Whitehorse (French pronunciation: [waɪthɔrs]) is the capital and only city of Yukon, and the largest city in northern Canada. It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1426 (Historic Mile 918) on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse’s downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River, which originates in British Columbia and meets the Bering Sea in Alaska. The city was named after the White Horse Rapids for their resemblance to the mane of a white horse, near Miles Canyon, before the river was dammed.
Because of the city’s location in the Whitehorse valley and relative proximity to the Pacific Ocean, the climate is milder than comparable northern communities such as Yellowknife.[3] At this latitude winter days are short and summer days have up to about 19 hours of daylight.[4][5] Whitehorse, as reported by Guinness World Records, is the city with the least air pollution in the world.[6]
As of the 2016 census, the population was 25,085.[7] This represents approximately 70 percent of the entire population of Yukon Territory.
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