in the Yukon are part of the circle of volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean known as the Pacific Ring of Fire. Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The Yukon includes more than 100 separate volcanic centers that have been active during the Quaternary. Overview The term Quaternary ("fourth" was proposed by Giovanni Arduino in 1759 for alluvial deposits in the Po river valley in northern The Fort Selkirk Volcanic Field in central Yukon is the northernmost Holocene volcanic field in Canada, including the young active cinder cone, Volcano Mountain. The Fort Selkirk Volcanic Field is a Monogenetic volcanic field in the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province, Yukon Territory, Canada. The Holocene is a Geological epoch which began approximately 10000 years ago (about 8000 BC A volcanic field is a spot of the Earth 's crust that is prone to localized Volcanic activity Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the A cinder cone or scoria cone is a steep conical Hill of volcanic fragments that accumulate around and downwind from a Volcanic vent. Volcano Mountain is an active Cinder cone in central Yukon Territory, Canada, located a short distance north of Fort Selkirk, A volcanic field in southcentral Yukon is called Alligator Lake. A volcanic field is a spot of the Earth 's crust that is prone to localized Volcanic activity Alligator Lake is a group of Basaltic cones and Lava flows in south central Yukon. It contains two well-preserved cinder cones that caps a small shield volcano. A shield volcano is a large Volcano with shallow-sloping sides Lava from the cones traveled north and were erupted at the same time. Volcanoes in southwestern Yukon are part of the Wrangell Volcanic Field, which is related to the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the North American Plate at the easternmost end of the Aleutian Trench. The Wrangell Volcanic Field is a Volcanic field stretching from eastern Alaska in the United States to the southwestern Yukon Territory in In Geology, a subduction zone is an area on Earth where two tectonic plates meet and move towards one another with one sliding underneath the other The Pacific Plate is an oceanic Tectonic plate beneath the Pacific Ocean. The North American Plate is a Tectonic plate covering most of North America, Greenland and part of Siberia. The Aleutian Trench (or Aleutian Trough) is a Subduction zone and Oceanic trench which runs along the southern coastline of Alaska and the

Yukon volcanoes include:

Mountain Ranges

The Saint Elias mountains are part of the Coast Mountains which range from southern British Columbia to Alaska and cover the southeastern Yukon. Volcano Mountain is an active Cinder cone in central Yukon Territory, Canada, located a short distance north of Fort Selkirk, Alligator Lake is a group of Basaltic cones and Lava flows in south central Yukon. The Fort Selkirk Volcanic Field is a Monogenetic volcanic field in the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province, Yukon Territory, Canada. The Pelly Formation is a lava flow in the Yukon Territory, Canada. The Bennett Lake Volcanic Complex (BLVC is a huge 50 million year old extinct Caldera complex that spans across the BC - Yukon border in The Sifton Range volcanic complex is an early Tertiary volcanic complex in southwestern Yukon, Canada. Rabbit Mountain is an eroded volcanic outcrop in the Wrangell Volcanic Field, Yukon Territory, Canada, located 30 km southwest of Koidern Felsite Peak is an eroded volcanic outcrop in the Wrangell Volcanic Field, Yukon Territory, Canada, located 54 km south of Silver City Ibex Mountain is a young Cinder cone in the Yukon Territory, Canada, located 33 km southwest of Whitehorse and 12 km southeast of Mount Mount McNeil is a Rhyolite Lava dome, located 41 km west of Carcross and 7 km south of Mount Skukum, Yukon Territory, Canada The Miles Canyon Basalts is a cluster of Basaltic lava flows and cones in south-central Yukon. Ne Ch'e Ddhawa (also known as Wootten's Cone) is a Cinder cone, located 7 km upstream from Fort Selkirk in the Fort Selkirk Volcanic Field, The Skukum Group is a 55 million year old group of discreet Calderas in British Columbia and the Yukon Territory, Canada. The Upper Becker Creek Cone is a Volcanic cone, located in the Upper Becker Creek area of Carbon Hill, Yukon Territory, Canada. The Coast Mountains are a Mountain range of the Pacific Cordillera, running along the north western shore of the North American continent extending south While the Saint Elias Mountains contain the highest mountains, there are numerous other mountain ranges, from the British Mountains in the far north, which are part of the Brooks Range, to the Mackenzie Mountains and the Richardson Mountains in the east, the Cassiar Mountains in the south-east, the Pelly Mountains in the central Yukon, and the Ogilvie Mountains north of Dawson City and along the Dempster Highway. The Brooks Range is a Mountain range that stretches from west to east across northern Alaska and into Canada 's Yukon Territory, a total distance The Mackenzie Mountains are a Mountain range forming part of the Yukon - Northwest Territories boundary between the Liard and Peel rivers The Richardson Mountains are a Mountain range located west of the mouth of the Mackenzie River in northern Yukon, Canada. The Cassiar Mountains are the most northerly group of the Northern Interior Mountains in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The Pelly Mountains are a Mountain range in the Yukon, Canada. The Ogilvie Mountains are a Mountain range in the Yukon Territory that lie north of Dawson City and are crossed by the Dempster Highway. Dempster Highway, also referred to as Yukon Highway 5 and Northwest Territories Highway 8, is a Highway that connects the Klondike Highway in

