28 Fun, Weird & Interesting Facts About Yellowknife
Yellowknife is one of two northern capitals that took me a long time to visit. Fortunately it was in the summer when the bugs were mostly gone and the temperatures were very pleasant. I’m not sure I’d want to be up there around the winter solstice but I would love to visit the city to catch the Northern Lights a little later in the year. Yellowknife is the closest city of any size to the North Pole – at least in North America! Here are 28 fun, weird and interesting facts about Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories.
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Yellowknife is 3,062 kilometres (1,902 miles) away from the North Pole.
Yellowknife sits on the shore of Great Slave Lake (the ninth largest lake in the world) near the outlet of the Yellowknife River. The lake is about the same size as Belgium. It’s also the deepest lake in North America boasting a depth of 614 metres (2,014 feet).
The population of Yellowknife in 2022 was 21,720. It’s the largest city in the Northwest Territories. Yellowknife has almost half the population of the entire Northwest Territories.
Yellowknife is the capital of the Northwest Territories. Seven out of the nineteen members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories are from Yellowknife.
Yellowknife became the capital of the Northwest Territories in 1967.
The name Yellowknife comes from a Dene band, the Yellowknives. They are long gone. They are actually very much alive and well as a number of commenters in March 2014 have pointed out to me!! It seems like I’ll have to eat a slice of humble pie. (At least I now have an invite to visit Dettah and N’Dilo.)
Languages spoken in Yellowknife include English only – 79.6%, French only – 4.3% and 14.7% speak other languages which include Filipino, Vietnamese, German, Dene, Dogrib and Inuktitut.
Thirty five percent of the population is under 25 years of age. Only 3.6% of the population are over 65 (695 people in total).
The major employers in Yellowknife include the Territorial Government, the Federal Government, Diavik Diamond Mines, BHP Billiton, First Air, Northwest Tel, RTL Robinson Trucking and the City of Yellowknife.
Yellowknife has a gold mining heritage. In the 1930’s mine tunnels burrowed beneath the city streets.
Yellowknife – the Diamond Capital of North America
Yellowknife is called the Diamond Capital of North America. There are three operating diamond mines close by. Canada has ranked as high as third in diamond production by value and sixth by weight because of the diamonds from these mines.
In 2010 a 78-carat diamond was discovered at the Ekati Diamond Mine.
There are a number of ice roads that allow land transportation to occur during the winter around Yellowknife. On the edge of Great Slave Lake the Dettah Ice Road connects Yellowknife to the First Nations community of Dettah.
There is a paved highway all the way to Yellowknife from northern Alberta. Four airlines offer daily jet service to the city.
Not much daylight in Yellowknife in winter
On the winter solstice the sun rises at 10:08 AM and sets at 3:06 PM. On the summer solstice the sun rises at 3:39 AM and sets at 11:39 PM.
There are only 10 days of measurable bright sunshine in December.
The lowest temperature ever recorded in Yellowknife was -51°C (-60°F) on January 31, 1947.
The hottest recorded temperature in Yellowknife was 32.5°C (90°F) on July 16, 1989. The average high temperature in July is 21.1°C.
On average there are five thunderstorms a year in Yellowknife.
In January there are on average 17 days with windchill below -40°C.
The most snow ever recorded in a single day was 24 cm on February 20, 1982.
As of October 2023, Yellowknife recorded more than 800 smoke hours (and still counting), doubling the 2014 record.
Northern lights in Yellowknife
Yellowknife is one of the best places in the world to see the northern lights. The ideal time to see them is from mid-August till the end of September and from mid-November until mid-April. There are lodges like where you can watch the northern lights all night long from the comfort of your room.
The Canadian Championship Yellowknife Dog Derby was/is (?) held annually at the end of March. The race covers 150 miles on Great Slave Lake and takes place over three days.
Yellowknife is a superb spot for fishing. You can catch 35 kg lake trout from Great Slave Lake as well as monster-sized northern pike. There are over twelve fishing lodges just minutes away from Yellowknife by floatplane.
Yellowknife is just a short drive and a portage away from Hidden Lake Territorial Park – one of the prettiest places I’ve ever paddled. Another fabulous canoe trip that starts an hour from Yellowknife takes you from the Cameron River Ramparts to Yellowknife over several days.
If you’re an adventurous eater you’ll love Yellowknife. Try the muskox or bison. Fish lovers can enjoy Arctic char, whitefish, pickerel, lake trout and northern pike.
Sister cities of Yellowknife include Reno, Nevada, Fairbanks, Alaska and Yakutsk, Sakha Republic in Russia.
The Gold Range Bar is one of the oldest drinking spots in the Northwest Territories. It’s featured in two novels –Late Nights on Airby Elizabeth Hay andSolomon Gursky Was Hereby Mordecai Richler.
Vic Mercredi, a Métis hockey player is the first person from the Northwest Territories to be drafted by the NHL. Other residents of notoriety include Les Stroud, Max Ward and Margot Kidder.
