The Bras d'Or Lake has an area of approximately 1,099 square kilometres with a max. length of 100km and a width of 50km in the centre of Cape Breton Island. The first European settlers in this region were French naming the lake Bras d'Or meaning "arm of gold". The Bras d'Or Lake is a half sweet and a half salt water Lake. Boularderie Island is in the northeast of the Bras d'Or Lake. The spiritual capital of the Mi'kmaq nation is the gathering place of the Mi'kmaq Grand Council, Mniku or Chapel Island in the Bras d'Or Lake of Cape Breton Island.