Yukon mountain ranges include:

Highest Mountains

Highest Mountains in the Yukon
Mountain Height (metres) Height (feet) Rank
Mount Logan 5,959 19,550 Highest mountain in Canada
Mount Saint Elias 5,489 18,008 #2 in both Canada and the USA
Mount Lucania 5,226 17,147 #3 in Canada
King Peak 5,173 16,971 #4 in Canada
Mount Steele 5,073 16,644 #5 in Canada
Mount Wood 4,842 15,885 #7 in Canada
Mount Vancouver 4,812 15,787 #8 in Canada
Mount Slaggard 4,742 15,557 #10 in Canada
Mount Macaulay 4,690 15,387
Mount Hubbard 4,577 15,015
Mount Walsh 4,507 14,787
Mount Alverstone 4,439 14,565
McArthur Peak 4,389 14,400
Mount Augusta 4,289 14,070

Hydrography

See also: List of Yukon lakes and List of Yukon rivers

Most of the territory is in the watershed of its namesake, the Yukon River, which flows into the Bering Sea. Yukon (ˈjuːkɒn is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three territories. Mount Logan is Canada 's highest Mountain and the second-highest peak in North America, after Mount McKinley. Mount Saint Elias is the second highest Mountain in both the United States and Canada, being situated on the Alaska and Yukon border Mount Lucania is the third highest Mountain in Canada. A long ridge connects Mt King Peak (sometimes called Mount King is the fourth highest Mountain in Canada and the ninth highest peak in North America. For the mountain in Antarctica see Mount Steele (Antarctica. Mount Steele is the fifth highest Mountain in Canada and Mount Wood (sometimes referred to as Wood Peak) is the seventh highest Mountain in Canada and is located in Kluane National Park and Reserve. Mount Vancouver is the eighth highest Mountain in Canada and is located in Kluane National Park and Reserve on the Canada-US border Mount Slaggard is the tenth highest peak in Canada and is located in Kluane National Park and Reserve. Mount Hubbard is one of the major Mountains of the Saint Elias Range. Mount Walsh is a Mountain in Kluane National Park and Reserve in Yukon, Canada. Mount Alverstone or Boundary Peak 180, is a high peak in the Saint Elias Mountains, on the border between Alaska and the Yukon Territory McArthur Peak is a peak in the Saint Elias Mountains of Yukon, Canada. Mount Augusta is a high peak of the Saint Elias Mountains on the border between the U Aishihik Lake Atlin Lake (in British Columbia and Yukon Bennett Lake (in British Columbia and Yukon Dezadeash Arctic Watershed Mackenzie River Watershed Upper Liard River Rancheria River A drainage basin is an extent of Land where Water from Rain or Snow melt drains downhill into a body of water such as a River, The Yukon River is a major watercourse of northwestern North America. The Bering (or Imarpik) Sea is a body of water in the Pacific Ocean that comprises a deep water basin (the Aleutian Basin) which rises through The southern Yukon is dotted with a large number of large, long and narrow glacier-fed alpine lakes, most of which flow into the Yukon River system. A lake (from Latin lacus) is a Terrain feature (or Physical feature) a body of Liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the The larger lakes include: Teslin Lake, Atlin Lake, Tagish Lake, Marsh Lake, Lake Laberge, Kusawa Lake, Kluane Lake. Atlin Lake is a Lake in northwestern British Columbia and is that province's largest natural lake Tagish Lake is a Lake in the Yukon Territory and northern British Columbia, Canada. Marsh Lake (Mud Lake is a widening of the Yukon River southeast of Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. Lake Laberge is a widening of the Yukon River north of Whitehorse, Yukon in Canada. Kluane Lake is located in the southwest area of the Yukon. At approximately 400 square kilometres and 70 kilometres long it is the largest Lake contained entirely Lake Bennett on the Klondike Gold Rush trail is a smaller lake flowing into Tagish Lake. The Klondike Gold Rush, infrequently referred to as the Yukon Gold Rush or Alaska Gold Rush, was a frenzy of Gold rush Immigration to and for

