Physiographic Regions of Canada

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)


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…


APPALACHIAN REGION

Location:

Eastern CanadaAtlantic CanadaEastern US

Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island

http://youtu.be/NTbJhNuCLR8

http://youtu.be/f75T4biR8Zo


APPALACHIAN REGION


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


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-


APPALACHIAN REGION

Characteristics: Population

Approx 3-4 million Major centres and most

people along the coastline

Majority of British ethnic origin


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)


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


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





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




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

http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/statistics-facts/home/887






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

http://www.trra.ca/en/reports/TORegionGenDemo.asp



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

http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/08/toronto_commute_times_the_longest_in_canada/

http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/auth/english/maps/peopleandsociety/population/population2006/popden2006?layers=pop_cap%20CD_CSD_boundaries%20pop_place_lowerZoom&scale=42051275.911682&mapsize=1150%201350&mapxy=2656318.414040956%201955621.7159940284&urlappend=

http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/auth/english/maps/peopleandsociety/population/population2006/popden2006?layers=pop_cap%20CD_CSD_boundaries%20pop_place_lowerZoom&scale=42051275.911682&mapsize=1150%201350&mapxy=2656318.414040956%201955621.7159940284&urlappend=



Relationship to Canada: Location of many “heartlands” Close proximity to many major

historical events

Sources: http://www.eclectecon.net/media/

http://www.eclectecon.net/media/



http://www.metronews.ca/Toronto/comment/article/258178--dumping-on-the-centre-of-the-universe


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


CANADIAN SHIELD


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)

http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environment/geology/geologicalprovinces/1

http://www.maggiesale.ca/

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/91992/Canadian-Shield


CANADIAN SHIELD


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


CANADIAN SHIELD


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

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





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


CANADIAN SHIELD

Relationship to Canada:

Source material for stereotypes?

The most diverse region?

A sense of cultural unity?

Source: http://www/faculty.marianopolis.edu

http://www/faculty.marianopolis.edu


INTERIOR PLAINS

Location:

Central CanadaPrairiesEast of the Cordillera, West of the Shield

Stretches into USStrong North/South stretch

Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan


INTERIOR PLAINS


INTERIOR PLAINS

Characteristics:

- Flat, rolling hills- Bordered by the Rocky Mountain range- Strong agricultural presence


INTERIOR PLAINS


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


INTERIOR PLAINS



INTERIOR PLAINS

Challenges:

Opportunities:


INTERIOR PLAINS



WESTERN CORDILLERA

Location:


WESTERN CORDILLERA


WESTERN CORDILLERA

Characteristics:


WESTERN CORDILLERA


Climate


WESTERN CORDILLERA



WESTERN CORDILLERA

Challenges:

Opportunities:


WESTERN CORDILLERA



ARCTIC

Location:


ARCTIC


ARCTIC

Characteristics:


ARCTIC


Climate


ARCTIC



ARCTIC

Challenges:

Opportunities:


ARCTIC


Sources

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0007093

http://www.oneexchangecorp.com/facts.html






Documents

Physiographic Regions of Canada