The North American Realm

PART II

By Valerie Kane

Canad

aPages 177- 203

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The Realm of North America

The 8 Geographic Regions of North America

The 8 Geographic Regions of Canada

Population of Canada4

1

2

3

Contents

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6

History of Canada

Cultural and political Geography

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Economic Geography7

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Contents continued

Regions of The Realm

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North American Realm

• Two countries make up the North American realm, the United States and Canada.

• Culturally - most trace their ancestry to Europe and is often called Anglo-America.

• Economically - both are highly advanced in development and the trade relationship is beneficial to both sides. The longest open international boundary on Earth is between the United States and Canada.

• Together we have almost unlimited natural resources. Trade and culture bond us.

• North America is the most highly urbanized society and very mobile with superhighways, air travel routes, media, and telecommunication.

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Geography:Regions of North America

There are EIGHT geographic regions of North America.

1. Coastal Plain 2. Appalachian

Mountains3. Canadian Shield4. Interior

Lowlands5. Great Plains6. Rocky

Mountains7. Basin and

Range8. Coastal Range.

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Canada

Canada is the world's second largestcountry, occupying most of North America

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CanadaCanada is divided into 10

provinces and 3 territories.

The 4 Atlantic Provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador The two biggest provinces are Ontario and Quebec

3 prairie Provinces Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta

And the 10th Province is British Columbia on the Pacific.

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The 8 Geographic Regions of Canada

There are also EIGHT

Geographic regions in

Canada.

1. Western Cordilleras

2. Interior Plains

3. Canadian Shield

4. Innuitian Region

5. Arctic Lowlands

6. St. Lawrence Lowlands

7. Arctic Coastal Plains

8. Appalachian Region

http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/landscapes/physio_e.php

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#1 The Cordillera Region

The Cordillera region is located on the west coast of Canada and includes British Columbia, the Yukon, southwest Alberta and part of North WestTerritories.

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The Cordillera Region

  The climate of the Cordillera’s coast is mild, wet and rarely has

snow that stays. The interior of the Cordillera is usually colder and dryer with

larger amounts of snow. In the summer, it is warmer and there is less rain. 

The landscape of the Cordillera has long chains of high rugged mountains. This

includes the Rocky Mountains and the Coastal Mountains. Parts of this region

are covered with forests.  

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The Cordillera Region cont.The natural resources of the Cordillera are forestry (this is the biggest industry

in the region), agriculture, mining (iron, lead, zinc, silver, copper and nickel) and

fisheries (the west coast is famous for salmon).  .

Most of the people in the Cordillera live in extreme south lowlands [Vancouver]and southern plateau due to the warmer climate.

The economies in the WesternCordillera are based on logging, mining, and tourism

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#2 The Interior PlainsThe  Plains rely upon water because the region's climate is generally dry.

Water not only helps irrigate crops and livestock but it is also a source of transportation for products, supplies, goods and services.

In the past, these water routes were also major fur trading routes. Similar to the Cordillera, these waterways also act as areas of recreation, tourism, as well as resources like hydro-electricity for Canadians.

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The Interior PlainsFarming  is an Extremely

important part of this

region. Crops such as

wheat, barley, oats, flax,

canola, mustard,

potatoes, corn and

sugar beets are grown in

The plains.

Farmers also

Raise cattle, pigs and

poultry, to name a few.Both the crops andlivestock produced in this areafeed many Canadians as well as others around the world

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#3 The Canadian Shield

Covering almost half of

Canada, the Canadian

Shield stretches west and

north from the Atlantic

Ocean to the Arctic

Ocean.  It consists of low

hills, swamps, lakes and

streams.  Because the soil

is poor and the climate is

cold, few people live in this

region.

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The Canadian Shield

To Canadians, the Shield is both a curse and a blessing.  It cuts the country in half and contributes to divisions between the easterners and westerners.  At the same time the shield is rich in mineral resources. 

Hydro Electricity  - since the Shield  surrounds the Hudson's Bay and there are many rivers in this area, a great deal of electricity is generated for Canadians as well as for the U.S.A. The immensity of this project alone demonstrates the value of the Shield to the Canadian people and their economy. http://www.jamesbayroad.com/hydro/index.html

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#4 The Innuitian Region

This area, along with the Arctic lowland region, is considered part of the Arctic Archipelago.

The Innuitian Region is characterized by three zones of mountains that are separated by extensive and discontinuous terrain of more subdued topography formed by plateaus, uplands and lowlands, with the Queen Elizabeth Islands comprising most of the area.

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The Queen Elizabeth Islands-Innuitian Region

Frost mounds on till plain, Fosheim Peninsula, Ellesmere Island

The Islands, originally known as the Parry Archipelago, were renamed as a group after Queen Elizabeth II on her coronation as

Queen of Canada in 1953. Most are uninhabited, but their main industry is oil drilling.