Other rivers flow either directly into the Pacific Ocean or directly or indirectly into the Arctic Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major The Alsek-Tatshenshini drainage flows directly into the Pacific from the southwestern Yukon. The Alsek River is a Wilderness River flowing from the Yukon into Northern British Columbia and into Alaska. A number of rivers in the northern Yukon flow directly into the Arctic Ocean. The two main Yukon rivers flowing into the Mackenzie River in the Northwest Territories are the Liard River in the southeast and the Peel River and its tributaries in the northeast. The Mackenzie River (Fleuve Mackenzie originates in Great Slave Lake, in the Northwest Territories, and flows north into the Arctic Ocean. The Liard River flows through the Yukon Territory British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, Canada. The Peel River is a tributary of the Mackenzie River in the Yukon and Northwest Territories in Canada.

Climate

Most of the Yukon has a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc), characterized by long cold winters and brief warm summers. Regions having a subarctic climate (also called boreal climate) are characterized by long usually very cold winters and brief warm summers The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems It was developed by Wladimir Köppen, a German climatologist The airstrip at Snag, 25 kilometres east of Beaver Creek near the Alaska border, experienced the lowest ever temperature measured in North America, -63. Temperature is a physical property of a system that underlies the common notions of hot and cold something that is hotter generally has the greater temperature 0 °C (-81. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. 4 °F) on February 3, 1947. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 Events 1112 - Ramon Berenguer III of Barcelona and Douce I of Provence marry uniting the fortunes of those two states Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Arctic Ocean coast has a Tundra climate (ET). The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major Regions with a polar climate are characterized by a lack of warm summers (specifically no month having an average temperature of 10 °C or higher The climate is generally very dry, with little precipitation, but is considerably wetter in the southeast. Precipitation is much greater in the mountains, and the snowpack continues to melt well into the summer, resulting in high water in July or August.

Representative Climate Normals
Zone Average annual temperature Average July daily high Average January daily low Average snowfall Average rainfall
North (Old Crow) -9. Old Crow had 267 inhabitants in 2008 most of them belonging to the Gwichʼin -speaking Aboriginal Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. 0 °C 21 °C -36 °C 129 cm 144 mm
Central (Dawson City) -4. 4 °C 23 °C -31 °C 160 cm 200 mm
South (Whitehorse) -0. Whitehorse (ˈʍaɪthɔrs ( 2006 population 20461 CA population 22898 (formerly White Horse until 1957 - 03-21) is the 7 °C 21 °C -22 °C 145 cm 163 mm
Southeast (Watson Lake) -2. Watson Lake is a Town at historical mile 635 on the Alaska Highway in the southeastern Yukon close to the British Columbia border 9 °C 21 °C -29 °C 197 cm 255 mm

Source: Environment Canada, Canadian Climate Normals or Averages 1971-2000

Ecology

Except for the Arctic Ocean coastal plain and high elevations, most of the Yukon is in the boreal forest ecoregion. The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major A coastal plain is an area of flat low-lying land adjacent to a seacoast and separated from the interior by other features Taiga (ˈtaɪgə from Turkic or Mongolian) is a Biome characterized by Coniferous forests An ecoregion ( ecological region) sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area smaller than a "realm" or " Most mountain peaks and higher elevations are characterized by Alpine tundra while the Arctic coastal plain is Arctic tundra. In physical Geography, tundra is an area where the Tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons More precisely, according to Environment Canada's ecozone definitions, the southern and central Yukon is part of the Boreal Cordillera Ecozone while the northern forest is part of the Taiga Cordillera Ecozone. Environment Canada (EC, legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act ( R The Peel River area in the northeast is in the Taiga Plains Ecozone and the Arctic coast is in the Southern Arctic Ecozone. The Peel River is a tributary of the Mackenzie River in the Yukon and Northwest Territories in Canada.

