“Where you live determines how you live.” Canadian Regions “Where you live determines how you live.”
Size Canada is huge!... Only Russia is larger. Canada is 4800 km north-south 5000km west to east “Space, land, and winter – these are the overwhelming realities of Canada.” ~ Wade Davis, ethnobotanist and writer, Shadows in the Sun (1992)
Isolation 90% of Canada is so far north that the growing season does not allow for agriculture, (crops) Except for the USA, Canada is far away from other countries “Canada is so big as to seem invisible.” ~ Brian Moore, novelist, Canada (1963, 1968)
Canadian Provinces and Territories Take a moment to fill in the names of all the provinces and territories, as well as their capital cities. Make sure to use a capital letter!
Physical Regions of Canada Canada has 7 distinct surface landforms: Canadian Shield Western Cordillera Appalachians Innuitians Great Lakes Interior Plains Lowlands
Tons of rock, bogs, muskeg and lake basins CANADIAN SHIELD Largest region Tons of rock, bogs, muskeg and lake basins Soils are poor, thin, acidic, or non- existent Forestry & mineral mining, (gold, copper, nickel, uranium)
CANADIAN SHIELD
Western Cordillera Pacific mountain system and the interior Rocky Mountains Much erosion, peaks over 3000 m, and large valleys Some soil, but only in valleys Forestry, minerals, (gold), and hydroelectric power
Western Cordillera
APPALACHIANS Older mountains, peaks up to 1200 m high Soil is mostly poor and swampy (except in the PEI lowlands) Coal a major resource
APPALACHIANS
INNUITIANS Located in the far, isolated north Mountain area comprised of glaciers and ice fields
INNUITIANS
GREAT LAKES – ST. LAWRENCE LOWLANDS Small region resting on sedimentary rocks Fertile soil, construction material, hydroelectric power
GREAT LAKES – ST. LAWRENCE LOWLANDS
INTERIOR PLAINS Rests on sedimentary rocks Flat areas, rolling hills, valleys created by glacial meltwater Thick, glacial-lake soils in the southern area Elevation increases from east to west Several minerals, farming, oil and gas
INTERIOR PLAINS
Level area near Hudson Bay and a series of islands LOWLANDS Level area near Hudson Bay and a series of islands Swampy muskeg, other poorly drained areas, frozen ground Few natural resources … some fossil fuels
LOWLANDS