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The Queen Elizabeth Islands-Innuitian Region

other than weather and research stations such as ALERT, There are

only two permanently inhabited places in the islands.

1. Resolute on Cornwallis Island - population 229 as of the 2006 census

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The Queen Elizabeth Islands-Innuitian Region

2. Grise Fiord on Ellesmere Island- population 141 as of the 2006 census

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The Queen Elizabeth Islands-Innuitian Region

3. Alert with a population of 5 as of the 2006 census.

Alert is the northernmost permanently inhabited place in the world.

It is only 508 miles from the North Pole.

It takes its name from HMS Alert, which wintered 6.2 miles east of the

present station in 1875–1876.

Alert hosts a military signals intelligence radio receiving facility at Canadian Forces Station Alert (CFS Alert), as well as a co-located Environment Canada weather station, a Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW)atmosphere monitoring laboratory, and the Alert Airport.

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Innuitian RegionNorth of the mainland is a maze of islands separated by convoluted straits and sounds, the most famous of which link together to form the fabled Northwest Passage, the route to the Orient sought by so many early explorers.

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#5 The Arctic Lowlands RegionThe Arctic Lowlands is a large, poorly drained piece of wetlands wedged between the Canadian Shield and southern shores of Hudson Bay and James Bay.

They are also part of what is commonly referred to as the Arctic Archipelago, occupying much of the central Canadian Arctic

Many wide and slow-moving rivers flow through this area toward the salt water of Hudson Bay. Mosquitoes and black flies thrive here

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The Arctic Lowlands

The Arctic is no longer an inaccessible frontier. Inuvik, in the Mackenzie Delta, can be reached by road, and every community is served by air. Most have electricity, stores and health services.Due to its northern location, Inuvik experiences an average of 56 days of continuous sunlight every summer and 30 days of polar night every winter.

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The Arctic LowlandsThe Arctic lowlands have a gently rolling landscape. The harsh climate does not permit farming; the ground remains frozen most of the year. However, the Paleozoic sedimentary rock, from which the Lowlands are formed, contains lignite (a form of coal), oil, and natural gas deposits. Limestone is very abundant as well.

The terrain is mostly ice, snow, rock, and it is full of marshes, especially in the winter. Animals that live in the area include polar bears, char, Arctic hares and Arctic foxes.

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#6 St Lawrence Lowlands

Even though the St. Lawrence Lowlands is the smallest landform region in Canada it is home to approximately 50% of Canadians.

The St. Lawrence Lowlands are the most industry-based landform in Canada, with about 70% of the country's manufacturing industries.

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St Lawrence LowlandsIt is the urban sprawl of Canada. Because of its fertile soil and relatively small distance from its gigantic trading partner, the United States of America, the Lowlands are the commercial asset of Canada.

Southern Quebec and Ontario, the industrial heartland of Canada, contain Canada's two largest cities, Montreal and Toronto. In this small region, 50 percent of Canadians live and 70 percent of Canada's manufactured goods are produced.

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St Lawrence Lowlands

The region also has prime agricultural land, for example

the Niagara Peninsula. The large expanses of lakes Erie

and Ontario extend the number of frost-free days, permitting

The cultivation of grapes, peaches, pears and other fruits.

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St Lawrence Lowlands

Manufacturing in Canada had its beginnings early in the 18th century, but it was not until the late 19th century, with the development of electricity and a national political objective, that it achieved significant growth.

Throughout the 20th century, manufacturing has contributed significantly to the economic well-being and prosperity of Canadians.

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St. Lawrence LowlandsToronto

Toronto is:• the largest city in Canada• Canada's economic capital, • considered an alpha world

city by the Globalization and World Cities (GaWC) study group

• is one of the top financial centres in the world.

• is the fifth most populous city in North America.

• with over 5 million residents is the seventh largest urban region in North America.

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St Lawrence LowlandsQuebec

http://www.quebecregion.com/quebec_sons_images/indexen.html#/history_and_heritage/video_summer

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St Lawrence LowlandsMontreal

http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/MontrealTV

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St Lawrence LowlandsThe Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region is sugar maple country. The sugar maple leaves, Canada’s national symbol, are resplendent in red, orange and gold. During spring the sap is harvested to make maple syrup and sugar.