Fireweed Epilobium angustifolium, the Yukon's territorial flower and White Spruce (Picea glauca) in the southern Yukon near the South Klondike Highway.
Fireweed Epilobium angustifolium, the Yukon's territorial flower and White Spruce (Picea glauca) in the southern Yukon near the South Klondike Highway. Fireweed or (mainly in Britain) Rosebay Willowherb ( Epilobium angustifolium) is a perennial Herbaceous Plant in the willowherb Picea glauca ( White Spruce) is a species of Spruce native to the north of North America, from central Alaska east to Newfoundland The Klondike Highway links the Alaskan coastal town of Skagway to Yukon 's Dawson City and its route somewhat parallels that used by

Flora

Black Spruce (Picea mariana), White Spruce (Picea glauca), Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) and Balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) are found throughout the territory. Picea mariana ( Black Spruce) is a species of Spruce native to northern North America, from Newfoundland west to Alaska Picea glauca ( White Spruce) is a species of Spruce native to the north of North America, from central Alaska east to Newfoundland Aspens are Trees of the willow family and comprise a section of the Poplar genus Populus sect The balsam poplars Populus sect Tacamahaca are a group of about 10 species of Poplars indigenous to North America and eastern Asia Although relatively uncommon, the Alaska birch (Betula neoalaskana) is also found in most areas. The Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta) reaches its northern extreme the south-central part of the territory, while Tamarack (Larix laricina) is found in the southeast and the Sub-Alpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) is found at higher elevations in the southern part of the Territory. Lodgepole Pine ( Pinus contorta) is a common Tree in western North America. Tamarack Larch, or Tamarack or American Larch ( Larix laricina) is a species of Larch native to northern North America, mainly Firs ( Abies) are a genus of between 45-55 species of Evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae.

Fauna

The large mammals found throughout the territory include Caribou (Rangifer tarandus, both barren-ground and woodland), Moose (Alces alces), Wolves (Canis lupus), Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) and American black bears (Ursus americanus). The moose (North America or elk (Europe Alces alces, is the largest extant Species in the Deer family. The grey wolf or gray wolf ( Canis lupus) also known as the timber wolf or simply wolf, is a Mammal of the order Carnivora The Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis, also known as the Silvertip Bear, is a Subspecies of Brown bear (Ursus arctos that lives Higher elevation have Dall sheep (Ovis dalli) and, in the south, Rocky Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus). The Dall Sheep (originally Dall's Sheep, sometimes called Thinhorn Sheep) Ovis dalli, is a wild sheep of the mountainous regions of northwest North The Mountain Goat ( Oreamnos americanus) also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) are found on the Arctic coast. The polar bear ( Ursus maritimus) is a Bear native to the Arctic Ocean and its surrounding seas The Mule deer (Odocoileus hermionus) and its predator, the Cougar (Puma concolor), are becoming increasingly common in the south, and Coyotes (Canis latrans) are increasing their range to the northern Yukon. The mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus) is a Deer whose habitat is in the western half of North America. The cougar ( Puma concolor) also puma, mountain lion, or panther, depending on region is a Mammal of the Felidae family The coyote (kaɪˈoʊti ˈkaɪoʊt ( Canis latrans) also known as the prairie wolf, is a Mammal of the order Carnivora Elk and Bison have been introduced. The elk, or wapiti ( Cervus canadensis) is one of the largest Species of Deer in the world and one of the largest Mammals in This is an article about an animal For other uses see Bison (disambiguation.

There are many species of rodents, including Squirrels, Ground squirrels, Lemmings, Pikas, Beavers, various Voles, Porcupines, Muskrats, etc. Rodentia is an order of Mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously-growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must A squirrel is one of the many small or medium-sized Rodents in the family Sciuridae. The genus Spermophilus is the largest genus of ground squirrels and the one that contains the species that are most common and familiar in North America. Lemmings are small Rodents usually found in or near the Arctic, in tundra Biomes Together with the Voles and Muskrats they make Pikas are small hamster-like animals with short limbs rounded ears and short tails Beavers are two primarily nocturnal semi-aquatic species of Rodent, one native to North America and one to Europe A vole is a small Rodent resembling a Mouse but with a stouter body a shorter hairy tail a slightly rounder head and smaller ears and eyes Porcupines are Rodents with a coat of sharp spines or quills that defend them from predators The muskrat ( Ondatra zibethicus) the only Species in Genus Ondatra, is a medium-sized semi-aquatic Rodent native to North America Mustelids are also well represented and include the Wolverine (Gulo gulo), Marten (Martes Americana), Ermine (Mustela erminea), Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis), American Mink (Mustela vison), and the River Otter (Lontra Canadensis). Mustelidae or Mustelids (from Latin mustela, Weasel) commonly referred to as the weasel family, is a family of carnivorous Mammals For the Wiltshire village see Marten Wiltshire. For the town in Bulgaria see Marten Bulgaria. The Least Weasel ( Mustela nivalis) is the smallest member of the Genus Mustela, and indeed in the entire order "The American Mink" is a trademark of the American Legend Cooperative The American Mink, Neovison vison, is a North American The River Otter rises in the Blackdown Hills just inside the county of Somerset, near Otterford, then flows south for some 32 km through Other small carnivores present are the Lynx (Lynx canadensis), Red Fox ( Vulpes vulpes) and Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus) along the northern coast. The Canadian lynx ( Lynx canadensis) is a North American Mammal of the cat family Felidae. The Red Fox ( Vulpes vulpes) is a Mammal of the order Carnivora. The Arctic Fox ( Vulpes lagopus) also known as the White Fox or Snow Fox, is a small Fox native to cold Arctic regions of the

