The Barren Grounds (also called Barren Lands) are a large area of

tundra In physical geography, a tundra () is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. There are three regions and associated types of tundra: #Arctic, Arctic, Alpine tundra, Alpine, and #Antarctic ...

located in mainland

Nunavut Nunavut is the largest and northernmost Provinces and territories of Canada#Territories, territory of Canada. It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the ''Nunavut Act'' and the Nunavut Land Claims Agr ...

and stretching into the

Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories is a federal Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada. At a land area of approximately and a 2021 census population of 41,070, it is the second-largest and the most populous of Provinces and territorie ...

in northern

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. The Barren Grounds is nearly uninhabited with the exception of a few coastal villages and towns in Nunavut. The

Barren Lands First Nation Barren Lands First Nation () is a First Nation located on the north shore of Reindeer Lake in northern Manitoba close to the Saskatchewan border. It has one reserve land called Brochet 197, which is in size and adjoins the village of Brochet, ...

are located in northern

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

close to the

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...

border.

Geography

The Barren Grounds are tundra, and lakes are abundant. It has several long rivers, including the Coppermine,

Back The human back, also called the dorsum (: dorsa), is the large posterior area of the human body, rising from the top of the buttocks to the back of the neck. It is the surface of the body opposite from the chest and the abdomen. The vertebral c ...

, Dubawnt,

Kazan Kazan; , IPA: Help:IPA/Tatar, ɑzanis the largest city and capital city, capital of Tatarstan, Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Volga and the Kazanka (river), Kazanka Rivers, covering an area of , with a population of over 1. ...

, and Thelon. The land in the area is mostly flat, although there are some hills in certain areas.

(Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus), subspecies of caribou found in Canada and Greenland. James Charles Critchell Bullock (6 September 1898 – 31 March 1953) an Englishman best known for his diaries and photographs of an expedition in 1923 with John Hornby across the Barren Grounds. On the basis of their expedition the Thelon Game Sanctuary was established in 1927, renamed the

Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary The Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary is the largest wildlife refuge in Canada. At , it is over twice the area of Belgium. It is located in northern Canada's Arctic region, north of the tree line, straddling the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, halfway ...

in 1956.

Edgar Christian Edgar Vernon Christian (6 June 1908 – June 1927) was an English adventurer and writer who died in Northern Canada. He was born in Earls Barton, Northamptonshire, the son of Lt Col William Francis (Frank) Christian, RA and his wife Marguerite ...

(1908-1927), a teenage

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

adventurer and writer. His diary was found in a log hut near the

Thelon River The Thelon River (', "on the other side") stretches across northern Canada. Its source is Whitefish Lake in the Northwest Territories, and it flows east to Baker Lake in Nunavut. The Thelon ultimately drains into Hudson Bay at Chesterfield I ...

Barren Land after his death. John Hornby (1880–1927), ("Hornby of the North"), an English

explorer Exploration is the process of exploring, an activity which has some Expectation (epistemic), expectation of Discovery (observation), discovery. Organised exploration is largely a human activity, but exploratory activity is common to most organis ...

, known for his expeditions attempting to live off the land with limited supplies in the Arctic region of

northern Canada Northern Canada (), colloquially the North or the Territories, is the vast northernmost region of Canada, variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three Provinces_and_territories_of_Canada#Territories, terr ...

, notably in the "Barren Lands". He died there with his companions, a cousin

and Harold Adlard of starvation while overwintering in 1926-27.

Farley Mowat Farley McGill Mowat, (May 12, 1921 – May 6, 2014) was a Canadian writer and environmentalist. His works were translated into 52 languages, and he sold more than 17 million books. He achieved fame with the publication of his books on the Ca ...

"Lost In The Barrens aka Two Against the North" (1956) is a children's adventure story that takes place in northern Manitoba and southwestern North West Territories in 1935.

References

Geography of Nunavut Geography of the Northwest Territories {{Nunavut-geo-stub

Geography

See also

References