The Physical Regions of Canada Pages 16-24

Second Place is Not the First Loser! Largest country in the Western Hemisphere world's second-largest country by total area and the fourth-largest country by land area Canada's border with the United States is the world's longest land border.

Defining Factors of a Natural Region Each region of Canada has very different geological features Landforms Climate Vegetation Wildlife (some similarities due to migration and movement by displacement)

Appalachian Region Extension of Appalachian mountains varied landscape of rolling hills, valleys, and small mountains, highlands, and coastal fjords (mountains worn down by glaciers and millions of years of erosion)

How Was It Formed The terrain was formed from tectonic movements between 480 and 280 million years ago. Sedimentary rock reveals deeply buried structures, changes in vegetation, and Igneous rock which demonstrates volcanic activity

Vegetation and Resources Heavily forested with coniferous and deciduous trees. Rich in deposits of coal, minerals such as iron, lead, and zinc, forests, and fishing resources

The Canadian Shield Region It is the largest physiographic region in Canada, comprising 32 per cent of the land surface. Stretches from the arctic islands to the US boarder to Newfoundland

How Was It Formed The Shield was once a volcanic mountain range that has been eroded and worn down by retreating glaciers to form a landscape of flat rocks, lakes, and wetlands

Vegetation Mostly trees grow in the Canadian Shield. south the trees get bigger and move closer together. north the trees get smaller and move apart. northern part doesn’t have any forests.

Resources One of the world’s richest areas for mining valuable minerals such as copper, gold, lead, diamonds, platinum, and nickel

The Arctic Region The Arctic region includes plains, lowlands, and mountains The Inuit are facing territory loss due to the melting permafrost Facing increased pressure to allow oil tankers to sail through arctic passage

How It Was Formed? Glaciation over much of northern Canada formed a landscape mountains formed by tectonic pressure at the northeastern edge of the Canadian Shield pushing up sedimentary rock

Vegetation and Resources treeless because of its low temperatures and short growing season. Moss and shrubs are the dominant flora Deposits of uranium, nickel, copper, zinc, silver, gold and diamonds Oil and natural gas have been found under the Arctic Ocean and islands.

The St. Lawrence Lowlands The St. Lawrence Lowlands are between Lakes Huron, Erie, and Ontario and extend along the banks of the St. Lawrence River to Quebec City

How It Was Formed? Formed mainly by retreating ice sheets during the last ice age These ice sheets pushed soils from the shield onto the lowlands As the ice sheets melted giants lakes were formed- The Great Lakes!

Vegetation and Resources Most of the forests are very old, and contain a variety of different types of deciduous and coniferous trees. Trees grow very large here because of the hot weather.  rich fertile soils to grow vineyards, wineries, and orchards of peaches, apples, and cherries.

The Interior Plains The Canadian Interior Plains region stretches from the Canadian Shield to the Cordillera mountains Prairie lands

How It Was Formed? formed as soils carried by rivers from the Canadian Shield were deposited forming layers of sedimentary rock millions of years ago, plant and animal remains were pressed between the sedimentary rock forming large fossil fuel deposits

Vegetation and Resources Some of the best farming soil in the world grow oats, barley, wheat and different types grass. Trees such as fir, pine and spruce. mineral resources such as salt, oil, natural gas and coal.

The Cordillera: We Live Here!!!!!! The Cordillera includes British Columbia, the Yukon, southwest Alberta and part of North West Territories. Made up of parallel mountain ranges separated by a series of plateaus, trenches and valleys Includes dormant volcanoes, glaciers, and ice fields

How It Was Formed? The Rocky and Coastal mountains are the youngest landforms in Canada Formed when plate collision caused the earth’s crust to buckle, pushing and folding volcanic rock into mountains

Vegetation and Resources Vegetation ranges from alpine tundra to coastal rainforest to grasslands and savannah forests. Rich in minerals such as copper, gold, and coal. Other resources include forestry, fishing, and rich soils