Yukon
Yukon (/ˈjuːkɒn/ (
listen) YOO-kon; French: [jykɔ̃]; formerly called Yukon Territory and sometimes referred to as The Yukon[7]) is the smallest and westernmost of Canada's three territories. It also is the second-least populated province or territory in Canada, with a population of 40,232 people as of the 2021 Census. Whitehorse, the territorial capital, is the largest settlement in any of the three territories.[8]
Yukon | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates: 63°00′00″N 135°00′00″W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Confederation | June 13, 1898 (9th) |
| Capital (and largest city) | Whitehorse |
| Largest metro | Whitehorse |
| Government | |
| • Commissioner | Angélique Bernard |
| • Premier | Sandy Silver |
| Legislature | Yukon Legislative Assembly |
| Federal representation | Parliament of Canada |
| House seats | 1 of 338 (0.3%) |
| Senate seats | 1 of 105 (1%) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 482,443 km2 (186,272 sq mi) |
| • Land | 474,391 km2 (183,163 sq mi) |
| • Water | 8,052 km2 (3,109 sq mi) 1.7% |
| • Rank | 9th |
| 4.8% of Canada | |
| Population (2021) | |
| • Total | 40,232 [1] |
| • Estimate (Q1 2022) | 42,982 [2] |
| • Rank | 12th |
| • Density | 0.08/km2 (0.2/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Yukoner FR: Yukonnais(e) |
| Official languages |
|
| GDP | |
| • Rank | 13th |
| • Total (2017) | C$3.089 billion[4] |
| • Per capita | C$75,141 (3rd) |
| HDI | |
| • HDI (2018) | 0.908[5] — Very high (5th) |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 |
| Canadian postal abbr. | YT |
| Postal code prefix | |
| ISO 3166 code | CA-YT |
| Flower | Fireweed |
| Tree | Subalpine fir[6] |
| Bird | Common raven |
| Rankings include all provinces and territories | |
Yukon was split from the North-West Territories in 1898 as the Yukon Territory. The federal government's Yukon Act, which received royal assent on March 27, 2002, established Yukon as the territory's official name,[7] though Yukon Territory is also still popular in usage and Canada Post continues to use the territory's internationally approved postal abbreviation of YT.[9] In 2021, territorial government policy was changed so that “The Yukon” would be recommended for use in official territorial government materials.[10]
Though officially bilingual (English and French), the Yukon government also recognizes First Nations languages.
At 5,959 m (19,551 ft), Yukon's Mount Logan, in Kluane National Park and Reserve, is the highest mountain in Canada and the second-highest on the North American continent (after Denali in the U.S. state of Alaska). Most of the Yukon has a subarctic climate, characterized by long, cold winters and brief, warm summers. The Arctic Ocean coast has a tundra climate.
Notable rivers include the Yukon River as well as the Pelly, Stewart, Peel, White, Liard, and Tatshenshini rivers.