| Yathkyed Lake | |
| Pushpin Map: | Canada Nunavut |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Nunavut |
| Location: | Kivalliq Region, Nunavut |
| Coordinates: | 62.7167°N -152°W |
| Inflow: | Kazan River |
| Outflow: | Kazan River |
| Basin Countries: | Canada |
| Length: | 72km (45miles) |
| Width: | 34km (21miles) |
| Area: | 1449km2 |
| Elevation: | 140m (460feet) |
| Cities: | uninhabited |
| Reference: | [1] |
| Type: | Freshwater lake |
Yathkyed Lake (variant: Haecoligua; meaning: "white swan")[2] is a natural[3] freshwater lake in Kivalliq Region, Nunavut, Canada, North America.[4] Located between Angikuni Lake and Forde Lake, it is one of several lakes on the Kazan River. Yathkyed lake was named by the Sayisi Dene, historical barren-ground caribou hunters of the area. Caribou Inuit artifacts have also been found here. The lake has a surface area of 1449 square kilometers.
Lake Yathkyed contains the only lake on an island in a lake on an island in a lake in the world, and the only islands within such a lake.[5]
The climate of the area is cold with cold summers and no dry seasons.[6]
It is part of the Hearne Domain, Western Churchill province of the Churchill craton, which is the northwest section of the Canadian Shield. According to the Atlas of Canada the geographical centre of the country lies just south of the lake at .[7] Yathkyed lake lies at an elevation of 82 meters (269 feet). Some nearby locations or citites near Yathkyed lake are Windy Point at 9 kilometers south, Cairn Point at 17 kilometers east and Yellowknife at 520 kilometers north.[8]
The Yathkyed Sedimentary Basin is notable for its uranium, copper, and molybdenum deposits. Goldcorp has a mining stake in the area, owning approximately .[9] Because Goldcorp owns this lake, it is not open to the public.[10] [11]