Yellowknife, the capital and only city in the Northwest Territories, Canada, is a vibrant community with a rich history and a promising future. Located on the northern shore of Great Slave Lake, about 400 km south of the Arctic Circle, Yellowknife is a city that has evolved from a mining town to a hub of government services, tourism, transportation, and communications.
The area around Yellowknife is the historic and traditional home of the Yellowknives Dene, the land's First Nations residents. The city and its surrounding water bodies were named after this local Dene tribe, known as the "Copper Indians" or "Yellowknife Indians". They traded tools made from copper deposits near the Arctic Coast.
The Yellowknife settlement was founded in 1934, after gold was discovered in the area. The city quickly became the centre of economic activity in the NWT and was named the capital of the Northwest Territories in 1967. As gold production began to wane, Yellowknife shifted from being a mining town to a centre of government services in the 1980s. However, with the discovery of diamonds north of the city in 1991, this shift began to reverse.
On August 16, 2023, wildfires approached the city, leading to the evacuation of Yellowknife. The territorial government feared that the Yellowknife Highway, the main road leading into the city, would soon be inaccessible. The evacuation order was rescinded on September 6, and residents began to return later that day.
Yellowknife is situated on the Canadian Shield, which was scoured down to rock during the last ice age. The surrounding landscape is very rocky and slightly rolling, with many small lakes in addition to the larger Great Slave Lake. Yellowknife's high latitude causes a large variation between day and night, with daylight hours ranging from five hours in December to 20 hours in June.
Yellowknife has a subarctic climate. The city experiences very cold winters and mild to warm summers. The average temperature in January is around −26 °C and 17 °C in July. Yellowknife has the sunniest summer in the country, averaging 1,034 hours from June to August.
Yellowknife, like most other urban centres, has distinct commercial, industrial, and residential areas. Downtown Yellowknife is home to most of the city's commercial activity, though some retail does exist in Range Lake. Industrial activity is limited to the Kam Lake and airport subdivisions.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Yellowknife had a population of 20,340. The population is ethnically mixed, with a significant number of residents identifying as Indigenous. Of the eleven official languages of the Northwest Territories, five are spoken in significant numbers in Yellowknife: Dene Suline, Dogrib, South and North Slavey, English, and French.
Yellowknife is a city rich in culture, with numerous events and attractions that reflect its unique history and vibrant community. From the annual Folk on the Rocks music festival to the Snowking Winter Festival, Yellowknife offers a variety of cultural experiences for residents and visitors alike. The city is also home to the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, a museum showcasing the history and culture of the region's Indigenous and non-aboriginal peoples.
Some notable places to visit in Yellowknife include The Wildcat Cafe, the Gold Range Bar, the Capital Area Park, the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre, and the Centre Square Mall. Other attractions include the Ingraham Trail, local fishing lodges, bush plane tours, and the unique architecture of Old Town.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, is a city that offers a unique blend of history, culture, and modern amenities. Whether you're a resident or a visitor, there's always something new to discover in this vibrant northern community.