More than 250 species of birds have been sighted in the Yukon. Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. The Common Raven (Corvus corax) is the territorial bird and is common everywhere. Other common resident birds include Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) and Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), five species of grouse (Spruce Grouse, Blue Grouse, Ruffed Grouse, Ptarmigan, and White-tailed Ptarmigan). The Bald Eagle ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a Bird of prey found in North America that is most recognizable as the national bird and The Golden Eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos) is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere The Gyrfalcon ˈdʒɜrˌfɔlkən or ˈdʒɜrˌfælkən ( Falco rusticolus) also spelled Gyr Falcon, sometimes Gerfalcon, is the largest The Peregrine Falcon ( Falco peregrinus) also known simply as the Peregrine, and historically as the "Duck Hawk" in North America is a Grouse are a group of birds from the order Galliformes. Often considered a family Tetraonidae, the American Ornithologists' Union The Spruce Grouse, Dendragapus canadensis, is a medium-sized Grouse. The genus Dendragapus, contains two closely related species of grouse that have often been treated as a single variable taxon the Dusky Grouse Dendragapus obscurus The Ruffed Grouse, Bonasa umbellus, is a medium-sized Grouse occurring in forests from the Appalachian Mountains across Canada This article deals with the European species named "Ptarmigan" known in North America as the Rock Ptarmigan The White-tailed Ptarmigan, Lagopus leucura,is the smallest bird in the Grouse family Many migratory birds breed in the Yukon, as it is at the northern end of the Pacific Flyway. Bird migration refers to the regular seasonal journeys undertaken by many species of Birds Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability The Pacific Flyway is a major north-south route of travel for Migratory birds in the Americas, extending from Alaska to Patagonia.

Other than the Burbot and Northern Pike, most of the large fish found in Yukon rivers, lakes and streams are Salmonids. The burbot ( Lota lota) often referred to as a "junkfish" is a freshwater Fish related to the Cods It is also known as the lawyer The northern pike (known as the pike in Britain Esox lucius, is a Species of carnivorous Fish of the genus Esox (the pikes Salmonidae is a family of Ray-finned fish, the only living family of the order Salmoniformes. Four species of Pacific salmon (Chinook, Sockeye, Coho and Chum) breed in Yukon rivers and lakes in the Pacific and Yukon River watersheds. Oncorhynchus is a Genus of in the family Salmonidae; it contains the Pacific Salmons and Pacific Trouts Sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka) also called red salmon or blueback salmon, is an Anadromous Species of Salmon The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, (from the Russian кижуч kizhuch) is a Species of Anadromous Fish Keta redirects here Keta can also refer to a character from the Myst franchise. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The Yukon River is a major watercourse of northwestern North America. The Yukon River has the longest freshwater migration route of any salmon; Chinook salmon swim over 3,000 kilometres from its mouth in the Bering Sea to spawning grounds upstream of Whitehorse. The Yukon River is a major watercourse of northwestern North America. Whitehorse (ˈʍaɪthɔrs ( 2006 population 20461 CA population 22898 (formerly White Horse until 1957 - 03-21) is the There are also land-locked kokanee (Sockeye Salmon) and Rainbow trout. Sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka) also called red salmon or blueback salmon, is an Anadromous Species of Salmon The rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) is a species of Salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America Chars are represented by Lake trout present in most large Yukon lakes, as well as Dolly Varden, Bull trout and Arctic char. Salvelinus is a Genus of salmonid Fish, often called char or charr; many of the fish called " Trouts quot also Lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush) is a freshwater char living mainly in Lakes in northern North America. For the other subspecies see Southern Dolly Varden and Salvelinus malma miyabei. Arctic char or Arctic charr ( Salvelinus alpinus) is both a Freshwater and saltwater Fish in the Salmonidae family The Arctic Grayling is ubiquitous, while the lakes have various Whitefish and Inconnu. The Arctic grayling ( Thymallus arcticus) is a Species of Freshwater Fish in the Salmon family (family Salmonidae Coregonus Linnaeus, 1758 is a Genus of Fish in the Salmon family (family Salmonidae) The inconnu or sheefish ( Stenodus leucichthys) is a large salmonid Fish, related to the whitefishes, found in North

There are no reptiles in the Yukon, but a few frogs. Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers This article is about the block cipher algorithm For the ultrafast laser pulse measurement technique see Frequency-resolved optical gating.

