King William Island

King William Island is a large island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, in Nunavut, named after King William IV and notable for its role in 19th century polar exploration. The island is sparsely populated and dominated by tundra and Arctic coastal landscapes.

The island’s primary human presence is the community of Gjoa Haven on the southeast coast, which provides the only regular air access and basic visitor facilities. The shoreline and surrounding seas are used for wildlife observation - marine mammals and migratory birds occur seasonally.

European and Indigenous histories intersect on the island; it became prominent in written records during the mid-19th century because of the Franklin Expedition losses. In the early 20th century the area was visited by explorers such as Roald Amundsen, who wintered at Gjoa Haven in 1903-1905.

Geographically it sits in the central Canadian Arctic, southwest of Victoria Island and within the territory of Nunavut. The landscape is low-lying Arctic tundra with a jagged coastline and numerous inlets and channels.

• Getting there: Access is seasonal and remote - most visitors arrive by air to Gjoa Haven; charter boats visit in summer from other Arctic communities.
• Franklin Expedition: Significant Franklin Expedition archaeology has been found on and near the island, including the wreck of HMS Erebus discovered in nearby waters in 2014.

What to See #

• Gjoa Haven: A small Arctic community on the island's southeastern coast that serves as the main access point for visitors and the seat of local government. It was the wintering place of Roald Amundsen in 1903-1905 and has an airstrip with scheduled flights from larger Nunavut centres.