Baffin Island
Largest Canadian island, inhabited for at least 3,000 years.
Baffin Island is part of Nunavut, a Canadian territory. It ranks as Canada’s biggest island, the Americas’ second-largest (after Greenland), and the world’s fifth-largest. Its area measured 507,204.95 square kilometres as of July 31, 2026, and its population density sits at 0.026 people per square kilometre. The 2021 Canadian census recorded 13,039 residents. The island lies at coordinates 68°N 70°W. Nunavut’s capital, Iqaluit, sits on Frobisher Bay at the island’s southern tip. People have lived here for at least 3,000 years—possibly much longer—and traces of the earliest known circumpolar groups survive on the island. The Inuktitut name for Baffin Island is Qikiqtaaluk (ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃ), meaning “very big island” (qikiqtaq “island” plus -aluk “very big”). This name also applies to the administrative region (Qikiqtaaluk Region) and to several smaller islands in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, including ones in Baffin Bay and Foxe Basin. Norse explorers likely called it Helluland, or “stone land.” In 1576, English sailor Martin Frobisher—who gave his name to Frobisher Bay—landed on the island and named it “Queen Elizabeth’s Foreland.” The current name honors English explorer William Baffin, who charted Baffin Bay in 1616; Edward Parry bestowed it in 1821. Iqaluit lies on the southeastern coast. Until 1987, the town was called Frobisher Bay, after the English name for the bay it sits on (named for Martin Frobisher). That year, residents voted to restore the Inuktitut name. To the south, Hudson Strait separates Baffin Island from mainland Quebec. Fury and Hecla Strait lies south of the island’s western end, dividing it from the Melville Peninsula on the mainland. Eastward are Davis Strait and Baffin Bay, with Greenland beyond. Prince Regent Inlet and the Gulf of Boothia separate the island from Somerset Island and the Boothia Peninsula, respectively. Foxe Basin, containing Prince Charles Island, sits to the southwest. Lancaster Sound lies to the north, separating Baffin Island from Devon Island and the rest of the Queen Elizabeth Islands. The Baffin Mountains run along the northeastern coast, part of the Arctic Cordillera. Mount Odin is the highest peak, with an elevation of at least 2,143 metres (some sources say 2,147 metres). Another notable peak is Mount Asgard, in Auyuittuq National Park, at 2,011 metres. Mount Thor, at 1,675 metres, is said to have the greatest purely vertical drop of any mountain on Earth—a sheer cliff face of 1,250 metres. The island’s two largest lakes lie in the south-central area: Nettilling Lake (5,542 square kilometres) and Amadjuak Lake (3,115 square kilometres), further south. Baffin Island has been inhabited for more than 3,000 years. The first people were pre-Dorset, followed by the Dorset, and then the Thule—ancestors of the Inuit—who have lived here for the last thousand years. The Thule genetically and culturally replaced the Dorset sometime after 1300 CE. Around 986, Erik the Red established three settlements near Greenland’s southwestern tip. In late 985 or 986, Bjarni Herjólfsson, sailing from Iceland to Greenland, was blown off course and sighted land southwest of Greenland. He is considered the first European to see Baffin Island and the first to see North America beyond Greenland. About 15 years later, around the year 1000, Norse Greenlanders led by Leif Erikson began exploring new areas. Baffin Island is thought to be Helluland, and the archaeological site at Tanfield Valley is believed to have been a trading post. The Saga of Erik the Red (translated into English in 1880 by J. Sephton) describes the Norse landing: “They sailed away from land; then to the Vestribygd and to Bjarneyjar (the Bear Islands). Thence they sailed away from Bjarneyjar with northerly winds. They were out at sea two half-days. Then they came to land, and rowed along it in boats, and explored it, and found there flat stones, many and so great that two men might well lie on them stretched on their backs with heel to heel. Polar-foxes were there in abundance. This land they gave name to, and called it Helluland (stone-land).”
In September 2008, the *Nunatsiaq News* reported that Patricia Sutherland, then at the Canadian Museum of Civilization, had found archaeological remains including yarn, cordage, rat droppings, tally sticks, a carved wooden Dorset face mask with Caucasian features, and possible architectural remains. These suggested European traders or settlers had been on Baffin Island no later than 1000 CE. The source of this Old World contact remains unclear and controversial. The newspaper noted that dating of some yarn and other artifacts presumed to be Viking left on Baffin Island produced an age predating the Vikings by several hundred years. Sutherland argued that if spinning was not an indigenous technique in Arctic North America, these finds might represent evidence of contact with Europeans before the Vikings reached Greenland. Her research led to a 2012 announcement that whetstones had been found with remnants of alloys indicative of Viking presence.