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#7 The Arctic Coastal PlainsThe Arctic Coastal Plain includes the coastal terrain along the shores of the Arctic Ocean from Meighen Island to Alaska. It is divided into three subregions, each of which has distinctive physiographic characteristics:1. The Island Coastal Plain extends from Meighen Island to Banks Island, sometimes characterized by hilly terrain that carries an ice cap and sometimes by a low, flat, uniform landscape or by low hills;2. The Mackenzie Delta A multitude of lakes and channels cover the Mackenzie Delta plain and, in the older parts, pingos form the most outstanding features of the landscape;3. The Yukon Coastal Plain

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pingo

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#8 The Appalachian RegionThe most eastern region of Canada lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the heavily forested Appalachian Mountain.  This region of low hills, plains, islands, and peninsulas includes the 4 Atlantic Provinces of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick.  The sea has long shaped the life of the Appalachian region.  Early Europeans built small fishing settlements along the rocky coast.  From there, they fished in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and on the Grand Banks off Newfoundland, one of the world’s richest fishing areas. 

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Nova Scotia

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New Brunswick

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Prince Edward Island

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Newfoundland & Labrador

originally bred and used as a working dog for fishermen in the Colony of Newfoundland, They are known for their giant size, strength, calm dispositions, and loyalty. Newfoundland dogs excel at water rescue/lifesaving due to their muscular build, thick coat, webbed feet, and innate swimming abilities.

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Newfoundland & Labrador

After spring thaw, the Labrador Current carries these massive ice formations past Newfoundland's north and east coasts.

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The Three Territories

The Three Canadian Territories are:

1. The Yukon

2. The Northwest

3. Nunavet

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Yukon Territory

the stunning Kaskawulsh Glacier in

the Yukon Territory, Canada.

Photo of a bridge across Nares River in the town of Carcross in the Yukon Territory,

Canada.

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Northwest Territory

Blackford Lake

Pingo (50 m high hill with an ice-core) in the Mackenzie delta, Northwest

Territories, Canada.

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Nunavut TerritoryNunavut is the largest and

newest federal territory of

Canada; it was separated

officially from the Northwest

Territories on April 1, 1999 via

the Nunavut Act and the

Nunavut Land Claims

Agreement Act

The creation of Nunavut –

meaning "our land" in Inuktitut

resulted in the first major

change to Canada's map

since the incorporation of the

new province of Newfoundland

in 1949.

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Inukshuk

• a stone landmark or cairn built by humans, used by the Inuit, Inupiat, Kalaallit, Yupik, and other peoples of the Arctic region of North America. These structures are found from Alaska to Greenland. This region, above the Arctic Circle, is dominated by the tundra biome and has areas with few natural landmarks.

• The inuksuk may have been used for navigation, as a point of reference, a marker for travel routes, fishing places, camps, hunting grounds, places of veneration, drift fences used in hunting or as a food cache.

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Inunnguaq

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Canada - Population

• Canada’s overall population is 32.9 million, which is about 1/10th the size of the US population.

• While the US population is dispersed across most of the country with both east and west coasts heavily populated, most Canadians live in an east-West Corridor across southern Canada mainly within 200 miles of the US border.

• Main Street is the Conurbation that stretches across southerrnmost Quebec and Ontario, From Quebec City on the Lower St. Lawrence River Southwest through Montreal and Toronto to Windsor on the Detroit River.

• Conurbation - noun an extensive urban area resulting from the expansion of several cities or towns so that they coalesce but usually retain their separate identities.

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ConurbationMain Street

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Canada- population

The inhabitable zone of a permanent settlement is called the ecumene. Canada’s population clusters lie along the Southern border.

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Canada – Populations by City

Ontario – 12.8 million

Quebec – 7.8 Million

British Columbia – 4.4 Million

The Prairie Provinces – 5.5 Million

The Atlantic Provinces – 2.3 Million

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Canada Pre-Twentieth Centurypage 179

• French were the first to colonize Canada and their laws, land-tenure system, and Catholic Church dominated

• Canada means settlement and was named such after the American War for Independence. This war lead to much division between the French settlers and the newly arriving English refugees.

• In 1867 an act guaranteed Quebec rights in the

Parliament and court as a French speaking territory.• In 1886 the Canadian Pacific Railway was completed

and spawned settlement into the Prairie Provinces

whose wheat-raising economy expanded.

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20th Century Canada• Urban development in Canada can be broken down into three eras.• 1. Frontier-Staples Era - encompasses century long transition from

frontier mercantile economy to one oriented to staples (producing raw materials and agricultural goods for export) – By 1930 Montreal and Toronto had emerged as the two leading cities.

• 2. Era of Industrial Capitalism –(1935-1975) achieved US style prosperity– A major stimulus was US corporations investing in Canadian branch plants such

as automobile plants– Oil and natural gas production fueled Alberta’s urban development. – New Agricultural technologies reduced farm labor needs and sparked a rural

OUTmigration in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

• 3. Era of Global capitalism - rise of additional foreign investment from the Asian Pacific Rim and Europe. This is also the era of transformation into a post industrial economy and society. This is causing Canada the same upheavals as the U.S.

