Geography
Canada is the second largest country in the world in land mass and it shares it southern border with the United States. It is bordered by three oceans: the Pacific in the west, the Atlantic in the east and the Arctic to the north. Canada has five distinct regions:
- The Atlantic Provinces
- Central Canada
- Prairie Provinces
- West Coast
- Northern Territories
Canada’s national capital is Ottawa and is located in the Central Canada region in the Province of Ontario.
With a population of nearly 34 million, Canada’s people are spread out over ten provinces and three territories. Each province or territory lies in one of the five regions. Let’s explore these.
Atlantic Provinces
The region known as the Atlantic Provinces have natural resources, such as fishing, farming, mining and forestry and are comprised of the following provinces:
- Newfoundland and Labrador-(St. John’s) is the most northerly point in North America and is known for its fisheries as well as its offshore oil extraction
- Prince Edward Island-(Charlottetown) is the smallest province in land mass and was the birthplace of the Confederation; it is known for its agriculture and beaches
- Nova Scotia-(Halifax) is the most populated of the Atlantic Provinces, and is known for the world’s highest tides in the Bay of Fundi; it is linked to ship building as well as being home to Canada’s largest naval base
- New Brunswick-(Fredericton) was founded by the United Empire Loyalists. It has the second largest river system in North America—the St. John’s River system; it is known for its forestry, fishing, mining, agriculture and tourism
Central Canada
Central Canada is comprised of Quebec and Ontario, and more than half of the Canadian people live in this region. Together the two provinces produce more than three quarters of Canada’s manufactured goods, and is the industrial and manufacturing heartland.
- Quebec-(Québec City) has a population of nearly 8 million and more than three quarters of that population speak French as their first language. Quebec is Canada’s main producer of pulp and paper and the largest producer of hydro-electricity. Montreal, located in the Province of Quebec, is Canada’s second largest city—the first is Toronto, in the Province of Ontario.
- Ontario-(Toronto) has a population of over 12 million, which is one-third of Canada’s population. Toronto, as well as being the largest city in Canada, is also the country’s main financial centre. There are five Great Lakes located between Ontario and the United States: Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.
Prairie Provinces
This region is rich in energy resources and farmland. It is comprised of three provinces: Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
- Manitoba-(Winnipeg) is known for its agriculture and mining; it has the largest Aboriginal population of any province
- Saskatchewan-(Regina) known as the bread basket of the world or the “wheat province” is the country’s largest producer of grains and oil seeds; it is also home to the training academy for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- Alberta-(Edmonton) is the most populous of the Prairie Provinces and is the largest producer of oil and gas
West Coast
British Columbia (Vancouver) is on the pacific coast and is Canada’s westernmost province. Canada’s largest port and gateway to the Pacific, The Port of Vancouver, is its busiest as well, handling billions of dollars in traded goods from around the world. Half of all goods produced in British Columbia are forestry products (lumber, paper, pulp); it is also known for its mining, fishing and wine industries.
Northern Territories
The three northern territories: Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon contain one-third of Canada’s land mass but only a population of 100,000. There are many mineral mines in the territories: gold, silver, copper and zinc.
The North is referred to as the “Land of the Midnight Sun” because at the height of summer, daylight can last up to 24 hours and during the winter, the sun disappears and darkness sets in for three months.
- Yukon-(Whitehorse) miners came here in the 1890s during the gold rush and today it is known for its scenic tourist attractions. The highest mountain range in Canada, Mt. Logan, is located in Yukon.
- Northwest Territories-(Yellowknife) is called the diamond capital of the world; more than half its population is aboriginal.
- Nunavut-(Iqaluit) means “our land” in Inuktitut. It was established in 1999 and lies in the easternmost part of the Northwest Territories. The population is over three-quarters Inuit and the official language is Inuktitut.