Geography

 Canada has 10 provinces and 3 territories Province = political division  We will divide Canada into 5 regions  These regions are more distinct than the regions we studied in the U.S.  Why? Canada’s population is small Structure of government gives a lot of power to provinces

 Formed by: Newfoundland and Labrador Prince Edward Island Nova Scotia New Brunswick  Border the Atlantic Ocean  Part of the Appalachian Mountains  Deciduous forests  Rugged mountaintops  Thousands of lakes and small ponds  Thin soil, lots of rocks and boulders

 Called “Maritimes” due to close ties with the sea  Most residents live along the coast  Smallest region – land and population  Fishing industry Once one of the world’s richest fishing areas, before overfishing depleted the supply  Forestry and farming Occurs where soil permits, like Prince Edward Island  Tourism  Oil discovered off shore

 Quebec and Ontario  Core of Canada’s population and economic activity Canadian Shield – poor soil, cold climate, rich mineral deposits Hudson Bay Lowlands – flat, sparsely populated, swampy St. Lawrence Lowlands – rich soil, mild climate  60% of Canada’s population lives here

 Great Lakes, lots of waterways  Rich soil, lots of resources  Manufacturing and distribution in cities Cars, food, clothing, building materials  Toronto, Ontario = largest metropolitan area in Canada Banking and financial center of Canada Canadian version of Wall St. is here  Ottawa, Canada’s national capital

 Mostly a wilderness of forests, rivers, lakes, and streams  Northern part of Quebec is tundra  Mining and forestry  Montreal = largest city  City of Quebec (capital) is oldest city in Canada Founded by Samuel de Champlain, sent by France to establish a colony Tourist attraction Center of Canada’s French-Canadian population

 Contains: Alberta Manitoba Saskathewan  Wheat, flatland, lakes, rivers, “badlands” with strange rock formations, sand dunes

 Most of settlement here is due to railroads  Provide most of Canada’s grain and cattle  Tourism – Rocky Mountains  Oil and natural gas in Alberta provided a new source of wealth in this region

 Rocky Mountains and the Coast Mountains  4/5s of province’s residents live in Vancouver (capital)  One of Canada’s wealthiest provinces thanks to natural resources Salmon Forests Minerals  Wet, marine climate People move here to retire  Trade with Asia from Vancouver’s harbor Grown city rapidly Increased population with Asian immigrants

 Consists of: Yukon Territory Northwest territories Nunavut  Cold, almost no trees, not many people  Mostly native peoples, like the Inuit (aka Eskimos), live here  Contact with white people has changed Inuit culture Hunters use snowmobiles instead of dog sleds for seal hunting Some children go to school at home taking classes transmitted by satellite over radio or television

 Minerals found here: Gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, iron ore, uranium  Petroleum and natural gas  Most of these natural resources are still buried in the earth  Harsh climate and rugged terrain make it difficult to mine and transport materials

1. What economic activities are important in the Atlantic provinces? 2. How have location and resources influenced economic activities in a) The Prairie Provinces, and b) British Columbia? 3. Choose two of Canada’s regions and compare their physical features, economic activities, and population distribution.