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.

The community of Kimmirut, previously known as Lake Harbour, is a picturesque town of just under 500 inhabitants located on the southern coast of Baffin Island, near the mouth of the Soper River. Hikers access the Katannilik Territorial Park Reserve from just outside the community. Other outdoor pursuits enjoyed in the area are sea kayaking, canoeing, and hunting.

Iqaluit, formerly known as Frobisher Bay, is the business and government centre for the Baffin region and the capital of the territory of Nunavut. Located on the southern portion of Baffin Island on Koojesse Inlet and home to over 7.060 people, Iqaluit is the largest community in Nunavut and the gateway to the Arctic from Eastern Canada.

Igloolik is located on a small island in Foxe Basin, just off Melville Peninsula on the mainland of Nunavut. Although Igloolik (Population approx. 1700) is part of the Qikiqtani or Baffin region, there exists a mix of Inuit cultural traditions from each of the three regions.

Igloolik is a community that balances modern living with a traditional way of life, as illustrated in Atanarjuat, the award-winning movie based on traditional legend.