Environment Canada, Pacific and Yukon Region Ecozones and Ecoregions

Human Geography

The Yukon is sparsely populated, with about 30,000 inhabitants in a territory almost as large as Spain or Sweden. Population density is 0. 06 people per km². Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of Close to three quarters of the population is in the Whitehorse area, and the rest live in a number of other communities. Whitehorse (ˈʍaɪthɔrs ( 2006 population 20461 CA population 22898 (formerly White Horse until 1957 - 03-21) is the Main list Here is a main list of communities in the territory of Yukon, Canada. All except Old Crow are accessible by road. Old Crow had 267 inhabitants in 2008 most of them belonging to the Gwichʼin -speaking Aboriginal Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation.

The capital, Whitehorse, is also the largest city with more than two thirds of the population; the second largest is Dawson City, (pop. 1800) which was the capital until 1952. Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Traditionally, the Yukon was inhabited by nomadic Athapaskan-speaking First Nations people who had established extensive trading networks with the Pacific Coast Tlingit. Athabaskan or Athabascan (also Athapascan, Athapaskan, Athabasca Indians or Athapaskes) is the name of a large group of closely First Nations is a term of Ethnicity that refers to the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis people Not to be confused with the Turkic Telengit people The Tlingit (ˈklɪŋkɪt in English also /-gɪt/ or Tlinkit /ˈtlɪŋkɪt/ which The interior people traded copper, furs and meat for coastal products such as eulachon oil. Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 The eulachon, also hooligan, ooligan, or candlefish, is a small anadromous ocean fish Thaleichthys pacificus, a Smelt About 20% of the Yukon population is of aboriginal origin. Aboriginal people in Canada, also known as Canadian aboriginal citizens, are people who belong to recognized indigenous groups in the Canadian Constitution Act

There is no Inuit population in the Yukon, although there was a population along the Arctic Ocean coast within historic times. Inuit (plural the singular Inuk, means "man" or "person" is a general term for a group of culturally similar Indigenous peoples inhabiting The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major The Inuit were decimated by disease and disappeared in the 19th century.

The following table presents the population of most Yukon communities. Main list Here is a main list of communities in the territory of Yukon, Canada. Note that the Census data represents those people who lived within the community boundaries, while the Yukon Bureau of Statistics (YBS) includes everyone with a postal address in the community. The Canada 2001 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population Typically, many people live immediately outside the community boundaries, hence the larger YBS numbers.

Population of Yukon Communities
Community 2001
Census		 1996
Census		 June 2005
YBS
Whitehorse (Agglomeration) 23,272 23,272 23,608
Whitehorse (City) 19,157 19,058 23,272
Dawson City 1,251 1,287 1,826
Watson Lake2 1,138 1,148 1,522
    Town of Watson Lake only 912 993 n/a
Haines Junction 531 574 817
Carmacks 431 466 378
Marsh Lake¹ 400 n/a 336
Mt. Lorne¹ 379 399 n/a
Mayo 366 324 378
Ross River 337 352 345
Pelly Crossing 328 238 281
Ibex Valley¹ 315 322 n/a
Faro 313 1,261 381
Old Crow 299 278 259
Teslin3 267 309 417
Tagish 206 164 187
Carcross4 201 292 444
Beaver Creek 88 131 120
Burwash Landing 68 58 89
Destruction Bay 43 34 59
Yukon Total 28,674 30,766 31,222