Do you have any more fun or interesting facts about Yellowknife to share?
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@Greg Just now I have been trying to confirm that – but nothing I click on downloads. I also spent about 10 days in Kampala a few years ago – and I too find it interesting how these “sisters” relationships begin. Some of them certainly seem to fade away over time.
Thanks for stopping by today.
I thought we were also sister cities with Kampala , Uganda. Our old mayor pat macman setbthat up I thought. Always hit me as strange why she would pick Kampala, nice place good beer and cheap grub I spend a few weeks there in 1992.
@Christel I would have been very concerned as a young mother with a baby and such cold temperatures. I’m betting she was pretty darned happy when that cold spell broke. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment.
Just to add a couple of things. I believe the highest recorded temperature in summer for Yellowknife was 40 c! When I was a baby -, one New Year’s Eve, mom picked me up from the babysitter’s place. She had said, with the wind chill, it was -90 f (which converted is -67.8 c). Sure glad I was a baby! Thank you for posting Yellowknife facts. So enjoyed it.
Actually it hit 40C last summer, and was a record breaker. Also -51 is not -60 F Once the temp reaches -40 it’s the same in Fahrenheit. And the sun doesn’t set in summer not fully. And yes Yellowknives Dene are alive and well just like many of us First Nations that people seem to think have gone extinct.
@Cin I totally screwed up – but at least I have brought some attentions to what I hear is a thriving community of the Dene people.
@Connie I stand corrected and good to hear you’re alive and well.
@Jacquie Seems I’ve ignited a small storm in error. Thanks for the link.
@Leah Good news. I am coming up to Yellowknife in August though I only have one free evening. I have a canoe trip planned along part of the Ingraham Trail. I do love the sound of your bike ride though and if you’re looking for riders I’d be happy to share via my social networks.
The Yellowknives Dene aren’t “long gone”: http://www.ykdene.com/
@Eve I’m not sure where I sourced that fact but thank you for pointing it out. A correction has been made.
so when are you coming up to Yellowknife? I would love for you to see the community, bring you to see Dettah & N’Dilo, the two aboriginal communties that the Yellowknives Dene decentants live, Actually they dont’ just live only there but pretty much like regular people they live within Yellowknife as well, in other communties etc. It woudl be good to have you come up, maybe you could join us in our annual biking from Yellowknife to Hay River in June? If you want more information please email me and I will send you the links.
I was born and raised in Yellowknife and I am a member of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. We are not long gone. Ndilo is also a community of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and not just Dettah.
Every March Yellowknife hosts an annual 3 day winter festival called the Long John Jamboree. The Jamboree has a sub-event call the DeBeers Inspired Ice – NWT Ice Carving Championships. Spectacular ice carvings from world class carvers!! Also, as a correction to one of your points above…the Yellowknives Dene First Nation are still here in the area proud and strong. Thanks for posting all the interesting facts!
@Cory Thank you for throwing in your two cents worth – in a very positive manner. I have since corrected my mistake.
@Unimpressed And maybe you could take the time to scroll down to the end of the post – or actually read the post – so you could see the link to every one of the images. I ALWAYS DO THAT and I don’t go leaving snarky comments behind an anonymous name. That’s as gutless as it gets.
Great fun facts! The mines under the streets sound scary, but everything else sounds fascinating. I’d love to experience their summer temperatures instead of my hot and humid ones…. and I’d certainly love to see the Northern Lights. Anything Arctic is on my wish list. Hope you get to go there soon 🙂
@Ayelet I havenm’t been to Yellowknife yet but I’d also love to go. Dogsledding, boating and the Northern Lights are all calling me.
@Scott I’d love to go up to Yellowknife in the spring – when the days are getting longer but you can still catch the Northern Lights.
That sounds like a fun place. It’s more diverse and younger than I would have expected. Really far north cities are fascinating. I’d love to check it out.
I love your lists and have absolutely nothing to add. Must be really hard to accumulate so many facts.
Another interesting place to add to my future’s list. . .love your facts about places.
@Jackie @Mette I love the research and finding the info. I go through a lot of sites to find it.
I grew up on Latham Island in Yellowknife back in the 70’s.
I highly recommend a trip there.
I can provide you with tons of tips about interesting places to visit, like tin can hill and ragged ass road and Lois Land and Stan the Man’s Shack.
YOu must vist the Strange Range for a drink or you are a double weenie.
🙂
Forrest
I love what you’ve written Forrest!! I will definitely visit the Strange Range as I don’t want to be a double weenie!!
I grew up on Latham Island in Yellowknife back in the 70’s.
I highly recommend a trip there.
I can provide you with tons of tips about interesting places to visit, like tin can hill and ragged ass road and Lois Land and Stan the Man’s Shack.
YOu must vist the Strange Range for a drink or you are a double weenie.
🙂
Forrest