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Cultural and Political Geography

• Devolution is the process by which regions within a state demand and gain political strength and growing autonomy at the expense of the central government. Canada is experiencing devolution and national unity is under siege.

• The division of culture between the English and the French is still rampant today in the politics and culture of Canada. •Canadian French (francophones) and English speaking citizens have been at odds for quite some time. Quebecers feel they are second

class citizens and have wanted to secede from Canada.

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Cultural and Political Geography page 181

• The rift between the French and English speaking population dominates the political battles of Canada. Quebec has threatened to secede twice. The first time, in 1980, voters were overwhelmingly against secession, but in 1995, 49.4% voted FOR Secession. This is considered by many to be Canada’s “near death” experience.

• Fortunately public opinion has once again turned against thoughts of succession due to 4 important factors. – 1. Provincial laws establish French as the official language– 2. A substantial increase in English speaking people becoming bilingual in

French– 3. Immigrants that are settling in both French and English speaking territories– 4. The defeat of the separatist party in 2003

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Economic Geography• Canada has a rich resource base and is leading as an

agricultural producer and exporter. New technologies make productivity high, but labor requirements cause less farm workers.

• Canada’s tertiary and quaternary sectors employ more than 70% of the workforce and are creating many new economic opportunities.

• Trade relations also play a strong role in the economic future. The US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (1989) initiated a phasing out of all tariffs and restrictions.

• A regional state is a natural economic zone defying old borders and is shaped by the global economy that it is a part of.

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Regions of the Realm page 185

The North American Core included the Manufacturing Belt. The region

was the leader during the century between the Civil War and the close

of the industrial age and is still the geographic heart in which

manufacturing is still very important.

See image on page 186

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The Maritime North East

• The Maritime Northeast consists of upper New England and Atlantic Provinces of Canada. Development has centered on fishing and recreation tourism in the winter.

• Has maintained strong regional identity for over 400 years

• Has been the Northeastern Anchor of the core since the mid 1900’s

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French Canada• French Canada contains the settled southern part of Quebec and bordering

French speaking neighbors. • Narrow rectangular farms known as long lots, are laid out perpendicular to

the St. Lawrence allowing each farm access to a routeway.• The economy is no longer rural due to industrialization• Urbanization of young families has caused a sharp decline in the provincial

birth rate• The Quebec government has tried to offset this by encouraging large

families (with cash payments) and francophone immigration.

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The Continental Interior

• The Continental Interior extends across the center of both the U.S. and southern Canada. See page 175

• agriculture is predominant land use• Demands for ethanol have caused a huge increase in corn as a

crop.• Agricultural opportunities are DECLINING • The great Plains Depopulation trend is rapidly plummeting toward

demographic collapse• Alberta is experiencing a growth boom due to its petroleum

reserves. (worlds second largest)

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The South

• The South suffered economic depression for over a century due to the Civil war.

• the growth of beef, soybeans, poultry, and lumber has helped the growth of this region

• Gap between rich and poor is wider here than any other region• The regions population has been continuously affected by an influx of

people from the North, Hispanics, Asians, and retirees, helping it to become more a part of the national society.

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The Southwest

• Has been led by Texas• is a bicultural regional complex, and sometimes refereed to as

tricultural to include not only Anglo Americans and Mexican Americans, but Native Americans also.

• Rapid development is based on a three prong foundation.– 1. availability of electricity to power ac s– 2. sufficient water for large numbers in dry environment– 3. autos for people to spread out further

• The Dallas/Ft.Worth-Houston-San Antonio triangle has become one of the most productive postindustrial complexes, specializing in business-info, health care services, and high tech manufacturing.

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The Western Frontier• stretches east-west between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra

Nevada Cascades, • the north-south reaches from Grand Canyon country to the

Canadian Rockies. • The Las Vegas Valley is the fastest growing area in the western

frontier due to advances in technology and communication.

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The Northern Frontier

• covers 90% of Canada and all of Alaska see page 186

• consists of very harsh cold environment• Is a frontier…represents a thrust into

undeveloped country in an entirely new direction.

• contains one of the Earth’s storehouses of mineral and energy resources because the Canadian Shield covers 2/3 of the eastern part.

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The Pacific Hinge

• consists of the Pacific coastlands of the US and Canada.

• Called a hinge because this region increasingly forms an interface between North America and the Pacific Rim.

• has good climate and delightful weather. • The land is very productive in

California’s Central Valley. • Environmental hazards such as

droughts, flooding. mudslides, brushfire,

and earthquakes occur in this area.• Vancouver has become the most

Asianized metropolis in North America.

The EndShew!