Geography of Ellesmere Island

The 10th-biggest island in the world, Ellesmere Island is the largest of the Queen Elizabeth Islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Literal meaning of its name is 'Land of Muskox'. It is one of the most remote regions on Earth and is home to herds of musk oxen, caribou, and polar bears. It is a realm of craggy mountains, fjords, and ice shelves. Ever since those cunning ancient Britons realized that the lovely glacial Mere was the perfect location for some real rest and leisure, Ellesmere has been a significant settlement.

Physical Features

The third-largest island in Canada and the tenth-largest island in the globe is Ellesmere Island. The northern coast of the island is extended by ice shelves, which are aprons of sea ice that are fused to the shore. The entire island is deeply cut by fjords. The Mountains of Grant Land, a craggy chain of sedimentary rocks, dominate the north. Nareth Strait on Greenland's Nareth Island, Eureka Strait and Nansen Strait on Axel Haiberg Island's Axel Haiberg Island, and Jones Strait and Cardigan Strait on Devon Island's Devon Island divide Ellesmere Island from those islands.

Cape Columbia, located on Ellesmere Island at 83°06'41"N and less than 1,200 miles (2,000 km) from Severnaya Zemlya across the North Pole, is Canada's northernmost point. Its overall length is 830 km (520 mi), and its area is 196,236 km² (75,767 sq. mi), making it somewhat smaller than the United Kingdom. Ellesmere Island, which is a part of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, is situated in the Arctic Islands. The northernmost point of land in Canada and one of the northernmost points of land on Earth are both located in Cape Columbia, which is at a latitude of 83 degrees 6 minutes (the other is Kaffekrubben Island, which is close to Greenland).

Ellesmere Island is the most mountainous of the Arctic Islands because the majority of it is covered by the Arctic Mountains. Kuttinirpaak National Park is a protected area that covers more than a fifth of the island. The population of Ellesmere Island was 144 in 2021. Alert, Eureka, and Gris Fjord are the three towns. In the Kiki Talk region of the Canadian territory of Nunavut, Ellesmere Island is governed.

Fjords that are quite deep cut into the island's coast. The tallest mountain in eastern North America is Barbeau Peak (2,616 m), and nunataks, or rock spires, protrude through the ice. The land drops down to the Hazen Plateau in the south, which is dominated by Lake Hazen, the biggest lake in the arctic zone. Mountains of the Central Ellesmere Fold Belt rise to 2,000 meters in the centre of Ellesmere. The United States Ranges, in the north, are around 11,000 feet (3,350 meters) high, while the interior plateau rises above sea level by more than 2,000 feet (610 meters).

The east half of the island is largely covered in ice. Large herds of musk oxen are supported by vegetation in locations without snow. On the island, there are research facilities and a few Inuit (Eskimo) villages. In the second part of the 19th century, Ellesmere Island was explored after being discovered by the British explorer William Baffin in 1616. The island has hosted a number of glaciological, geological, and topographical expeditions since the 1950s.

Flora And Fauna

With approximately 70 mm of precipitation per year in some areas, Ellesmere is a true arctic desert. Although Ellesmere contains a fairly rich flora for such a high arctic terrain, including 151 types of moss, vegetation is limited as a result. On the island's northern tip, Quttinirpaaq National Park was established in 1988. A beautiful landscape and an extraordinary and delicate ecology are what set Ellesmere apart. Along with the remnants of a caribou herd that Arctic explorer Robert E.

Peary photographed in 1909 on his quest to reach the North Pole, small herds of muskoxen are scattered around the Hazen Plateau. There are several bird species and various land animal species, but marine mammals are discouraged by coastal sea ice. On Ellesmere Island, there are thirteen different types of spiders. A strange "thermal oasis" in Lake Hazen creates remarkably mild summers despite the severe climate. Tanquary Fiord experiences frost-free weather on average for 55 days.

Climate

Ellesmere Island experiences both an ice cap climate (Köppen EF) and a tundra climate (Köppen ET), with extremely low temperatures all year long. The high-pressure northern polar vortex and a low-pressure band that emerges at various locations between Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea dominate the weather. Due to the ice cover over the Arctic Ocean, north-westerly, chilly, and low humidity winds are the most common on Ellesmere. On Ellesmere, the seasons change abruptly and dramatically: the winters are long and bitter, the summers are short and comparatively plentiful, and the transitional seasons of spring and autumn are only a few weeks long.

In September, fog frequently forms near open sea. Up until April, there are consistently below-freezing temperatures, and no month is spared. Snow starts falling in late August and doesn't melt until the thaw in June. Extreme seasonal variations in light are also seen. From four and a half months in the north to around three months in the south, the polar night lasts.

Conclusion

The Canadian Arctic Archipelago's Ellesmere Island is a lonely and inhospitable area known for its expansive landscapes of Rocky Mountains, fjords, and ice shelves. It is the tenth-biggest island in the world and the largest of the Queen Elizabeth Islands. The island's unusual arctic desert environment is supported by its very cold temperatures and ice-covered landscapes.

A unique and delicate biological location, Ellesmere Island is home to herds of musk oxen, caribou, and polar bears as well as a variety of flora and animals. The island has attracted explorers and researchers for ages who are interested in learning more about this distant habitat despite its harsh climate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ellesmere Island's significance?

Ellesmere Island is the largest of the Queen Elizabeth Islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and is the 10th-largest island globally.

What unique wildlife can be found on Ellesmere Island?

Ellesmere Island is home to herds of musk oxen, caribou, and polar bears, along with various bird and land animal species.

How is the climate on Ellesmere Island?

Ellesmere Island experiences an ice cap and tundra climate, with extremely low temperatures all year long, long winters, and short summers.

What is the main protected area on the island?

The Quttinirpaaq National Park, established in 1988, is located on the northern tip of Ellesmere Island.

What is the largest lake in the arctic zone found on the island?

The Hazen Plateau in the south is dominated by Lake Hazen, the largest lake in the arctic zone.

Why is Ellesmere Island a unique ecological site?

Ellesmere Island's arctic desert ecosystem supports a fairly rich flora despite harsh conditions, including 151 types of moss.

What has attracted explorers and researchers to Ellesmere Island?

Ellesmere Island's remote wilderness and unique climate have drawn explorers and researchers seeking to understand its natural wonders.

How long does the polar night last on Ellesmere Island?

The polar night on Ellesmere Island lasts from around three months in the south to four and a half months in the north.