Canada can be divided into 8 distinct landform regions defined by their unique physical features and climates. These regions include the Western Cordillera characterized by high mountains, the Interior Plains known as the "bread basket" for its fertile soil and farming, the Canadian Shield with its lakes and mineral resources, and the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Lowlands containing 50% of Canada's population. The other regions are the Appalachian Mountains, Hudson Bay Lowlands, Arctic Lowlands, and Innuitian Mountains. Each region supports different plant and animal life and has varying potential for human settlement and resource extraction.

1. Landform Regions of
Canada
The movement of the earth’s plates, and the resulting
folding, faulting, and volcanic activity, have combined
with the forces of erosion and weathering to create a
variety of landscapes that
affect the way we live.

2. A Landform Region is an area of
the Earth with a unique set of
physical features.

3. Canada can be Divided into 8
Landform Regions:
1. Western Cordillera
2. Interior Plains
3. Canadian Shield
4. Great Lakes-St.Lawrence
Lowlands
5. Appalachian
6. Hudson Bay Lowlands
7. Arctic Lowlands
8. Innuitian Mountains

4. Landform Regions of Canada

5. Western Cordillera
• Physical Features:
– high mountains running north to
south
• Plants/ Animals:
– Lichens and shrubs higher up
– coniferous forest and grasslands
lower down
– deer, elk, bears lower down.
• Resources:
– Lightly populated, travel is difficult
– Lots of minerals, timber, and
sources of hydro electricity

6. Landform Regions of Canada

7. Interior Plains
• Physical Features:
– Very flat, with deep, fertile soil
– Cold winters, hot summers
• Plants:
– South -mostly treeless, with
grasses
– North - trees called the boreal
forest
• Resources:
– Farming wheat and cattle
– Known as Canada’s “Bread
Basket”
– Rock has rich mineral, coal, oil
and gas deposits

8. Landform Regions of Canada

9. Canadian Shield
• Physical Features:
– Mostly flat with rounded hills and
small lakes
• Plants / Animals:
– South - forest
– North - tundra (mainly no trees,
short summer, cold)
– Moose, caribou, otters, beaver,
bears
– Resources:
– Sparsely populated, not good for
farming - the soil is too thin
– Minerals such as lead, gold,
nickel, copper and zinc
– Ideal for recreation due to
waterfalls, lakes, and forests

10. Landform Regions of Canada

11. Great Lakes-St.Lawrence
Lowlands
• Physical Description:
– flat plains with small hills and
deep river valleys
– The great lakes are located
in basins gouged out by the
glaciers
• Plants:
– Before heavy farming and
cities this area was forests
• Resources:
– 50% of Canada’s population
and 70% of manufacturing
industries is here
– Good for farming - excellent
soils and warm climate

12. Landform Regions of Canada

13. Appalachian Mountains
• Physical Description:
– Rolling mountains and hills
• Plants/ Animals:
– Large, deciduous trees.
– Squirrels, rabbits and deer
– Resources:
– Long ocean bays provide deep
harbours for ocean freighters
– Coal, iron and zinc

14. Landform Regions of Canada

15. Hudson Bay Lowlands
• Physical Features:
– Flat low area with bogs, ponds, lakes and streams
• Plants / Animals:
– Wetlands
– Polar bears
– Caribou migrate to the
area in summer
– In summer -snow
geese, Canada geese
and swans
• Resources:
– Oil, natural gas

16. Landform Regions of Canada

17. Arctic Lowlands
• Physical Description:
– Low-lying, barren islands with
coastlines ranging from lowlands
to cliffs.
– Summer is short - cold and
frozen in the winter
– Dark all day in the winter and
light all day in the summer
• Plants:
– Sparsely vegetated (very few
plants)
• Resources:
– Mostly permafrost so
construction is difficult and
farming impossible

18. Landform Regions of Canada

19. Innuitian Mountains
• Physical Description:
– Very high mountains
– Plants:
– The mountains are too
high for plants to grow
• Resources:
– Largely unexplored, due
to the hostile climate.