Although the Kivalliq name became official in 1999, Statistics Canada continued to refer to the area as the Keewatin Region in publications such as the Census until 2021.

[2] Most references to the area as "Keewatin" have generally been phased out by Nunavut-based bodies, as that name was originally rooted in a region of northwestern Ontario derived from a Cree dialect, and only saw application onto Inuit-inhabited lands because of the boundaries of the now-defunct District of Keewatin.

[1] The remainder of the region is referred to as Kivalliq, Unorganized by Statistics Canada.

The Kivalliq Region is experiencing the world's highest rate of post-glacial rebound (as much as 17 mm (0.67 in) per year).

Temperatures stay below freezing from late September to early June, and peak at around 10 °C (50 °F) in July.