Belcher Islands
Native name: ᓴᓪᓚᔪᒐᐃᑦ Sanikiluaq | |
|---|---|
Landsat satellite photo of Belcher Islands | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Hudson Bay |
| Coordinates | 56°11′N 79°15′W / 56.183°N 79.250°W |
| Archipelago | Belcher Islands Archipelago |
| Total islands | 1,500 |
| Major islands | Flaherty Island, Kugong Island, Tukarak Island, Innetalling Island |
| Area | 2,896 km2 (1,118 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
Canada | |
| Territory | Nunavut |
| Region | Qikiqtaaluk |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 1,010 (2021) |
| Pop. density | 0.35/km2 (0.91/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Inuit |
The Belcher Islands (Inuktitut: ᓴᓪᓚᔪᒐᐃᑦ, romanized: Sanikiluaq) are an archipelago in the southeast part of Hudson Bay near the centre of the Nastapoka arc. The Belcher Islands are spread out over almost 13,000 km2 (5,000 sq mi). Administratively, they belong to the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada.
The hamlet of Sanikiluaq, where the majority of the inhabitants of the Belcher Islands live, is on the north coast of Flaherty Island and is the southernmost in Nunavut. Along with Flaherty Island, the other large islands are Kugong Island, Tukarak Island, and Innetalling Island. Other main islands in the 1,500-island archipelago are Moore Island, Wiegand Island, Split Island, Snape Island, and Mavor Island, while island groups include the Sleeper Islands, King George Islands, and Bakers Dozen Islands.