Cornwall Island (Nunavut) Explained

Cornwall Island
Native Name Link:Inuktitut
Location:Northern Canada
Archipelago:Queen Elizabeth Islands
Arctic Archipelago
Area Km2:2358
Length Km:90
Width Km:30
Highest Mount:McLeod Head
Elevation M:400
Country:Canada
Country Admin Divisions Title:Territory
Country Admin Divisions:Nunavut
Country Admin Divisions Title 1:Qikiqtaaluk Region
Population:Uninhabited

Cornwall Island is a small, uninhabited island in the high Arctic region of the Canadian territory of Nunavut. It is near the geometric centre of the Queen Elizabeth Islands. To the north, it is separated from Amund Ringnes Island by Hendriksen Strait. To the south, it is separated from Devon Island by Belcher Channel. It is the largest of six islands (the others being Buckingham, Ekins, Exmouth, Graham Island, and Table) in Norwegian Bay, west of Ellesmere Island.

Cornwall Island measures about long and wide, and has an area of .

The tallest peaks are McLeod Head at, and Mount Nicolay at, both on the north coast. Coast features include Northeast Point and Gordon Head to the east; Pell Point and Cape O'Brien to the south; and Cape Butler in the southwest.[1]

The first known European sighting of the island was by Sir Edward Belcher on 30 August 1852, and was named in honour of Prince Edward, Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall.[2]

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cornwall, Graham, Buckingham, Table, Exmouth, and Ekins Islands . 2008-05-14 . uoguelph.ca.
  2. Book: Mills . William James . Exploring Polar Frontiers:A Historical Encyclopedia . ABC-CLIO . 2003 . 978-1-57607-422-0 . 163.