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A Regional Geography of Canada
- 1. Canada: A Regional Geography STUDY CANADA Summer Institute 2016 David Rossiter, WWU A Northern Silver Mine, 1930 – F. Carmichael
- 2. “If some countries have too much history, we have too much geography.” – PM Mackenzie King, 1936 Garibaldi Provincial Park, BC. Photo: D. Rossiter, 2012
- 3. Oh, to brag… • Second largest country • Canada’s total area: 9,984,670 sq.km – 9,093,507 sq.km land – 891,163 sq.km freshwater. • Coastline: 243,042 km – Longest in world • Resource rich • Sparse yet diverse population Source: Statistics Canada
- 6. The Physical Base • Geology • Topography • Soils • Vegetation • Climate Fundamental to understanding Canada’s human geography and historical development
- 7. The Late Wisconsin Ice Age • Maximum extent 18,000 years ago • Started to recede 15,000 years ago • Last remnants in Rockies 7,000 years ago Glacial till and erratic – NS Drumlin – Alberta Glacial valley - Alberta
- 10. Appalachian Uplands • N. Appalachian Mountains • Rounded uplands; narrow river valleys • Rocky, shallow soils • Mixed forest • Cool, maritime climate – short summer, wet winter NFLD Coast
- 12. Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Lowlands • Sedimentary rock and glacial deposits • Flat, rolling topography • Good soil • Moderate climate, good growing season – humid and hot summer / cold winter Oak Ridges Moraine – S. Ontario
- 14. Canadian Shield • Geol. core of N.A. • Precambrian rocks – > 3 billion yrs old • Widespread glaciation – shallow soils, exposed granite • Mixed and Boreal forest • Northern continental climate – hot, short summer / cold, long winter North Shore, Quebec
- 16. Interior Plains • Sedimentary rock • Shaped by glacial and hydrological processes – river valleys • Drain east to Hudson Bay • Decent soils in south • Oil and gas deposits • Continental climate – moderate precip. – hot summer / cold winter Wheat fields outside Winnipeg, MB South Saskatchewan River
- 18. Cordillera • Formed 40-80 million years ago – colliding NA and Pac. plates • Glaciers in high alpine • Fertile river valleys and deltas • Mostly coniferous forest • Micro-climates – warmer, wetter on coast – colder, drier in interior Alberta Rockies The Barrier – Coast Mountains
- 20. Hudson Bay Lowlands • Youngest phyiso. reg. in Canada • Muskeg – w/ low ridges of sand and gravel • Poorly drained – low elev., level surface • Northern climate – maritime influence – short summer / long winter Muskeg James Bay delta
- 22. Arctic Lands • ~25% of Canada’s territory • Coastal lowlands & plateaux and mtns. (Innutian) • Mainly sedimentary rock w/ permafrost • Glaciers still active • Areas of polar desert Baffin Island - Nunavut
- 23. Where are all the people? Short answers: • Great Lks-St. Law. Lowlands: ~25% of pop. – Windsor-Quebec City (“Laurentian” Canada) • Big Cities: ~1/3 of pop. – Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver • In cities, near the USA – ~80% of Canadians live in cities (100,000+) – ~80% of Canadians live within 100km of USA
- 24. Population density, 2006 Map source: Atlas of Canada Total population, 2011 - 33,476,690 Source: Statistics Canada Legend Density by Census Div. (persons / sq.km) < 0.1 0.1-0.9 1.0-3.5 3.6-19.9 20.0-49.9 50.0-150.0 > 150.0
- 26. Where are all the people? Longer answer: • All over – “Heartland” (cities) draws on resources of “hinterland” – north dominated by resource towns and regional service centres
- 27. Resource Reliant Communities, 2001 Map source: Atlas of Canada Legend 30-100% of income from: Agriculture Energy Fishery Forestry Mining
- 28. Financial Specialization, 1996 Map source: Atlas of Canada Legend Degree of specialization Low to High
- 29. Lawren Harris, 1922 – Houses, St. Patrick’s St. Wilderness or Urban Nation?
- 30. References • Many maps and images were obtained at: – www.canadainfolink.ca/geog.htm – http://atlas.nrcan.gc/site/english/index.html • Other resources: – A good atlas of Canada – Historical Atlas of Canada, vols. 1-3, University of Toronto Press – Heartland and Hinterland, McCann and Gunn – Regional Geography of Canada, Bone