our communities

Nunam Iqua

With a population of 187, Nunam Iqua is on a south fork of the Yukon River, about nine miles south of Alakanuk and 18 miles southwest of Emmonak on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. In Yup'ik, the name means "end of the tundra." It lies 500 miles northwest of Anchorage. The maritime climate averages 60 inches of snowfall and 18 inches of precipitation per year. Temperatures range from -25 to 78 °F. Heavy winds in the fall and winter often limit accessibility. The Bering Sea is ice-free from mid-June through October. Nunam Iqua was historically the location of summer fish camps, due to its location near the Black River.

The first U.S. Census report of the village recorded a population of 43 residents in 1950. It was incorportaed as The City of Sheldon Point in 1974. In November 1999, residents voted to change the city name to the City of Nunam Iqua. Commercial fishing and subsistence activities are the means of support in this Yup'ik village. Commercial fishing is the economic foundation of the community. Residents harvest salmon, beluga whale, seal, moose, and waterfowl. Currently, 14 residents hold commercial fishing permits, and 12 residents hold a fresh water fish permit provided by Kwik’Pak Fisheries. Subsistence activities and trapping supplement earned income. Nunam Iqua has easy access by boat and barge. Float plane landing sites are available at Kwemeluk Pass and Swan Lake. In the winter, snowmachines serve as the primary mode of inter-village transportation.

bia homes in nunam iqua