Carved out of the eastern half of the Northwest Territories, Nunavut ("our land" in the Inuktitut language) became Canada's third territory on April 1, 1999. Nunavut is roughly the size of Alaska and California combined. Its population is nearly 30,000; 85 percent of the people are Inuit. Their once-nomadic lifestyle has yielded to a community-based existence, though traditional heritage is strong. Nunavut winters last for nine months, and the average temperature in January hovers around minus 6¡C. The Polaris lead-zinc mine on Little Cornwallis Island is the world's northernmost metal mine.