List of municipalities in Nunavut

Distribution of Nunavut's 25 municipalities by type

Nunavut is the least populous of Canada's three territories with 32,397 residents as of 2011,^{[lower-alpha 1]} but the largest territory in land area^{[lower-alpha 2]} at nearly 1,880,000 km² (730,000 sq mi).^[1] Nunavut's 25 municipalities cover only 0.2% of the territory's land mass^{[lower-alpha 3]} but are home to 99.97% of its population.^{[lower-alpha 4]}^[1]^[4]^[5]

Municipalities are created by the Government of Nunavut in accordance with the 2003 Cities, Towns and Villages Act (CTVA) and the 2003 Hamlets Act,^[6]^[7] which are statutes of the neighbouring Northwest Territories.^{[lower-alpha 5]} According to the CTVA, a municipality is an "area within the boundaries of a municipal corporation, as described in the order establishing or continuing the municipal corporation" where a municipal corporation is either a city, town or village.^[6] According to the Hamlets Act, a municipality is similarly an "area within the boundaries of a hamlet, as described in the order establishing or continuing the hamlet". All of Nunavut's 25 municipalities are hamlets except for the City of Iqaluit,^[5] which is the territory's capital.

The largest municipality by population in Nunavut is Iqaluit with 6,699 residents, home to 20.7% of the territory's population.^[4] The smallest municipality by population is Grise Fiord with 130 residents.^[4] The largest municipality by land area is Kugluktuk, which spans 549.65 km² (212.22 sq mi), while the smallest is Kimmirut at 2.27 km² (0.88 sq mi).^[4]

Cities

An application can be submitted to incorporate a community as a city under the CTVA of the Northwest Territories^{[lower-alpha 5]} at the request of a minimum 25 residents that are eligible electors, or at the initiative of the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.^[6] The proposed city must have a minimum assessed land value of $200 million or an exception made by the Minister.^[6] Iqaluit is the only city in Nunavut, with 6,699 residents and a land area of 52.50 km² (20.27 sq mi) in 2011.^[4] It incorporated as a city on April 19, 2001.^[12]

Towns

Although Nunavut has no municipalities with town status, the CTVA provides opportunity to incorporate a town. A town can be incorporated at the request of a minimum 25 residents that are eligible electors, or at the initiative of the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.^[6] The proposed town must have a minimum assessed land value of $50 million or an exception made by the Minister.^[6] Iqaluit held town status between 1980 and 2001.^[13]

Villages

Nunavut has no villages, but like town status the CTVA provides opportunity to incorporate a village. A village can be incorporated at the request of a minimum 25 residents that are eligible electors, or at the initiative of the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.^[6] The proposed village must have a minimum assessed land value of $10 million or an exception made by the Minister.^[6] Iqaluit held village status between 1974 and 1980.^[13]

Hamlets

At the request of a minimum 25 residents that are eligible electors, or at the initiative of the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, an application can be submitted to incorporate a community as a hamlet under the Hamlets Act of the Northwest Territories.^{[lower-alpha 5]}^[7] Unlike cities, towns and villages, the incorporation of hamlets are not conditioned by a prescribed minimum assessed land value.^[7]

Nunavut has 24 hamlets. The largest hamlet by population is Rankin Inlet, with 2,577 residents, and the smallest is Grise Fiord, with 130 residents.^[2]^[4] The largest hamlet by land area is Kugluktuk, which spans 549.65 km² (212.22 sq mi), while the smallest is Kimmirut, at 2.27 km² (0.88 sq mi).^[4]