| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Province | Manitoba |
| Area metro | 2.97 km² |
| Population as of | 2016 |
| Population total | 1,042 |
| Population density | 342.7 km² |
| Time zone | CST (UTC−5) |
| Time zone (DST) | CDT (UTC−6) |
| Coordinates | 49°16′05″N 100°59′45″W |
Melita (/məˈlɪtə/) is a town located in the south-western corner of the Canadian province of Manitoba. It is surrounded by the Municipality of Two Borders and occupies a bend of the Souris River. Graham Creek runs along the west side of town and into the Souris River. The population at the 2016 census was 1,042.[1] It sits at the junction of Highways 3 and 83, approximately 320 km southwest of Winnipeg. Melita is known as the "Grasslands Bird Capital of Manitoba"[2] and is located in Manitoba's banana belt.
History
Evidence of First Nations habitation in the area includes the Linear Mounds Archaeological Site and the Brockinton Archaeological Site, which have provided artifacts dating back to 800 AD.[3] The site has been designated a National Historic Site of Canada.[4]
Charles West was the first recorded European settler, in 1879.[5] The early inhabitants chose the name "Melita" for the town after hearing a Bible reading (Acts 28:1) about St. Paul's shipwreck on the island of Malta (Melita is an older name for the island).[6]
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Melita had a population of 1,041 living in 465 of its 548 total private dwellings, a change of -0.1% from its 2016 population of 1,042. With a land area of 3.19 km2 (1.23 sq mi), it had a population density of in 2021.[7]
Notable people
- James Breakey, politician
- John Cobb, politician
- Jim Downey, politician
- Betty Fox, cancer research activist and mother of Terry Fox; raised in Melita[8]
- Wayne Hall, professional hockey player
- Kory Karlander, professional hockey player
- J. Arthur Ross, politician
See also
References
- ^ "Melita, Town". Census Profile. Statistics Canada.
- ^ "Bird Watching". Town of Melita. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- ^ "Historical Interest". Town of Melita. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- ^
- ^ "Our First Century", Melita-Arthur History Committee, 1983
- ^ Ham, Penny (1980). Place Names of Manitoba. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Western Producer Prairie Books. pp. 83. ISBN 9780888330673.
- ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Manitoba". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
- ^ Martin, Sandra (2011-06-18). "Betty Fox, cancer-advocacy champion and mother of Terry Fox, dies". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2011-06-27.