The Queen Charlotte Islands or Haida Gwaii ("Islands of the People"), and originally in Haida, Xhaaidlagha Gwaayaai ("islands on the edge of the world"), are an archipelago on the British Columbia Coast, Canada. They consist of two main islands: Graham Island in the north, and Moresby Island in the south, along with approximately 150 smaller islands with a total landmass of 10,180 km² (3,932 sq mi). Other major islands include Langara, Louise, Lyell, Burnaby, and Kunghit Island. The islands are separated from the British Columbia mainland to the east by Hecate Strait. Vancouver Island lies to the south, across Queen Charlotte Sound, while the U.S. state of Alaska is to the north, across the Dixon Entrance.
Some of the land, including the homelands of some of the Haida peoples, is jointly protected under federal and Haida legislation as Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site. The islands are home to an abundance of wildlife, including the largest subspecies of black bear (Ursus americana carlottae) and the subspecies of stoat Mustela erminea haidarum. The black-tailed deer and raccoon are introduced species that have become abundant.
Economy
The cash economy is blended, including art and natural resources, primarily logging and commercial fishing. Furthermore, service industries and government jobs provide about one-third of the jobs, and tourism has become a more prominent part of the economy in recent years, especially for fishing and tour guides, cycling, camping, and adventure tourism.
Population
At the time of colonial contact, the population was roughly 10,000 to 60,000 people, residing in several dozen towns and including slave populations drawn from other tribes. Ninety percent of the population died during the 1800s from smallpox; other diseases arrived as well, including typhoid, measles, and syphilis, affecting many more inhabitants. By 1900, only 350 people remained. Towns were abandoned as people left their homes for the towns of Skidegate and Masset, cannery towns on the mainland, or for Vancouver Island. Today, some 5000 people live on the islands. Indigenous people (Haida) live throughout the islands, and are concentrated around Skidegate and Old Masset, each with a population of about 1000. Anthony Island and the town of Ninstints were made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006; in the decision, the decline in population wrought by disease was referenced when citing the 'vanished civilization' of the Haida.
European exploration
The archipelago was visited in 1774 by Juan Pérez (at Langara Island) and in 1778 by Captain James Cook. In 1787 the islands were surveyed by Captain George Dixon. The islands were named by Captain Dixon after one of his ships, the Queen Charlotte, which was named after Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III of the United Kingdom.
The name Haida Gwaii is of modern coinage and was created as an alternative to the colonial name "Queen Charlotte Islands", to recognize the history of the Haida Nation. "Haida Gwaii" means "our land", while "Haida" on its own means not only "us" but also "people".
No longer in common usage is the more ancient and original name of 'Xaadala Gwayee' or, in alternative orthography, 'Xhaaydla Gwaayaay', meaning Islands on the Xhaaydla, that is to say, Islands on the Boundary between Worlds, 'Worlds' referring here to the forest, sea, and sky; indeed, the coastal villages of the Haida occur along the meeting of forest, sea, and sky.
Natural setting
The archipelago seems to have escaped much of the glaciation of the last ice age. That, and its subsequent isolation from the mainland, has produced what some call the "Galápagos of the North," a unique biological zone with many endemic animals and plants. Its climate, like that of the rest of the British Columbia and Alaskan coast in the area, is moderated by the Kuroshio Current, and features considerable precipitation and relatively mild temperatures throughout the year.
The Yakoun River, the largest on Graham Island, was the site of Kiidk'yaas (meaning "ancient tree"), the only naturally occurring golden Sitka Spruce in the world. The Golden Spruce was sacred to the Haida people, as well as a popular tourist attraction. The 500-year-old tree was illegally cut down by Grant Hadwin on January 22, 1997, as an apparent political protest against Canadian-government-sanctioned logging companies.
The islands are home to a wide variety of other large native trees, including the beautiful Western Redcedar, Yellow Cedar(Nootka Cypress), Shore Pine, Western Hemlock, Mountain Hemlock, and Red alder.
Another rare natural occurrence that was popular amongst tourists to Haida Gwaii was the White Raven. This was an albino raven that was often mistaken for an eagle or seagull owing to its unusual colouring. The White Raven lived around Port Clements and would commonly be seen taking food handouts from locals and visitors alike. It died after making contact with an electrical transformer, temporarily knocking out power to the town and surrounding area.
Earthquake hazards
The Queen Charlotte Islands are located along the Queen Charlotte Fault, an active transform fault that produces significant earthquakes every 3–30 years. The fault is the underwater meeting of the Pacific and North American Plates along the Queen Charlotte west coast. The largest recorded earthquake occurred in 1949, with a magnitude of 8.1 on the Richter Scale. The earthquake tipped cows, toppled chimneys, and an oil tank at Cumshewa Inlet collapsed. The most recent earthquakes were in January 2008, measuring up to magnitude 6.5.
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