Sanirajak
Sanirajak (Inuktitut meaning the shoreline[7]), Syllabics: ᓴᓂᕋᔭᒃ), formerly known as Hall Beach until 27 February 2020,[8] is an Inuit settlement within the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada, approximately 69 km (43 mi) south of Igloolik.
Sanirajak 
    ᓴᓂᕋᔭᒃ  | |
|---|---|
![]() North Warning site 1997  | |
![]() Sanirajak ![]() Sanirajak  | |
| Coordinates: 68°47′25″N 081°14′15″W[1] | |
| Country | Canada | 
| Territory | Nunavut | 
| Region | Qikiqtaaluk | 
| Electoral district | Amittuq | 
| Settled | 1953 | 
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Jaypetee Audlakiakk | 
| • MLA Amittuq | Joelie Kaernerk | 
| Area  (2021)[5]  | |
| • Total | 16.36 km2 (6.32 sq mi) | 
| Elevation | 8 m (26 ft) | 
| Population  (2021)[5]  | |
| • Total | 891 | 
| • Density | 54.5/km2 (141/sq mi) | 
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) | 
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) | 
| Canadian Postal code | |
| Area code | 867 | 
History
    
It was established in 1957 during the construction of a Distant Early Warning (DEW) site. Currently the settlement is home to a North Warning System (68°45′44″N 081°13′44″W) radar facility and the Hall Beach Airport.
In 1971, seven sounding rockets of the Tomahawk Sandia type were launched from Sanirajak, some reaching altitudes of 270 km (170 mi).[9]
Demographics
    
| Year | Pop. | ±% | 
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 287 | — | 
| 1981 | 349 | +21.6% | 
| 1986 | 451 | +29.2% | 
| 1991 | 526 | +16.6% | 
| 1996 | 543 | +3.2% | 
| 2001 | 609 | +12.2% | 
| 2006 | 654 | +7.4% | 
| 2011 | 736 | +12.5% | 
| 2016 | 848 | +15.2% | 
| 2021 | 891 | +5.1% | 
| Source: Statistics Canada [5][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]  | ||
In the 2021 Canadian census conducted by Statistics Canada, Sanirajak (Hall Beach) had a population of 891 living in 197 of its 205 total private dwellings, a change of 5.1% from its 2016 population of 848. With a land area of 16.36 km2 (6.32 sq mi), it had a population density of 54.5/km2 (141.1/sq mi) in 2021.[5]
Geography
    

