Demographics of Nunavut


Nunavut is a territory of Canada. It has a land area of. In the 2016 census the population was 35,944, up 12.7% from the 2011 census figure of 31,906. In 2016, 30,135 people identified themselves as Inuit, 190 as North American Indian, 165 Métis and 5,025 as non-aboriginal.
Nunavut's small and sparse population makes it unlikely the territory will be granted provincial status in the foreseeable future, although this may change if the Yukon, which is marginally less populous, becomes a province.

Historical population

Communities with more than 1,000 people

Language

The 2016 Canadian census showed a population of 35,944. In terms of 'mother tongue', 34,960 people were reported as learned a single language first. The languages most commonly reported were:
1.Inuktitut22,07063.1%
2.English11,02031.5%
3.French5951.7%
4.Inuinnaqtun4951.4%
5.Indo-European languages2700.8%
6.Tagalog1350.4%
Other languages3751.1%

There were also 735 responses of both English and a 'non-official language' ; 10 of both French and a 'non-official language; 25 of both English and French; and about 140 people who either did not respond to the question, or reported multiple non-official languages, or else gave some other unenumerated response. Only English and French were counted as official languages in the census. Figures shown are for the number of single language responses and the percentage of total single-language responses.

Visible minorities and Aboriginals

The majority of Nunavut residents identifying as White, First Nations, Metis, and Visible Minority live in the capital city of Iqaluit.

Religion

The dominant religion in Nunavut is Christianity; Catholicism, Anglicanism and Pentecostalism are highly prevalent.
Traditionally, Inuit shamanism has always been a taboo subject in Inuit culture, not openly talked about. Shamans didn't make it known they were one, but the group or clan they were a part of knew.

Migration

While there is some internal migration from the rest of Canada to Nunavut, there is very little external migration from outside of Canada to Nunavut.
The 2006 census counted a total of only about 450 immigrants in Nunavut, including about 80 from the United Kingdom, about 40 each from the United States and the Philippines, about 30 from Germany, about 20 each from China and India, and just over 10 each from Jamaica and South Africa.
A total of 4,940 people moved to Nunavut from other parts of Canada between 1996 and 2006 while 5,615 people moved in the opposite direction. These movements resulted in a net influx of 355 from Newfoundland and Labrador; and a net outmigration of 355 to Alberta, 295 to the Northwest Territories, 235 to Ontario and 160 to Quebec. There was a net outmigration of 150 francophones from Nunavut to Quebec during this period..

Age

The median age in Nunavut is 25.1 years, according to the 2016 census. This is significantly younger than the median age of Canada. Those aged 65 years and over account for 3.8% of the population.