Gjoa Haven, Nunavut, is a unique Inuit hamlet located above the Arctic Circle in the Kitikmeot Region. This settlement, the only one on King William Island, is 1,056 km northeast of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. The name Gjoa Haven, pronounced in French as [ɡʒɔa avɑ̃] or [ɡʒɔa evən], is derived from the Inuktitut word Uqsuqtuuq, meaning "lots of fat," a reference to the abundance of sea mammals in the nearby waters.
The name Gjoa Haven is a Norwegian term, Gjøahavn, meaning "Gjøa's Harbour". This name was given by the early 20th-century polar explorer Roald Amundsen in honor of his ship, Gjøa. The ship's name, in turn, was derived from the old Norse name Gyða, a compressed compound form of Guðfríðr (guð "god" and fríðr "beautiful").
In 1903, Roald Amundsen entered the area on his ship Gjøa, intending to travel through the Northwest Passage. As the straits began to ice up in October, Amundsen docked Gjøa in a natural harbor on the southeast coast of King William Island. He and his crew spent nearly two years there, learning vital survival skills from the local Netsilik.
The permanent European-style settlement at Gjoa Haven began in 1927 with the opening of a Hudson's Bay Company trading post. The traditionally nomadic Inuit gradually adapted to a more settled lifestyle, attracted by the settlement. By 2001, the population had grown to 960, with most Inuit moving from their traditional camps to be closer to the healthcare and educational facilities available at Gjoa Haven.
According to the 2021 Canadian census, Gjoa Haven had a population of 1,349 living in 292 of its 339 total private dwellings. With a land area of 28.55 km2, it had a population density of 47.3/km2 in 2021. The median age of the community was 23.0, with an average age of 26.5.
Gjoa Haven boasts the Nattilik Heritage Centre, a museum and heritage center that opened in 2013. The center houses a collection of handmade harpoons, snow goggles, and snow knives purchased by Amundsen. The Northwest Passage Territorial Park showcases the history of the exploration of the Northwest Passage as it relates to the area.
Local government services in Gjoa Haven include the RCMP Detachment, Fire Department, Hamlet Council, and a 24/7 health care facility, Gjoa Haven Continuing Care. Territorial services include the Nunavut Water Board, Lands Administration Office, Social Services Department, Power Corporation, and Economic Development Office.
Gjoa Haven experiences a tundra climate with short but cool summers and long, cold winters.
Since 2005, the community has been served by the Qiniq network, a fixed wireless service connecting to the outside world via a satellite backbone. The network was upgraded to 4G LTE technology and 2G-GSM for mobile voice in 2017.
Square dancing is a popular activity in Gjoa Haven, with many teams competing in annual tournaments. This tradition, learned from Scottish and American whalers active in the area in the mid-1800s, is generally accompanied by accordion or concertina and fiddles.
