Kiamika
Coordinates: 46°25′N 75°23′W / 46.417°N 75.383°W / 46.417; -75.383
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Laurentides
Regional County	Antoine-Labelle
Settled	1860s
Incorporated	January 3, 1898
Government
- Type	Municipality
- Mayor	Michel Dion
- Federal riding	Laurentides—Labelle
- Prov. riding	Labelle
Area [1]
- Total	348.25 km2 (134.5 sq mi)
- Land	339.42 km2 (131.1 sq mi)
Population (2006)[2]
- Total	779
- Density	2.3/km2 (6/sq mi)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Postal Code	J0W 1G0
Area code(s)	819
Website	municipalitedekiamika.qc.ca

Kiamika is a municipality in the Laurentides region of Quebec, Canada, part of the Antoine-Labelle Regional County Municipality.

Joseph Montferrand (1802-1864), a logger of imposing stature and extraordinary physical strength, was from Kiamika.^[3]

[edit] Ethymology

The municipality is named after the Kiamika River, which flows through its territory and is a tributary of the Du Lièvre River. This name, mentioned by Stanislas Drapeau as Kiamica and appearing on a map of Quebec by Eugène Taché from 1870, comes from the Algonquin word kickiamika meaning "steep cut below the water", from kicki (steep cut) and amick (below the water).^[3]

However, an alternate meaning may be "deep and quiet river", from the roots kiam (deep) and ka (quiet).^[3][4]

[edit] History

In 1883, the Colonization Society of Montarville was founded and took possession of the area in 1884. Settlers established on the banks of the Du Lièvre River, about 11 km south of Val-Barrette, the mission of Saint-Gérard-de-Kiamika, also called Saint-Gérard-de-Montarville. A year later its post office opened. In 1890, the Kiamika Township is proclaimed.^[3]

In 1898, the Township Municipality of Kiamika is formed. In 1920, the mission received its status as a parish. In 1994, it changed its statutes and officially became the Municipality of Kiamika.^[3]

[edit] Demographics

Population:^[5]

• Population in 2006: 779
  • 2001 to 2006 population change: 8.8 %
• Population in 2001: 716
• Population in 1996: 722
• Population in 1991: 651

Private dwellings, excluding seasonal cottages: 338 (total: 463)

Mother tongue:

• English as first language: 0 %
• French as first language: 100 %
• English and French as first language: 0 %
• Other as first language: 0 %

[edit] References

	Mont-Laurier	Lac-des-Écorces	Lac-Saguay
	Saint-Aimé-du-Lac-des-Îles Lac-du-Cerf		Nominingue
		Kiamika
		Notre-Dame-du-Laus	Lac-Ernest