The Canadian territory of Nunavut ('Our land' in Inuktitut) was created on April 1, 1999, after the 1993 Nunavut Land Claims Agreement (NLCA) resulted in the division of the Northwest Territories and the creation of a 13th jurisdiction at the provincial/territorial level. 85 per cent of Nunavut's population of 30,000 are Inuit, making Nunavut an example of 'effective self-government through public government.' While the population may be small, Nunavut makes up 20% of Canada - an area the size of Western Europe. In addition to the growing pains inherent in the launching of a new political system and the start-up of a new bureaucracy, Nunavut inherited huge economic and social challenges: a weak economy, high transportation and other costs, widespread poverty, low rates of formal education, poor health status, and high rates of violence and other social dysfunction (e.g. suicide). The presentation will offer a preliminary assessment of Nunavut's first decade - focusing on implementation of the NLCA, the start-up of the Government of Nunavut, and that Government's efforts to address the many challenges it faces.