Geography of Canada©Ruth Writer 2015

Western Michigan University

Geography is the mother of all history.

There is no problem in this world…that is exclusively geographical, but there are few problems that are not in some way geographical.

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pp 40-41

Regions, topography, land forms Climate Vegetation Economic activities Historic geography Lifestyles, traditions

“If some countries have too much history, Canada has too much geography.” --Wm. Lyon Mackenzie King [1936]

NOT ONE CANADA but variations and contrasts

Key to Canada’s Geography--Diversity

Northern and western hemisphere 7% of world’s land—almost 4 million square miles◦ 12% of land utilized◦ 5% cultivated [80% has growing season of less than 120

days] Ranks #2 Borders only one nation—USA◦ Share the continent—split by political boundary◦ 5335 miles undefended by guns, military or guerillas ◦ Longest international border in world

Basics of Canadian Geography

Size—Second Only to Russia Size of Europe 10% larger than USA Almost 50% of North America East to West—4545 miles via highway North to South—2800 Miles Geographic improbability

J. Andre Senecal. Canada in your Classroom: All you need to teach about Canada: Land and Population. http://accesscanada.uvm.edu

http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/services/time/time_zones.html

25% of World Time Zones

Land forms separated by physical obstacles, distance and wilderness—Canada & USA share most physical regions Appalachians Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Lowlands Canadian Shield—Canadian only

◦ Hudson Bay Lowlands Great Plains Rocky Mountains—Cordillera

◦ Pacific Coast Arctic

Regions of Canada

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pg 56

Runs northeast/southwest along Atlantic Includes part of Quebec Mountain ranges, valleys Coastal areas—rocky, ragged, rugged Islands

◦ Newfoundland◦ Prince Edward Island◦ Cape Breton Island◦ Anticosti

OBTW—St. Pierre and Miquelon Islands [France]

Appalachians

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pp 52

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pp 53

All photos in this power point are from www.google.com, www.wikipedia.com and personal photos taken by Ruth Writer unless otherwise noted.

Fertile Temperate Lowlands Largest cities of Canada—Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa* Industrial heart of Canada Population centers◦ 90% of Canada within 200 miles of USA [12% of US lives

that close to the border]

Great Lakes-St. Lawrence

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pp 48 and 50

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pg 49

Lake Superior to Atlantic Ocean

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. [page 51]

Québec

Ontario

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pg 49

Vast “U” shaped area with Hudson Bay at center Dominate landform of Canada Precambrian, igneous rock—copper, nickel, iron, zinc, uranium,

lead = 40% of Canada’s mineral wealth Impact of glaciers—thin soil, rugged terrain, lakes, streams,

ponds, swamps Makes Canada unique Barrier to exploration, settlement, transportation Resources—minerals, forests, hydro Wildlife and waterfowl—furs, hunting, fishing, wilderness,

beauty, vacations

Canadian Shield

http://faculty.marianopolis.edu/c.belanger/QuebecHistory/encyclopedia/GeogofCan.htm

Shield: Shaped Canadian Character

Canadian interior From USA to tundra Rolling hills and hoodoos Nomadic First Nations and buffalo Farmland

◦ Wheat, barley, etc.

◦ Oilseeds—canola

◦ Soy

◦ Cattle to west Oil

Great Plains

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pg 46

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pg 47

Prairies

Mountains, valleys, plateaus Rockies and Pacific Coastal Ranges Dramatic drop to Ocean—Sea to Sky Highway Vancouver Island, Queen Charlotte Islands Agriculture in valleys

◦ Fraser

◦ Okanagan

Fishing—decline Scenery—tourism, national parks

Rocky Mountains: Cordilleras

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pg 44

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World.Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pg 44

Rockies/Pacific

Land crosses Arctic Circle—North of 60 Arctic archipelago—Baffin Island [#4 in world], Ellesmere Island Permafrost—warming issues No agriculture Mineral wealth

◦Oil

◦Gas

◦Diamonds Fragile environment—extraction raises concerns

Arctic Lowlands

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pg 54

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pg 55

Arctic

]

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pg 55

Maritime Provinces — 10% of people Newfoundland and Labrador [since 2001]--Final province in 1949 Nova Scotia--Acadians Prince Edward Island--Smallest New Brunswick--Only bilingual provinceGreat Lakes-St. Lawrence (“Heartland”) — 65% of population Federal capital in Ottawa (“National Capital Region” in both ON and QC) Quebec--Francophone Ontario--AnglophonePrairie Provinces — 6% of people Manitoba--Métis Saskatchewan--Wheat Alberta--Texas NorthPacific Province — 13% of population British Columbia--Western and AsianTerritories — 2% of population on 40% of land Nunavut--Newest territory in 1999—Inuit population dominates government Northwest Territories--Largest territory Yukon--Oldest territory, gold

Provinces and Territories

http://members.shaw.ca/kcic1/maps/canada.jpg

Canadian Motto:"Mer du mer" (French), "A Mari Usque Ad Mare" (Latin), or "Sea to Sea" (English)