- area
- 507,204.95 km² (195,832.93 sq mi)
- population
- 13,039 (2021 Canadian census)
- population_density
- 0.026/km² (0.067/sq mi)
- location
- 68°N 70°W
- capital
- Iqaluit
- highest_point
- Mount Odin (2,143–2,147 m)
- known_for
- Largest island in Canada; Norse site Helluland; Mount Thor's vertical drop
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The Inuktitut name for the island is Qikiqtaaluk, meaning 'very big island' (qikiqtaq 'island' + -aluk 'very big'), written in Inuktitut syllabics as ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃ. Norse explorers are believed to have referred to it as Helluland ('stone land'). In 1576, English seaman Martin Frobisher made landfall, naming it 'Queen Elizabeth's Foreland.' The island's present name refers to English explorer William Baffin, who charted Baffin Bay in 1616, and was bestowed by Edward Parry in 1821. The Baffin Mountains run along the northeastern coast, part of the Arctic Cordillera. The highest peak is Mount Odin, with an elevation of at least 2,143 metres. Mount Thor, at 1,675 metres, is said to have the greatest purely vertical drop of any mountain on Earth, at 1,250 metres. The two largest lakes are Nettilling Lake (5,542 km²) and Amadjuak Lake (3,115 km²) in the south-central part.
Reader's Guide
Baffin Island has been inhabited for over 3,000 years, first by the pre-Dorset, followed by the Dorset, and then by the Thule people, ancestors of the Inuit, who have lived on the island for the last thousand years. The Thule genetically and culturally completely replaced the Dorset people some time after 1300 CE. In about 986, Erik the Red formed settlements near Greenland. Bjarni Herjólfsson, sailing from Iceland to Greenland around 985 or 986, was blown off course and is thought to be the first European to see Baffin Island. About 15 years later, Norse Greenlanders led by Leif Erikson explored new areas around the year 1000; Baffin Island is thought to be Helluland, and the archaeological site at Tanfield Valley is thought to have been a trading post. A long-running debate disputes whether Vikings taught indigenous peoples to spin yarn. In 2018, Michele Hayeur Smith of Brown University wrote that spinning hair and wool into plied yarn likely developed naturally within the context of complex, indigenous Arctic fiber technologies, not through European contact. The only confirmed Norse site in North America outside Greenland remains L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland.
Did You Know?
- Mount Thor has the greatest purely vertical drop of any mountain on Earth, at 1,250 metres (4,100 ft).
- The Inuktitut name Qikiqtaaluk means 'very big island' and is written as ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃ in syllabics.
- Bjarni Herjólfsson appears to be the first European to see Baffin Island, around 985 or 986 CE.
- The only confirmed Norse site in North America outside Greenland is L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland.
- The population of Baffin Island at the 2021 Canadian census was 13,039, with 72.17% identifying as Inuit.
Scale & Physical Geography
Baffin Island is the largest island in Canada, the second-largest island in the Americas (behind Greenland), and the fifth-largest island in the world. As of July 31, 2026, its area is 507,204.95 square kilometres (195,832.93 square miles) with a population density of 0.026/km² (0.067/sq mi). It is located at 68°N 70°W. To the south lies Hudson Strait, separating Baffin Island from mainland Quebec. South of the western end is Fury and Hecla Strait, separating the island from the Melville Peninsula. To the east are Davis Strait and Baffin Bay, with Greenland to the east. Prince Regent Inlet and the Gulf of Boothia separate the island from Somerset Island and the Boothia Peninsula. Foxe Basin, with Prince Charles Island, is in the southwest. In the north, Lancaster Sound separates it from Devon Island and the Queen Elizabeth Islands. The Baffin Mountains run along the northeastern coast, part of the Arctic Cordillera. The highest peak is Mount Odin, with an elevation of at least 2,143 metres (7,031 feet), though some sources say 2,147 m (7,044 ft). Mount Asgard in Auyuittuq National Park has an elevation of 2,011 m (6,598 ft). Mount Thor, at 1,675 m (5,495 ft), is said to have the greatest purely vertical drop of any mountain on Earth, at 1,250 m (4,100 ft). The two largest lakes are Nettilling Lake (5,542 km²; 2,140 sq mi) and Amadjuak Lake (3,115 km²; 1,203 sq mi) in the south-central part.
