The Inuit name Taloyoak describes a large stone blind that was formerly used by hunters to herd caribou for the kill. Taloyoak (population approx. 900) is west of the Boothia Peninsula, at the heart of the Northwest Passage. Formerly known as Spence Bay, the area has a long history of exploration, including the famed John Ross expeditions in the 1830s that resulted in the pinpointing of the Magnetic North Pole. Later that century, between the years of 1848 and 1860, American and British ships came to the area in search of the legendary Franklin Expedition.

Sanikiluaq (pop. 812), the most southerly community of Nunavut, is located on the Belcher Islands in the Hudson Bay. The terrain is composed of many rocky cliffs that tower 50 to 155 meters above sea level. Many of these cliffs are nesting grounds for eider ducks, whose feathers (eiderdown) are collected from nests and made into duvets and outer-wear.

Sanikiluaq carvers are known worldwide for their distinctive carvings made from argillite, the dark stone found on the Belcher Islands.

The second northernmost community in Canada, Resolute Bay is located in the High Arctic on the south coast of Cornwallis Island. The gateway to the High Arctic, Resolute Bay (pop. 257) is the major stopover for expeditions to the North Pole and to Quttinirpaaq (Ellesmere Island) National Park, and a base for scientific research.

Naujaat (population approx. 855) lies directly on top of the Arctic Circle in eastern Nunavut. One of the last places in the Arctic to join the modern world, it is full of traditional Inuit life. The Inuktitut name, Naujaat, means “nesting place for seagulls”. Nesting grounds are located on cliffs five kilometers north of the community and every June the area is occupied by thousands of seagulls, as well as snow birds, loons, eider ducks, longtail ducks, and jaegers.

Rankin Inlet, or Kangiqtiniq (“deep bay/inlet” in Inuktitut) is the business and transportation hub of the Kivalliq region with a population of just under 2,700. Rankin is the gateway to Nunavut from Central and Western Canada. Due to the large volume of traffic through the area, as well as a history of regional government, mining and exploration, Rankin Inlet has developed a strong taskforce of entrepreneurs. Freight expediters, equipment suppliers and outfitters provide tourists and companies interested in doing business in the area with a wide variety of services.

Qikiqtarjuaq, formerly known as Broughton Island, is located just off the east coast of Baffin Island 97 km north of Arctic Circle. Although the island is referred to as “the big island” as its Inuktitut name suggests, the island is in fact only 12 km wide by 16 km long.

Pond Inlet is located on the northeastern shore of Baffin Island, across from Bylot Island. It is known to the Inuit as Mittimatalik, “the place where Mittima is buried”. Although the name remains, the identity of Mittima is a mystery to the present-day people of Pond Inlet.

Settled at the bottom of a mountain, at the mouth of a river and surrounded by spectacular fiords, Pangnirtung is located on Baffin Island, in Cumberland Sound. Known to outdoor enthusiasts as the gateway to the famous Auyuittuq National Park, the town is home to just under 1,500 people.

Kugluktuk, formerly known as Coppermine, is situated along the banks of the Coppermine River and on the shores of the Coronation Gulf. Located north, and slightly west of Yellowknife, Kugluktuk is the most westerly community in Nunavut, with a population of around1,460. In summer, canoeists and rafters take the popular route up the Coppermine River to the scenic Bloody Falls Territorial Historic Park.

The name Kugaaruk means “a river flowing through a community used for fishing and to supply water.” Formerly known as Pelly Bay, Kugaaruk is located on the Simpson Peninsula, south of the Gulf of Boothia, and is home to some 833 people. As the name suggests, the area is known for its excellent fishing.

Kugaaruk is nestled within coastal mountains, which lie between the bay and the wide expanse of the tundra. As a result, the area is very picturesque. A stone church built by missionary priest been maintained by the Hamlet of Kugaaruk.