Klondike, a gold-bearing region in Yukon Territory, Canada. It derives its name from the Klondike River, a tributary of the Yukon River. The region lies near the Arctic Circle, and the winters are intensely cold. Gold was struck at Bonanza Creek in August, 1896. Soon other finds were made, and in 1897 there was a great rush of miners from Canada and the United States. The city of Dawson sprang up overnight. As gold production declined after 1900, Dawson's population dwindled.