Naming & Cultural Identity
The Inuktitut name for the island is Qikiqtaaluk, which means 'very big island' (qikiqtaq 'island' + -aluk 'very big'), written in Inuktitut syllabics as ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃ. This name is used for the administrative region Qikiqtaaluk Region, as well as for smaller islands in Baffin Bay and Foxe Basin. Norse explorers are believed to have referred to it as Helluland ('stone land'). In 1576, English seaman Martin Frobisher made landfall, naming it 'Queen Elizabeth's Foreland.' The island's present name refers to English explorer William Baffin, who charted Baffin Bay in 1616, and was bestowed by Edward Parry in 1821. Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, is located on the southeastern coast. Until 1987, the town was called Frobisher Bay; that year, the community voted to restore the Inuktitut name.
Three Millennia of Indigenous Inhabitation
Baffin Island has been inhabited for at least 3,000 years and possibly much longer; evidence of the earliest known circumpolar peoples is evident on the islands. It was first inhabited by the pre-Dorset, followed by the Dorset, and then by the Thule people, ancestors of the Inuit, who have lived on the island for the last thousand years. The Thule people genetically and culturally completely replaced the Dorset people some time after 1300 CE. The population of Baffin Island at the 2021 Canadian census was 13,039. As of the 2016 Canadian census, the majority (74.06%) were Indigenous peoples and 25.83% were non-Indigenous. Of the total population, 72.17% are Inuit, 0.92% are First Nations, and 0.73% are Métis. Except for a few First Nations people in Arctic Bay, all non-Inuit Indigenous peoples live in Iqaluit.
European Encounters & the Viking-Archaic Mystery
In about 986, Erik Thorvaldsson (Erik the Red) formed three settlements near the southwestern tip of Greenland. In late 985 or 986, Bjarni Herjólfsson, sailing from Iceland to Greenland, was blown off course and sighted land southwest of Greenland. Bjarni appears to be the first European to see Baffin Island and the first European to see North America beyond Greenland. About 15 years later, Norse Greenlanders led by Leif Erikson started exploring new areas around the year 1000. Baffin Island is thought to be Helluland, and the archaeological site at Tanfield Valley is thought to have been a trading post. In September 2008, Patricia Sutherland reported finding archaeological remains of yarn, cordage, rat droppings, tally sticks, a carved Dorset culture face mask depicting Caucasian features, and possible architectural remains, indicating European contact by 1000 CE. Dating of some yarn and other artifacts produced an age that predates the Vikings by several hundred years. In 2012, whetstones were found with remnants of alloys indicative of Viking presence. However, in 2018, Michele Hayeur Smith wrote that spinning hair and wool into plied yarn likely developed naturally within the context of complex, indigenous Arctic fiber technologies, not through European contact. William W. Fitzhugh wrote that there is insufficient published evidence to support Sutherland's claims, and that the Dorset were using spun cordage by the 6th century. The only confirmed Norse site in North America outside Greenland remains L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Baffin Island?
Baffin Island is a large landmass in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, sitting at roughly 68°N 70°W in the Arctic. It serves as the seat of Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, and has been home to Indigenous peoples for at least three millennia.
How big is Baffin Island compared to other islands?
At about 507,205 square kilometres, it holds the title of Canada's largest island and ranks second in the Americas behind Greenland. Globally, it sits as the fifth-largest island in the world.
Who lives on Baffin Island and how many people are there?
The 2021 Canadian census recorded a population of roughly 13,039 residents, giving the island an extremely low density of about 0.026 people per square kilometre. The community traces its lineage back through the Thule culture to the ancestors of today's Inuit, following earlier Dorset and pre-Dorset inhabitants.
What is Baffin Island's connection to European exploration?
Norse sailors referred to the land as Helluland, and later English explorers Martin Frobisher and William Baffin both made notable voyages to its shores in the 16th and 17th centuries. Those encounters helped cement the island's place in the broader narrative of Arctic discovery.
What is the highest point on Baffin Island?
Mount Odin, rising to approximately 2,143–2,147 metres above sea level, is the island's tallest peak. It stands out in an otherwise vast tundra and glacial landscape that covers most of the 507,000-square-kilometre landmass.
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