- Melville Island
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an island in the Arctic Ocean, N of Canada, belonging to Canada. 200 mi. (320 km) long; 130 mi. (210 km) wide.
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IIsland in the Timor Sea, off the coast of Northern Territory, Australia.It is 80 miles (130 km) long and 55 mi (88 km) wide, with an area of 2,240 sq mi (5,800 sq km). It was sighted by the Dutch in 1644; the British built Fort Dundas there in 1824. Melville Island, known to Aboriginals as Yermalner, is one of the few areas in Australia still occupied by its original Aboriginal peoples, the Tiwi, and in 1978 ownership of the island passed from the Australian government to the Tiwi Land Council.IIOne of the largest of the Parry Islands, in the Arctic Ocean, Canada.Located north of Victoria Island, it is 200 mi (320 km) long and 30–130 mi (50–210 km) wide, with an area of 16,274 sq mi (42,149 sq km). It has no human inhabitants, but it supports musk oxen and has natural-gas deposits. It was discovered in 1819 by William Parry.* * *
▪ island, Arctic Ocean, Canadaone of the largest of the Parry Islands, in the Arctic Ocean, divided between the Northwest Territories and Nunavut territory, Canada. Separated from Victoria Island (south) by Viscount Melville Sound and from Banks Island (southwest) by McClure Strait, Melville Island is about 200 miles (320 km) long and 30–130 miles (50–210 km) wide with an area of 16,274 square miles (42,149 square km). Deeply indented by Hecla and Griper Bay on the north coast and by Liddon Gulf on the southwest, the island rises in the northwest to 3,500 feet (1,067 metres). It has no human habitation but supports musk-oxen and has natural-gas deposits. Discovered (1819) by Sir William Parry, it was named for Robert Saunders Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville, then first lord of the Admiralty.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
