Geography of Canada

The geography of Canada refers to the physical features and land uses of Canada. Canada is the second largest country in the world, and its territory extends over approximately two-fifths of the North American continent. This land, occupied by humans for many thousands of years, contains a vast assortment of regions and landforms. It has both Pacific and Atlantic Ocean coastal areas, a mountainous area called the Cordillera, an extensive prairie flatland, a rocky central region known as the Canadian Shield, and a heavily populated and industrialized lowland. Canada also features millions of mountains, islands, rivers, and lakes. The climate in Canada ranges from temperate to frigid, depending on the region and altitude. The country is rich in natural resources and natural beauty, which is preserved in dozens of protected habitats.

Background

Canada is the second largest country in the world, encompassing approximately 3,855,102 square miles (9,984,670 square kilometers) and occupying about two-fifths of North America. It shares its only national border with the United States. Canada's land reaches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and crosses six time zones.

Canada was first occupied by Native Americans, known as the First Nations people, who moved into the area more than ten thousand years ago and survived by hunting, gathering, and fishing. In the twenty-first century, Canada is home to more than 35 million citizens of many ethnic backgrounds, and it ranks thirty-ninth out of the world's most populous nations.

Most of the population is concentrated in the southern areas of the country, within about 200 miles (321 kilometers) of the border with the United States. Here, the land is warmer and more developed. Of the Canadian provinces, Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia are the most heavily populated.

Northern regions of Canada are more sparsely populated. The cold climate in these areas render most of the land unusable for agriculture. This area is still rich in natural wonders and wildlife, including beavers, wolves, moose, bears, bison, and raccoons. Fish are also plentiful in the many lakes and rivers.

Canadians take pride in their wilderness areas, and they have established forty-one national parks and several protected water areas. These protected zones attempt to shelter wild lands and waters from development or exploitation. They also provide safety to endangered species such as lynx.

Canada has hundreds of natural resources. Most notable among these are metals (iron, nickel, zinc, copper, and gold), power sources (natural gas, petroleum, coal, and hydropower), and other valuable materials (molybdenum, potash, and diamonds). Gathering and processing these resources is a major industry in Canada.

Overview

Given its enormous size, Canada has a varied geography. It includes diverse land regions, each with unique landmasses, climates, and resources. It has millions of mountains, lakes, islands, and rivers. Its regions range from temperate southern areas to frigid glaciers in the north.

The westernmost part of Canada is its Pacific coastline, which is part of the province of British Columbia. This region is known for its temperate but rainy climate, caused by its proximity to the ocean. Vancouver Island shields this area from most major coastal storms. The frequent rain and mild temperatures have allowed great forests of often ancient and massive trees to thrive.

East of the coast is a rugged mountainous region known as the Cordillera. Here, several mountain ranges—most notably the Rocky Mountains—converge to create a landscape of high peaks, rocky valleys, and active volcanoes. The climatic conditions here vary greatly depending on altitude and other factors.

East of the rocky Cordillera is an extensive flatland known as the Canadian prairies. This land extends across Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and other areas. Most of the land is smooth, except for some river valleys, and well suited for agriculture. The prairie region also contains some of Canada's most notable bodies of water, including Great Bear Lake, the largest lake that is entirely within Canada's borders. Great Slave Lake and Lake Winnipeg are also major lakes in the region. The Mackenzie River, the longest river system in Canada at 1,025 miles (1,650 kilometers), passes through this region to connect the Great Slave Lake and the Arctic Ocean.

In the central and eastern parts of Canada is a huge circular region known as the Canadian Shield. This region consists of a thin covering of soil over an enormous mass of ancient bedrock. Much of the land is rocky but it also includes giant forests of evergreen trees and a wide variety of lakes, rivers, and mountains. The Canadian Shield is known for its precious metal and mineral resources and has been mined for gold, silver, copper, and uranium. In the center of the circular shield is the Hudson Bay.

North of the plains and the Canadian Shield is the Arctic, a region of often intense cold and stark natural beauty. It is a land of snow and ice, though it also has forests and rivers in some places. The hardy population of this region is well equipped to deal with the climate and receives regular shipments of supplies via airplane. The Canadian Arctic Archipelago is a group of approximately thirty-six thousand islands in the nearby Arctic Ocean.

Southeast of the Canadian Shield is a narrow region known as the St. Lawrence Lowlands. This region runs near the Great Lakes and is named for the St. Lawrence River, which connects the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. The lowlands are the heart of Canadian development, hosting about 50 percent of the population and 70 percent of the country's industry. It is also a rich agricultural area famous for its maple trees. Montreal and Toronto, the largest cities in the country, are found in these lowlands.

The easternmost tip of Canada includes the Appalachian Region and the Atlantic coast. This rugged, hilly country is dominated by coasts and bays that have made it one of the best areas for fishing anywhere in the world. This region includes Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.

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