Canada: Physical Geography Basic facts about Canada What is a Physical Region? What are the Physical Regions of Canada? What separates each region from the other?

Canada: Some Facts Canada is the 2nd largest Country in the World Canada has 6 different Physical Regions Trans-Canada Highway- Spans 4,968 miles Physical Region- large areas of land that have similar landforms, climate and resources in common

SIX PHYSICAL REGIONS Appalachian Highlands Great Lakes- St. Lawrence Lowlands Canadian Shield Interior Plains Western Mountain Region Arctic Islands

APPALACHIAN HIGHLANDS Eastern most region in Canada Fishing is very important to the economy of Canada Known for their low hills and low elevation Bay of Fundy- Located between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia * has the highest tides in the world

THE GREAT LAKES: ST. LAWRENCE LOWLANDS About 60% of all Canadians live in this region Named after the MAJOR bodies of water in the region St. Lawrence River- most important river in Canada * Transporting goods and services * Use Canals and Locks to control flow * “Mother of Canada”

CANADIAN SHIELD Canada’s LARGEST region Canadian Shield- rises to an elevation about 2,000 ft above sea level * dates back to Ice Age * Glaciers shifted (flattened land) * Created many lakes and river beds Muskeg- flat, swampy areas of land *Indian word that means “wet, spongy ground”

INTERIOR PLAINS Located west of the Canadian Shield Region is very flat and broad Hundreds of miles of fertile farmland * Deep rich soil * Huge focus on agriculture (farming)

WESTERN MOUNTAIN REGION One of the most beautiful regions in Canada Deep glacial lakes, hot springs and mountain ranges * Rocky Mountains * Coast Ranges Vancouver- major city in British Columbia Borders the Pacific Ocean and Alaska

ARCTIC ISLANDS Located in Northern Canada One of the World’s LEAST populated regions Hundreds of ice covered islands * Glaciers and mountains Fjords- narrow inlet of the sea that is bordered by steep cliffs

CANADA: REMEMBER THE FACTS Grouping regions can be done hundreds of ways Keep this in mind: Always grouped by what areas of land have in common * Resources * Landforms * Climates