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Physiographic Regions of Canada
OBJECTIVES
Section Objectives:
Be familiar with the names, distributions and features of the physiographic regions of Canada (arctic, cordillera, interior plains, Canadian shield, St Lawrence lowlands, Appalachian)
Compare the physiographic distribution with other forms of Regions (cultural, political, etc)
Assess the impact of the land on historical and contemporary settlement (European and First Nations)
Physiographic Regions of Canada
REGIONS OVERVIEW
Need to Know…Name Arctic, Appalachians…
Characteristics (Place) Human, Physical
Location Absolute, Relative, Major Provinces/Cities
Challenges/Opportunities (HEI) Jobs, Quality of Life, Safety, Access, Requirements
Patterns and Change Development, Population…
Physiographic Regions of Canada
APPALACHIAN REGION
Location:
Eastern CanadaAtlantic CanadaEastern US
Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island
Physiographic Regions of Canada
APPALACHIAN REGION
Characteristics: Low, rounded mountains (eroded from
previous folded rock formations) Valleys and lowland areas (very fertile) Three broad highland areas (Southern
Quebec, New Brunswick/Nova Scotia, Newfoundland)
Maritime presence
Physiographic Regions of Canada
APPALACHIAN REGION
Characteristics: Natural Resources
Coal** Iron Lead Zinc Timber/Lumber Fish- cod Oil- offshore Water- hydro
Climate Cool, wet winters/most of the year Maritime influence-
Physiographic Regions of Canada
APPALACHIAN REGION
Characteristics: Population
Approx 3-4 million Major centres and most
people along the coastline
Majority of British ethnic origin
Physiographic Regions of Canada
APPALACHIAN REGION
Challenges:- Low population- fewer stores,
goods/services may be difficult to acquire.- Weather is a challenge- Many communities are isolated- Isolation from the rest of Canada (ROC)Opportunities:• High number of natural resources to be
harvest—jobs• Low population- less competition for jobs,
status, resources• Location- transport goods into
Canada….US• Scenery…. Tourism, quality of life• Susatinability (food)
Physiographic Regions of Canada
APPALACHIAN REGION
Relationship to Canada:- Not close…. Especially far
West to far East… unfamiliarity… distant relatives
- Isolated- cultural, language, beliefs, physical
- Political differences- parties, laws
- Labour/type of jobs/business- more blue collar than the ROC
- Historically- dependent economically
Physiographic Regions of Canada
GREAT LAKES/ST LAWRENCE LOWLANDS REGION
Location:Covers 46 000 km2
South Eastern OntarioSouth Western Quebec
Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City
Lake Erie, Lake Superior, Lake Ontario, Lake Huron
Physiographic Regions of Canada
GREAT LAKES/ST LAWRENCE LOWLANDS REGION
Characteristics:• St Lawrence River which opens to
Atlantic Ocean• 5 Great Lakes (Canada/US border,
21% of world’s fresh water)• Altitude rangers from 0m to 150m
(Grouse is 1200m)• Features a result of last ice age, river
erosion and deposition, wind erosion• Clay base of soil
Physiographic Regions of Canada
GREAT LAKES/ST LAWRENCE LOWLANDS REGION
Characteristics: Natural Resources
Fresh water Agriculture (fertile soil) Minerals- iron, zinc, silver, copper,
lead Climate
Maritime effect/moderation 875mm precipitation/year 80cm of snow -30 degrees (January) +28 degrees Winds from Arctic/Mexico Pressure systems
Source: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/statistics-facts/home/887
Physiographic Regions of Canada
GREAT LAKES/ST LAWRENCE LOWLANDS REGION
Characteristics: Population
Most densely populated area in Canada
14 million 50% of people who immigrate
to Canada go to Ontario Traditionally Algonquian first
nation territory Most of ethnic population
(39%) is ‘other’ and 50% is British/British & other
Physiographic Regions of Canada
GREAT LAKES/ST LAWRENCE LOWLANDS REGION
Challenges:
Opportunities:
Lifestyle: traffic/commute, big city problems
Highest population density in Canada
High levels of industry
Centres of commerce (Toronto), government (Ottawa), culture (Montreal)
Connections to US Economies of scale
Physiographic Regions of Canada
GREAT LAKES/ST LAWRENCE LOWLANDS REGION
Relationship to Canada: Location of many “heartlands” Close proximity to many major
historical events
Sources: http://www.eclectecon.net/media/
Physiographic Regions of Canada
CANADIAN SHIELD
Location:
Covers almost half of Canada (8 million km2). Does not extend far into US.
Borders the Arctic, Plains, St Lawrence Lowlands and Appalachian regions
Thunder Bay & Sudbury(ON), Churchill (MB), Labrador, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, North West Territories
Hudson Bay, Great Lakes
Physiographic Regions of Canada
CANADIAN SHIELD
Characteristics:• Geographical Features• Exposed precambrian rock
Source: http://www.maggiesale.ca
“The region, as a whole, is composed of ancient crystalline rocks whose complex structure attests to a long history of uplift and depression, mountain building, and erosion. Some of the ancient mountain ranges can still be recognized as a ridge or belt of hills, but the present appearance of the physical landscape of the Canadian Shield is not so much a result of the folding and faulting and compression of the rocks millions of years ago as it is the work of ice in relatively recent geologic time. During the Pleistocene Epoch (2.6 million to 11,700 years ago), the vast continental glaciers that covered northern North America had this region as a centre. The ice, in moving to the south, scraped the land bare of its overlying mantle of weathered rock. Some of this material was deposited on the shield when the ice melted, but the bulk of it was carried southward to be deposited south and southwest of the Canadian Shield.” (Britannica Online)
Physiographic Regions of Canada
CANADIAN SHIELD
Characteristics: Natural Resources
Copper, zinc, gold, iron, silver, nickel, cobalt, tungsten.