Notes:
 1 Part of Whitehorse Census Agglomeration
 2 Includes the town and adjoining First Nations settlements of Upper Liard and Two and One-Half Mile Village. Whitehorse (ˈʍaɪthɔrs ( 2006 population 20461 CA population 22898 (formerly White Horse until 1957 - 03-21) is the The census geographic units of Canada are the Country subdivisions defined and used by Canada's federal government statistics bureau Statistics Canada to Whitehorse (ˈʍaɪthɔrs ( 2006 population 20461 CA population 22898 (formerly White Horse until 1957 - 03-21) is the Watson Lake is a Town at historical mile 635 on the Alaska Highway in the southeastern Yukon close to the British Columbia border Haines Junction is a village in the Yukon, Canada. It is located at Kilometre 1632 (historical mile 1016 of the Alaska Highway at its junction with the Carmacks is a Village in the Yukon on the Yukon River along the Klondike Highway, and at the west end of the Robert Campbell Highway Marsh Lake is an unincorporated bedroom community on the Alaska Highway on the shores of Marsh Lake southeast of Whitehorse in Canada 's Mount Lorne is an unincorporated hamlet in Canada 's Yukon. Population in 2001 according to the Census was 379 Mayo is a Village in the Yukon, Canada along the Silver Trail and the Stewart River. Ross River is an unincorporated community in the Yukon, Canada. Pelly Crossing is a mainly First Nation unincorporated community in the Yukon, Canada. Ibex Valley is an incorporated hamlet in Canada 's Yukon. Population in 2001 according to the Canada 2001 Census was 315 Faro is a small Town in the central Yukon, Canada, formerly the home of the largest open pit Lead - Zinc mine in the world as well as Old Crow had 267 inhabitants in 2008 most of them belonging to the Gwichʼin -speaking Aboriginal Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. The community of Teslin includes the Village of Teslin and an adjacent reserve (Teslin Post 13 in the Yukon, Canada. Tagish is an unincorporated community in the Yukon, Canada. It is 30 km east of Carcross Yukon on the Tagish Road at the northern end of Carcross, originally known as Caribou Crossing, is an unincorporated community in the Territory of Yukon, Canada on Bennett Lake and Nares Burwash Landing is a small community at historical mile 1093 on the Alaska Highway, in the Yukon, Canada along the southern shore of Kluane Lake Destruction Bay is a small community on the Alaska Highway (historical mile 1083 in Canada 's Yukon on Kluane Lake. The census geographic units of Canada are the Country subdivisions defined and used by Canada's federal government statistics bureau Statistics Canada to First Nations is a term of Ethnicity that refers to the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis people Upper Liard is a chiefly First Nation settlement immediately west of Watson Lake in Canada 's Yukon.
 3 Includes both the Village of Teslin and the adjoining Reserve
 4 Includes both the settlement and the adjoining Reserve

Natural Resources

The Yukon has abundant mineral resources and mining was the mainstay of the economy until recently. For the vast tract created by the Royal Proclamation of 1763 in Canada and the United States see Indian Reserve (1763 In Canada Mining is the extraction of valuable Minerals or other geological materials from the earth usually (but not always from an Ore body Abundant gold was found in the Klondike region leading to the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 The Klondike or Clondike is a region of the Yukon Territory in northwest Canada, east of the Alaska border The Klondike Gold Rush, infrequently referred to as the Yukon Gold Rush or Alaska Gold Rush, was a frenzy of Gold rush Immigration to and for Year 1898 ( MDCCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Placer gold is found in many streams and rivers, and there is an active placer mining industry in the Klondike and many other parts of the Yukon to this day. Placer mining (pronounced "plass-er" refers to the mining of alluvial deposits for Minerals This may be done by open-pit (also called open-cast

Other minerals that have been actively mined include copper in the Whitehorse area, lead and zinc in Faro, silver, zinc and lead in the Mayo/Keno City area, asbestos in Clinton Creek, and copper, gold, and coal in the Carmacks area. Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Whitehorse (ˈʍaɪthɔrs ( 2006 population 20461 CA population 22898 (formerly White Horse until 1957 - 03-21) is the Characteristics Lead has a dull luster and is a dense, Ductile, very soft highly Zinc (ˈzɪŋk from Zink is a Metallic Chemical element with the symbol Zn and Atomic number 30 Faro is a small Town in the central Yukon, Canada, formerly the home of the largest open pit Lead - Zinc mine in the world as well as Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen Zinc (ˈzɪŋk from Zink is a Metallic Chemical element with the symbol Zn and Atomic number 30 Characteristics Lead has a dull luster and is a dense, Ductile, very soft highly Mayo is a Village in the Yukon, Canada along the Silver Trail and the Stewart River. Keno City is a small community in the Yukon at the end of the Silver Trail highway Asbestos is a group of Minerals with long thin fibrous Crystals The word "asbestos" (῾ἀσβεστος is derived from a Greek adjective Clinton Creek was a company-owned and -operated Asbestos mining town in the western Yukon near the confluence of the Yukon and Fortymile Rivers Carmacks is a Village in the Yukon on the Yukon River along the Klondike Highway, and at the west end of the Robert Campbell Highway The world's largest known deposit of tungsten is in the Macmillan Pass area in the Mackenzie Mountains near the Northwest Territories border. Tungsten (ˈtʌŋstən also known as wolfram (/ˈwʊlfrəm/ is a Chemical element that has the symbol W and Atomic number 74 The Mackenzie Mountains are a Mountain range forming part of the Yukon - Northwest Territories boundary between the Liard and Peel rivers The Northwest Territories (ˌnɔrθˌwɛstˈtɛrɨtɔriz ( NWT or NT; French, les Territoires du Nord-Ouest) is a territory Non-metallic minerals mined have included jade and barite. Jade is an Ornamental stone. The term jade is applied to two different rocks that are made up of different Silicate minerals. Baryte ( Ba[[Sulfur S]] O 4 is a Mineral consisting of Barium sulfate.

