Yukon Territory

Yukon Territory, territory (2001 pop. 28,674), 207,076 sq mi (536,327 sq km), NW Canada.

Geography and Climate

The triangle-shaped Yukon territory is bordered on the N by the Beaufort Sea of the Arctic Ocean, on the E by the Northwest Territories, on the S by British Columbia and Alaska, and on the W by Alaska. The highest point in the Yukon is Mt. Logan, 19,551 ft (5,959 m) high, part of the Coast Ranges in the southwest. Although most of the territory is a watershed for the Yukon River and its tributaries, the northern and southeastern regions drain east into the Mackenzie River system.

Immediately south of the desolate arctic coast the country is uninhabited and generally unknown. The other parts of the territory have great natural beauty, with snow-fed lakes backed by perpetually white-capped mountains and forests and streams abounding with wildlife. Kluane National Park (est. 1972) is in the St. Elias Mts. Winters are long and cold, with low humidity. During the short summers the longer day and surprisingly warm sun bring a profusion of wildflowers and enable the hardier grains and vegetables to mature.

The few settlements are situated on the riverbanks. The capital and largest town is Whitehorse, where the vast majority of the population lives. Next in importance is Dawson.

Economy

The Yukon's leading industry by far is mining; lead, zinc, silver, gold, and copper are the principal minerals. Tourism is the second most important industry; the area's colorful history and beautiful scenery draw visitors. Manufacturing has increased in importance, with such products as furniture, clothing, and handicrafts. There are hydroelectric facilities at Whitehorse, Aishihik, and Mayo. Trapping, the oldest industry, has declined in recent decades. Fishing is relatively unimportant.

Transportation facilities are limited. For many years the Yukon River system was the main artery. The White Pass and Yukon Railway, between Whitehorse and Skagway, Alaska, built during the Klondike gold rush of the 1890s, now handles only excursion traffic. The Alaska Highway and other all-weather roads have been built since World War II. Air transportation now plays a vital role, and there is an international airport at Whitehorse.

History and Government

The territory's history began with the explorations in the 1840s of Robert Campbell and John Bell, fur traders for the Hudson's Bay Company. Several trading posts were built on the Yukon River, and before long prospectors began to search for treasure. The Canadian government acquired the Yukon from the Hudson's Bay Company in 1870 and administered it as part of the Northwest Territories. After the famous gold strikes in the Klondike River region in the 1890s, thousands of fortune hunters arrived in search of gold. This colorful period was recorded in the writings of Robert Service and Jack London.

To meet the need for local government created by the influx of prospectors, the Yukon was made a separate district (1895) and then a separate territory (1898) with Dawson as capital. Whitehorse became the capital in 1952. Native land claims and the desire for provincial status are two issues that have dominated territorial politics in recent years. The land claim by the Yukon, a tribe of about 7,000, was approved by the federal government in 1991.

The government consists of a federally appointed commissioner, an elected legislative assembly of 18 members, and a 5-member cabinet appointed by the majority party of the assembly. Dennis Fentie led the conservative Yukon party to victory in the 2002 assembly elections, ousting the governing Liberal party; Fentie's government retained power after the 2006 elections. The territory sends one senator and one representative to the national parliament.

Bibliography

See K. J. Rea, The Political Economy of the Canadian North (1968); E. A. McCourt, The Yukon and Northwest Territories (1969); J. R. Lotz, Northern Realities: The Future of Northern Development in Canada (1970); M. Webb, The Last Frontier (1985); T. Stone, Miners' Justice: Migration, Law and Order on the Alaska-Yukon Frontier, 1873–1902 (1988); K. S. Coates and W. R. Morrison, A History of the Yukon (1988).

---

Yukon

 or Yukon Territory

Territory (pop., 2001 est.: 30,000), northwestern Canada. Bounded by Alaska, U.S., to the west, and the Canadian Northwest Territories to the east and British Columbia to the south, its capital is Whitehorse. Drained by the Yukon River system, it has some of the highest mountains in North America, notably the Saint Elias Mountains and Mount Logan, Canada's highest peak. It was originally settled by American Indians and the Inuit (Eskimo). The first European visitor (1825) was British explorer John Franklin, who was seeking the Northwest Passage. Sporadic settlement occurred thereafter. The discovery of gold in the 1870s later resulted in the Klondike gold rush. In 1898 it was separated from the Northwest Territories and given territorial status. The economic boost from the gold rush soon abated, and the exploitation of other minerals expanded and continued throughout the 20th century. Its economic mainstays, though, are government services and tourism.

---

Yukon Territory 

a territory in the northwestern part of Canada, along the coast of the Arctic Ocean. Bordering on Alaska (United States) in the west, the Yukon Territory has an area of 536,000 sq km and a population (1976) of 21,400. The administrative and economic center is Whitehorse. Other cities and towns include Watson Lake, Dawson, and Mayo. The territory occupies the eastern part of the Yukon Plateau.

The territory’s development was linked to the discovery of gold deposits in 1896 (the Klondike gold rush). Various minerals are extracted: copper at New Imperial, asbestos at Clinton Creek, silver and complex ores at Keno Hill and Anvill, coal at Carmacks, gold at Dawson, and tungsten at Tungsten. Salmon, trout, grayling, and whitefish are caught commercially.