Climate Temperature: -39 degrees
(January) to +32 (degrees) 250 days of sun Precipitation: 300-
1600mm of rain/snow
Sudbury, ON 1888Sudbury, ON 2005
Physiographic Regions of Canada
CANADIAN SHIELD
Characteristics: Population
Numbers: 3-4 million Where they live: southern
part of region, scattered pockets (resource-towns)
Demographic breakdown: German, Aboriginal, Dutch, Pilipino= 50%,
Source: http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/auth/english/maps/archives/poster/population?maxwidth=1600&maxheight=1400&mode=navigator&upperleftx=0&upperlefty=0&lowerrightx=5104&lowerrighty=3304&mag=0.125
Physiographic Regions of Canada
CANADIAN SHIELD
Challenges:- Isolation of cities (self-sustaining)- Huge range of climate (people,
infrastructure)- Movement of people/goods
between centres
Opportunities:- Resources to be mined (jobs,
economy)- Tight knit communities- Strong community leadership,
arts, community support
Physiographic Regions of Canada
CANADIAN SHIELD
Relationship to Canada:
Source material for stereotypes?
The most diverse region?
A sense of cultural unity?
Source: http://www/faculty.marianopolis.edu
Physiographic Regions of Canada
INTERIOR PLAINS
Location:
Central CanadaPrairiesEast of the Cordillera, West of the Shield
Stretches into USStrong North/South stretch
Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan
Physiographic Regions of Canada
INTERIOR PLAINS
Characteristics:
- Flat, rolling hills- Bordered by the Rocky Mountain range- Strong agricultural presence
Physiographic Regions of Canada
INTERIOR PLAINS
Characteristics: Natural Resources
Agriculture Oil (AB, SK) Potash (SK) Coal, iron (minimal)
Climate Temperatures: Harsh cold winters (-
30) “real hot” summers (+30) Precipitation: 200-400mm, most
precipitation comes in the form of snow, dry summers
Physiographic Regions of Canada
INTERIOR PLAINS
Characteristics: Population
Distribution wide, some pockets but otherwise thinly populated
Approx 5 million in the region, mostly in cities 41-47% Majority is “other”…. European (German,
Ukranian), Aboriginal Approx 1/3 are still British origin English dominant mother tongue
Physiographic Regions of Canada
INTERIOR PLAINS
Challenges: Environmental: flat (recreation, variety of landforms), climate Economic: isolation (variety of jobs, getting to/from, cost of living) Social: isolation (less interaction)
Opportunities: Economic: farming (opportunity), building factories/industries Political: ease of election (less competition, face to face communication) Social: strength of communities,
Physiographic Regions of Canada
INTERIOR PLAINS
Relationship to Canada:• Machine, a goods-producer• Hinterland relationship, colonial• Stereotype of Canada (hot summers, cold
winters, farm, rural)• Boring…. Rural… one horse town• Marmish Aunt• Little bro/sister• Breadbasket of Canada
Physiographic Regions of Canada
WESTERN CORDILLERA
Location:
BC, Yukon (absolute)
West Coast of Canada (relative)
Between the pacific ocean and the interior plains (relative)
Bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountain range
Extends into the US (down into South America)
Physiographic Regions of Canada
WESTERN CORDILLERA
Characteristics: Mountainous (jagged), heavily treed Variety in elevation and topography Elevation: -50m to 3954m (Mt. Robson), 4400m (Mt. Elbert), 5900m (Mt. Logan) Maritime/Coastal influence
Physiographic Regions of Canada
WESTERN CORDILLERACharacteristics: Natural Resources
Fish Coal Lumber/forestry Gold Fresh water Other: wine, blueberries, cranberries Agriculture
Climate Mild/wet/humid Varied between southern and northern reaches, mountain/non-mountain Maritime influence Temperatures 2-20 degrees (Vancouver) Precipitation 1113 mm annually (falls mostly as rain)
Physiographic Regions of Canada
WESTERN CORDILLERA
Characteristics: Population
4.5 million (BC), 35 000 (YT) 4.7 people/km2 Pockets: Vancouver + , Victoria Setteled area: coast, interior (Kelowna, Kamloops) 33%- Other (high Asian percentage) 50% +- British/British+Other
Physiographic Regions of Canada
WESTERN CORDILLERA
Challenges:• Environmental: earthquakes, natural disasters, natural elements• Social: big city problems (gangs, organised crime, drugs)
Opportunities:• Economic: high quality job opportunities (resources: mining), service industry,
trading with US and Asian Gateway• Social: more people (economies of scale), diversity in a way unique from other
population centres
Physiographic Regions of Canada
WESTERN CORDILLERA
Relationship to Canada:• Favourite child (beautiful, everyone wants to visit), some envy• Connected: Vancouver has important role in the import/export portion of
the Canadian Economy• Separateness: on the coast, separated by a significant mountain range,
outlook is more West (Asia) and South (US) than East (Toronto, etc), diverse culture, West Coast Lifestyle
Physiographic Regions of Canada
ARCTIC
Location:
North of the treeline
North West Territories, Nunavut
North of Canadian Shield, Interior Plains
Connected to Russia, US, Finland, Denmark
Physiographic Regions of Canada
ARCTIC
Characteristics:• Barren• Cold• Icy• Specific flora and fauna that are highly
adapted to survive in the region
Physiographic Regions of Canada
ARCTIC
Characteristics: Natural Resources
Oil/Natural Gas Diamonds Nickel Animals: seals
Climate Cold Temperatures: -50 to 10 degrees Precipitation: 20-50mm, mostly as snow
Sources
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0007093
http://www.oneexchangecorp.com/facts.html