Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Churchill, Manitoba
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Churchill_aerial_view.JPG
Author: Peterfitzgerald


Churchill is a city on the southwestern shore of Hudson Bay, in Manitoba, Canada. It covers 53.96 sq km (20.83 sq mi) and has a population of less than a thousand people (2012 estimate). Due to the frequent polar bears encounters in the city center, Churchill is often called the Polar Bear Capital of the World.

The Danish expedition led by Jens Munk was the first group of Europeans to arrive in the Churchill area in 1619. At that time, the area was inhabited by the Chipewyan and Cree tribes of First Nations people. The present name dates to 1717, when the Hudson's Bay Company built a permanent settlement there, and named it after the 1st Duke of Marlborough, John Churchill (1650-1722), an ancestor of British war-time prime minister, Winston Churchill.

Polar Bear Statue, Churchill
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Churchill_polar_bear_statue.JPG
Author: Ian Stewart


Between the 18th and 20th century, the fur trade gave way for agriculture in the Churchill area. The city itself was turned into a shipping harbour after the First World War. Still, it was many years before commercial shipping picked up.

Today Churchill has developed as a destination of ecotourism. It is a place for viewing polar bears and beluga whales as well as the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights.

Visiting Churchill

There are regular flights to Churchill from Winnipeg on Calm Air and Kivalliq Air. You can also take the train from Winnipeg, a journey of 36 hours.

Places of Interest in Churchill

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