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Like sweeping brushstrokes of pink and green, the Belcher Islands meander across the deep blue of the James Bay portion of the Hudson Bay. The islands shown in this enhanced satellite image are part of the Belcher archipelago, which is comprised of approximately 1,500 islands and covers an area of 3,000 sq km (1,160 sq mi). The islands' only inhabitants live in the small town of Sanikiluaq, near the upper end of the middle island. Despite the green hues in this image, these rocky islands are too cold – and the soil is too thin – to sustain more than a smattering of low-growing vegetation. Image courtesy of USGS.