The fur trade was very important to the Yukon First Nation economy, but low prices and the impact of animal rights activists have devastated the traditional economy. First Nations is a term of Ethnicity that refers to the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis people For the concept see Animal rights. For other uses see Animal liberation (disambiguation.

There are three hydroelectric generating stations in the Yukon: one at Schwatka Lake in Whitehorse, another near Mayo and a third on Aishihik Lake. Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by Hydropower, ie the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling water Schwatka Lake is a Reservoir created by the Damming of the Yukon River in Whitehorse Yukon, completed in 1958

While the Yukon is mostly covered with forests, most of the trees are small and take a long time to grow and regenerate because of the dry cold climate. There is a considerable amount of small scale logging, but the only area that can sustain industrial forestry is in the southeast with its wetter climate. Logging is the process in which Trees are cut down for Forest management and Timber. However, distance from markets and fluctuating prices have resulted in a boom-and-bust industry.

A small amount of natural gas is currently produced in the southeast, but little exploration has been done in other parts of the Yukon. Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, It is believed that there are abundant natural gas fields in the Eagle Plains area along the Dempster Highway and possibly in the Whitehorse area, but distance from pipelines has hampered exploration. Dempster Highway, also referred to as Yukon Highway 5 and Northwest Territories Highway 8, is a Highway that connects the Klondike Highway in Pipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe.

Environmental issues

Global warming is affecting the north more than other parts of the world and the Yukon is no exception. Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the While residents might welcome warmer temperatures, the ultimate effects are not known. Higher temperatures would mean more evaporation and drying out an already dry climate, resulting in more forest fires and reducing the biological productivity of boreal forests, whose growth is limited more by lack of moisture than temperature. Evaporation is the process by which Molecules in a Liquid state (e A wildfire, also known as a wildland fire, forest fire, brush fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, Peat fire, Taiga (ˈtaɪgə from Turkic or Mongolian) is a Biome characterized by Coniferous forests

The Yukon is also the recipient of airborne pollutants from other parts of the world, especially Persistent Organic Pollutants. Persistent organic pollutants ( POP s are organic compounds that are resistant to environmental degradation through chemical, biological, and photolytic Consumption of the liver of certain wild animals and fish is no longer recommended because of these.

Locally, mine reclamation and dealing with mine tailings that cause acid mine drainage left over from mine closures is a major problem and is likely to cost hundreds of millions of dollars to clean-up. Mine reclamation is the process of creating useful Landscapes that meet a variety of goals typically creating productive Ecosystems (or sometimes industrial or municipal Tailings (also known as slimes, gangue, tailings pile, tails, leach residue, or slickens) are the materials left over Acid mine drainage ( AMD) or acid rock drainage ( ARD) refers to the outflow of Acidic water from (usually abandoned Metal mines Mine closure is the period of time when the Ore -extracting activities of a mine have ceased and final decommissioning and Mine reclamation are being completed

In an effort to encourage natural resource exploration, the current (2005) Yukon Party government led by Dennis Fentie has suspended the application of the Protected Areas Strategy (established by a previous Yukon New Democratic Party government) and has indicated its intention of not creating additional protected areas or parks. The Yukon Party is a conservative political party in the Yukon Territory of Canada. Dennis G Fentie, MLA for Watson Lake (born November 8, 1950 in Edmonton Alberta) is a Canadian Politician who is the The Yukon New Democratic Party (NDP is a Democratic socialist Political party in the Yukon territory of Canada.

The Gwichʼin people of Old Crow are dependent on the Porcupine caribou herd for food and clothing, as are others in the Yukon. The Gwich'in (sometimes rendered as Kutchin or Gwitchin) literally "one who dwells" and "I think" are a First Nations / Alaska Old Crow had 267 inhabitants in 2008 most of them belonging to the Gwichʼin -speaking Aboriginal Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. The Porcupine caribou herd migrates to the coastal plain in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska to give birth. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ( ANWR) is a National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Alaska. Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent That herd may be seriously threatened by oil-drilling in the ANWR. West Texas PumpjackJPG|thumb|right|300px|This Pumpjack located south of Midland TX is a common sight in West Texas.

References

External links

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