Banks Island

Banks Island, westernmost island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Inuvik region, Northwest Territories; it lies northwest of Victoria Island and is separated from the mainland (south) by Amundsen Gulf. About 250 miles (400 km) long and 110–180 miles (180–290 km) wide, it has an area of 27,038 square miles (70,028 square km). Its hilly terrain ranges from 1,100-foot (335-metre) cliffs along the north shore to Durham Heights (2,500 feet [760 metres]) at the southern tip. The island is the habitat of Arctic foxes, wolves, caribou, polar bears, and many birds. First sighted by Sir William Parry’s expedition in 1820, it was named for Sir Joseph Banks. Vilhjalmur Stefansson explored the interior in 1914–17. Sachs Harbour on its southwest coast, with air service to Inuvik on the mainland, is a base for trappers (especially of white fox) and for oil exploration.