Climate
    
Sanirajak has a tundra climate (“ET”), a polar climate sub-type under the Köppen climate classification, without the presence of trees, and iced over for most of the year.[19] Summers are very short and cool, with chilly nights. Winters are long and extremely cold, lasting most of the year with little chance of a thaw.
| Climate data for Sanirajak (Hall Beach Airport) WMO ID: 71081; coordinates 68°46′33″N 81°14′33″W; elevation: 9.1 m (30 ft); 1981–2010 normals,  | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | 
| Record high humidex | 0.0 | 0.4 | −0.6 | 2.2 | 4.0 | 21.1 | 27.9 | 28.0 | 14.0 | 4.3 | 0.3 | −0.9 | 28.0 | 
| Record high °C (°F) | 1.3 (34.3)  | 
0.4 (32.7)  | 
−0.5 (31.1)  | 
3.3 (37.9)  | 
4.4 (39.9)  | 
21.1 (70.0)  | 
23.3 (73.9)  | 
24.8 (76.6)  | 
13.5 (56.3)  | 
4.2 (39.6)  | 
−0.1 (31.8)  | 
0.4 (32.7)  | 
24.8 (76.6)  | 
| Average high °C (°F) | −27.9 (−18.2)  | 
−28.4 (−19.1)  | 
−24.2 (−11.6)  | 
−15.0 (5.0)  | 
−4.9 (23.2)  | 
3.2 (37.8)  | 
10.1 (50.2)  | 
7.7 (45.9)  | 
2.1 (35.8)  | 
−5.2 (22.6)  | 
−14.9 (5.2)  | 
−22.5 (−8.5)  | 
−10.0 (14.0)  | 
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −31.9 (−25.4)  | 
−32.5 (−26.5)  | 
−28.7 (−19.7)  | 
−19.9 (−3.8)  | 
−8.8 (16.2)  | 
1.0 (33.8)  | 
6.7 (44.1)  | 
5.0 (41.0)  | 
0.3 (32.5)  | 
−8.0 (17.6)  | 
−19.0 (−2.2)  | 
−26.6 (−15.9)  | 
−13.6 (7.5)  | 
| Average low °C (°F) | −35.8 (−32.4)  | 
−36.6 (−33.9)  | 
−33.3 (−27.9)  | 
−24.8 (−12.6)  | 
−12.7 (9.1)  | 
−1.3 (29.7)  | 
3.3 (37.9)  | 
2.2 (36.0)  | 
−1.5 (29.3)  | 
−10.9 (12.4)  | 
−23.1 (−9.6)  | 
−30.7 (−23.3)  | 
−17.1 (1.2)  | 
| Record low °C (°F) | −50.0 (−58.0)  | 
−54.1 (−65.4)  | 
−52.5 (−62.5)  | 
−44.1 (−47.4)  | 
−31.1 (−24.0)  | 
−20.6 (−5.1)  | 
−3.3 (26.1)  | 
−5.1 (22.8)  | 
−16.7 (1.9)  | 
−33.6 (−28.5)  | 
−42.2 (−44.0)  | 
−53.9 (−65.0)  | 
−54.1 (−65.4)  | 
| Record low wind chill | −72.8 | −71.7 | −66.6 | −58.0 | −44.7 | −32.7 | −7.8 | −11.7 | −25.1 | −49.6 | −61.4 | −64.6 | −72.8 | 
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 6.1 (0.24)  | 
4.8 (0.19)  | 
7.1 (0.28)  | 
12.0 (0.47)  | 
15.7 (0.62)  | 
18.2 (0.72)  | 
25.7 (1.01)  | 
44.0 (1.73)  | 
28.9 (1.14)  | 
24.4 (0.96)  | 
19.2 (0.76)  | 
9.3 (0.37)  | 
215.4 (8.48)  | 
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.0 (0.0)  | 
0.0 (0.0)  | 
0.0 (0.0)  | 
0.2 (0.01)  | 
2.2 (0.09)  | 
11.2 (0.44)  | 
25.6 (1.01)  | 
41.3 (1.63)  | 
17.2 (0.68)  | 
1.5 (0.06)  | 
0.1 (0.00)  | 
0.0 (0.0)  | 
99.3 (3.91)  | 
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 7.3 (2.9)  | 
6.0 (2.4)  | 
9.2 (3.6)  | 
14.4 (5.7)  | 
15.4 (6.1)  | 
7.2 (2.8)  | 
0.1 (0.0)  | 
3.1 (1.2)  | 
12.0 (4.7)  | 
27.6 (10.9)  | 
24.0 (9.4)  | 
10.6 (4.2)  | 
136.8 (53.9)  | 
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 6.7 | 5.4 | 7.4 | 9.0 | 9.7 | 8.9 | 10.6 | 13.5 | 11.0 | 14.5 | 11.6 | 8.4 | 116.4 | 
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 5.8 | 10.6 | 12.8 | 6.1 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 37.5 | 
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 7.2 | 5.7 | 7.6 | 9.4 | 9.8 | 4.6 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 6.7 | 14.5 | 12.6 | 9.0 | 88.5 | 
| Average afternoon relative humidity (%) (at 1500 LST) | 66.6 | 67.0 | 69.5 | 75.7 | 83.4 | 86.9 | 77.7 | 81.1 | 83.7 | 86.1 | 78.2 | 71.3 | 77.3 | 
| Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010[20][21] | |||||||||||||
References
    
- "Sanirajak". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
 - "Sanirajak". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
 - "Municipal Election Results 2019-2020" (PDF). Elections Nunavut. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
 - "2021 General Election" (PDF). Elections Nunavut. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
 - "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Nunavut". Statistics Canada. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
 - Elevation at airport. Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 16 July 2020 to 0901Z 10 September 2020.
 - "Sanirajak (Hall Beach)". Retrieved 21 January 2023.
 - Tranter, Emma (28 February 2020). "Nunavut minister signs off on name changes for two communities". Nunatsiaq News. Nortext Publishing Corporation. Nunatsiaq News. Archived from the original on 17 August 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
 - "Hall Beach". Archived from the original on 2 December 2008.
 - "1976 Census of Canada: Population - Geographic Distributions" (PDF). Statistics Canada. June 1977. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
 - "1981 Census of Canada: Census subdivisions in decreasing population order" (PDF). Statistics Canada. May 1992. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
 - "1986 Census: Population - Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions" (PDF). Statistics Canada. September 1987. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
 - "91 Census: Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions - Population and Dwelling Counts" (PDF). Statistics Canada. April 1992. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
 - "96 Census: A National Overview - Population and Dwelling Counts" (PDF). Statistics Canada. April 1997. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
 - "Population and Dwelling Counts, for Canada, Provinces and Territories, and Census Subdivisions (Municipalities), 2001 and 1996 Censuses - 100% Data (Nunavut)". Statistics Canada. 15 August 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
 - "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data (Nunavut)". Statistics Canada. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
 - "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2011 and 2006 censuses (Nunavut)". Statistics Canada. 25 July 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
 - "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Nunavut)". Statistics Canada. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
 - "Hall Beach, Nunavut Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)". Weatherbase. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
 - "Hall Beach A". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment and Climate Change Canada. 1 December 2022. Climate ID: 2402350. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
 - "Almanac Averages and Extremes for July 26". climate.weather.gc.ca. Environment and Climate Change Canada. 31 October 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
 
Further reading
    
- McAlpine PJ, and NE Simpson. 1976. "Fertility and Other Demographic Aspects of the Canadian Eskimo Communities of Igloolik and Hall Beach". Human Biology; an International Record of Research. 48, no. 1: 114–38.
 - Wenzel, George W. 1997. "Using Harvest Research in Nunavut: An Example from Hall Beach". Arctic Anthropology. 34, no. 1: 18.
 
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