Demographics of Nunavut

Nunavut is the largest and northernmost territory of Canada. It has a land area of 1,877,787.62 km² (725,017.85 sq mi).^[1] It has a population of 36,858 in the 2021 Census. In the 2016 census the population was 35,944, up 12.7% from the 2011 census figure of 31,906.^[2] In 2016, 30,135 people identified themselves as Inuit (83.8% of the total population), 190 as North American Indian (0.5%), 165 Métis (0.5%) and 5,025 as non-aboriginal (14.0%).^[2]

BC

AB

SK

MB

ON

QC

NB

PE

NS

NL

YT

NT

NU

Demographics of Canada's provinces and territories

Nunavut's small and sparse population makes it unlikely the territory will be granted provincial status in the foreseeable future.

Age structure

The median age in Nunavut is 25.1 years, according to the 2016 census. This is significantly younger than the median age of Canada (41.2 years). Those aged 65 years and over account for 3.8% of the population.

Population history

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1996	24,730	—
2001	26,745	+8.1%
2006	29,474	+10.2%
2011	31,906	+8.3%
2016	35,944	+12.7%
2021	36,858	+2.5%
[3][4][2]

Population geography

Communities with more than 1,000 people

Municipality	2011	% change	2006	% change	2001	% change
Iqaluita[5][6][7]	6,699	8.3	6,184	18.1	5,236	24.1
Arviat[8][9][10]	2,318	12.5	2,060	8.5	1,899	21.8
Rankin Inleta[11][12][13]	2,266	-3.9	2,358	8.3	2,177	5.8
Baker Lake[14][15][16]	1,872	8.3	1,728	14.7	1,507	8.8
Cambridge Baya[17][18][19]	1,608	8.9	1,477	12.8	1,309	-3.1
Pond Inlet[20][21][22]	1,549	17.8	1,315	7.8	1,220	5.7
Igloolik[23][24][25]	1,454	-5.5	1,538	19.6	1,286	5.5
Kugluktuk[26][27][28]	1,450	11.4	1,320	7.4	1,212	0.9
Pangnirtung[29][30][31]	1,425	7.5	1,325	3.8	1,276	2.7
Kinngait[32][33][34]	1,363	10.3	1,236	7.7	1,148	2.7
Gjoa Haven[35][36][37]	1,279	20.2	1,064	10.8	960	9.2

Visible minorities and Indigenous peoples

Visible minority and Indigenous population (Canada 2021 Census)[38]
Population group		Population	%
European[a]		3,890	10.6%
Visible minority group	South Asian	175	0.5%
	Chinese	65	0.2%
	Black	565	1.5%
	Filipino	315	0.9%
	Arab	35	0.1%
	Latin American	60	0.2%
	Southeast Asian	15	0.0%
	West Asian	10	0.0%
	Korean	10	0.0%
	Japanese	10	0.0%
	Visible minority, n.i.e.	20	0.1%
	Multiple visible minorities	50	0.1%
Total visible minority population		1,325	3.6%
Indigenous group	First Nations (North American Indian)	180	0.5%
	Métis	120	0.3%
	Inuk (Inuit)	30,865	84.3%
	Multiple Indigenous responses	200	0.5%
	Indigenous responses n.i.e.	30	0.1%
Total Indigenous population		31,390	85.8%
Total population		36,605	100.0%

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.	Inuktitutb	22,070	63.1%
2.	Englishb	11,020	31.5%
3.	Frenchb	595	1.7%
4.	Inuinnaqtunb	495	1.4%
5.	Indo-European languages	270	0.8%
6.	Tagalog	135	0.4%
	Other languages	375	1.1%

There were also 735 responses of both English and a 'non-official language' (mainly Inuktitut); 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.^[39]

Religion

The dominant religion in Nunavut is Christianity; Catholicism, Anglicanism and Pentecostalism are highly prevalent.

Religious beliefs in the 2011 census[40]
Religion	Adherents	% of the population
Christianity	27,255	85.99%
Irreligious	4,100	12.94%
Traditional (Aboriginal) Spirituality	135	0.43%
Islam	50	0.16%
Hinduism	30	0.09%
Buddhism	20	0.06%
Judaism	10	0.03%
Sikhism	10	0.03%
Other religions	85	0.27%
Total	31,695	100%

Migration

Immigration

The 2016 census counted a total of only about 920 immigrants in Nunavut, including about 185 from the Philippines, 80 from the United Kingdom, 60 from the United States, 35 from Zimbabwe and 30 each from India, Nigeria and Pakistan.^[41]

The 2021 census reported that immigrants (individuals born outside Canada) comprise 1,165 persons or 3.2 percent of the total population of Nunavut.^[42]

Immigrants in Nunavut by country of birth

Country of birth	2021[42]		2016[43]		2011[44][45]		2006[46][47]		2001[48][49]
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Philippines	260	22.3%	185	20.1%	100	16.3%	40	8.9%	25	5.6%
United States	65	5.6%	60	6.5%	65	10.6%	40	8.9%	55	12.4%
Nigeria	65	5.6%	30	3.3%	15	2.4%	10	2.2%	10	2.2%
Zimbabwe	60	5.2%	35	3.8%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%
Cameroon	60	5.2%	20	2.2%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%
India	60	5.2%	30	3.3%	35	5.7%	20	4.4%	10	2.2%
United Kingdom	55	4.7%	80	8.7%	100	16.3%	90	20%	125	28.1%
Jamaica	45	3.9%	25	2.7%	10	1.6%	10	2.2%	10	2.2%
Pakistan	30	2.6%	30	3.3%	10	1.6%	10	2.2%	10	2.2%
China	25	2.1%	20	2.2%	25	4.1%	20	4.4%	10	2.2%
Total immigrants	1,165	3.2%	920	2.6%	615	1.9%	450	1.5%	445	1.7%
Total responses	36,600	99.3%	35,580	99%	31,700	99.4%	29,325	99.5%	26,665	99.7%
Total population	36,858	100%	35,944	100%	31,906	100%	29,474	100%	26,745	100%

Recent immigration

The 2021 Canadian census counted a total of 250 people who immigrated to Nunavut between 2016 and 2021.^[42]

Recent immigrants to Nunavut by country of birth (2016 to 2021)[42]
Country of birth	Population	% recent immigrants
Philippines	50	20%
Nigeria	20	8%
India	20	8%
United States	15	6%
Jamaica	15	6%
Zimbabwe	10	4%
Cameroon	10	4%
United Kingdom	10	4%
Pakistan	10	4%
China	10	4%
Ethiopia	10	4%
France	10	4%
Ghana	10	4%
Mexico	10	4%
Brazil	10	4%
Ukraine	10	4%
Libya	10	4%
Morocco	10	4%
Total	250	100%

Internal migration

While there is some internal migration from the rest of Canada to Nunavut (usually on a temporary basis), there is very little external migration from outside of Canada to Nunavut.

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. (All net inter-provincial and official minority movements of more than 100 persons are given).^[50][51]

See also

• List of communities in Nunavut
• Demographics of Canada
• Population of Canada by province and territory

Notes

1. Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.

• ^a Iqaluit is both the capital of Nunavut and the regional centre for the Qikiqtaaluk Region, while Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay are the regional centres for the Kivalliq and Kitikmeot Regions respectively.
• ^b Official language of Nunavut