Shared resources with USA Oceans—3 coasts of Canada◦ Coastline of 146,000 miles

◦ Off shore resources vital—200 mile limit claimed

Fresh water—lakes, rivers, streams, ponds = 1 million ◦ 8% of territory--25% if include Great Lakes

◦ 20% of world’s fresh water supply

Wetlands—25% of world’s wetlands

Canada’s Water World

http://www.natureconservancy.ca/assets/images/graphics/canadas_freshwater_geography_map_by_ncc_sm.jpg

Atlantic/St. Lawrence/Great Lakes◦ Most vital to history◦ Highest population density

http://www.ec.gc.ca/eaudouce-freshwater/05A4FEBA-4A49-4BA3-9EBA-39DB5A2D4328/atlantic%20oda.gif http://www.muskokawatershed.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/GL_Watershed1.png

Hudson Bay watershed◦ North and South Saskatchewan Rivers◦ Red River◦ Nelson River

http://www.ec.gc.ca/eaudouce-freshwater/E94A4CCD-A52F-4292-942F-9078EE872201/hudson%20oda.gif

Atlantic Watershed

Frazier River Mountains Smaller rivers

Pacific

http://www.ec.gc.ca/eaudouce-freshwater/E81C5DC6-10E6-4F68-83BC-CF6564D95859/pacific%20oda.gifThe Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pg 44 and 45

Smaller rivers flow to North Mackenzie Delta Thaws in spring to South Problematic North still frozen

Arctic Watershed

http://www.ec.gc.ca/eaudouce-freshwater/D3B81958-B90C-4E7C-87AC-8BED663C4BC4/arctic%20oda.gifhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Mackenzierivermap.jpg/300px-Mackenzierivermap.jpg

Great Lakes◦ Ontario◦ Erie◦ Huron◦ Michigan***◦ Superior

Great Bear Great Slave Lake Winnipeg

Inland Lakes

http://www2.boonville.k12.mo.us/websites/Dkluck/Pictures/canada-map.gif

Newfoundland to East Prince Edward Island—Province of its own Cape Breton Island Anticosti Montreal Vancouver to West Queen Charlotte Islands Baffin--#4 in World Banks Ellesmere

Islands of Importance

Both resource and liability Diversity--extremes◦ Temperate humid continental—similar to Michigan◦ Marine west coast—rain shadow, warm, moist Pacific air◦ Plains—major fluctuations◦ North—really desert [less than 10 inches and as low as -81]*

Unique qualities and hazards◦ Chinook winds—50 degree increase in minutes◦ Tundra/permafrost◦ Drought/floods◦ Hail◦ Frost/winterkill◦ Forest fires--$23 million average—as high as $184 million

Climate of Canada

Follow climate patterns Deciduous

◦ St. Lawrence-Great Lakes and Maritimes Boreal forest

◦ Conifers ◦ Spruce, balsam, pine

Prairie grasslands Temperate rainforest—British Columbia [300’ trees] Tree line—no real soil north of this

Soils and Vegetation

Natural Vegetation of Canada

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pg 57

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Canada_tree_line_map.pngThe Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pg 57

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pg 59

Farming

Energy/Mines

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pg 60

33.2 million/6 per square mile 75% live within 100 miles of U.S./90% within 200 miles 12% of U.S. citizens live within 100 miles of Canada Like Chile on its side Urbanized archipelago—80% Yet over 30% live in small towns [10,000 or less] Concept of separation/isolation

Demography of Canada

Largest city — Toronto Second — Montreal Third — Vancouver Capital — Ottawa

The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. pg 62

Northern location plays vital role in Canada Impacts population Creates sense of identity Generates images of◦ Isolation◦ Purity◦ Cleanliness◦ Wilderness

Yet Pelee Island (Point Pelee) is as far south as Northern California….

Concept of Nordicity[Adapted from work of J. Andre Senecal, University of Vermont]

From work of J. Andre Senecal, University of Vermont

Along Isonord [borderline] 200—Nordicity increases abruptly and dramatically

Base Canada—extreme southern—30% of Canada◦ All but 500,000 Canadians live here—all major cities

Middle North◦ 450,000 population

Far North◦ 50,000 population—primarily Inuit and Amerindians

Extreme North◦ Devoid of settlements—except research or military, i.e. Alert

◦ TOO COLD for most humans

What Nordicity means…

Geography is the mother of all history.

There is no problem in this world…that is exclusively geographical, but there are few problems that are not in some way geographical.

Remember:

“North America and Canada,” The Nystrom Atlas of Canada and the World. Chicago: Nystrom, 2006. [pages 36-65]—Know the basic geography of Canada.

Keys-Mathews, Lisa . The Five Themes of Geography. http://mabryonline.org/blogs/ridlehoover/archives/the%20five%20themes%20download.html

Senecal, J.-Andre. “Canada: Land and Population,” Canada in your Classroom. Burlington, VT: University of Vermont—Canadian Studies.

Thompson, Wayne. The World Today Series: Canada 2011. Lanham, MD: Stryker Post Publications, 2011. [pages16-25]—updated annually.

http://www.yourcanada.ca/quick-facts

Resources