Baffin Island lies north of the Canadian mainland. It is part of the Canadian territory called Nunavut. The island covers 195,927 square miles (507,451 square kilometers) and is the fifth largest island in the world. It has a rich iron ore deposit. A few Danes and Inuit (formerly called Eskimos) live along the high, rocky coast. Canada and the United States have radar stations on Baffin Island as part of their North Warning System. Auyuittuq National Park and part of Sirmilik National Park are on the island.
Baffin Island is separated from Greenland to the north by Baffin Bay. The southeastern end of the bay opens into a wide channel called Davis Strait. The bay is about 700 miles (1,100 kilometers) long, and 70 to 400 miles (110 to 640 kilometers) wide. It is free from ice for only a short time in the summer. Black whales, walruses, and seals live in the bay. The bay and island are named for William Baffin, who explored the area in 1616.
