Canada’s Landform Regions

Landform Region Map

Western Cordillera Description Rugged/young mountains 2 major ranges Fast flowing rivers Rock Type Sedimentary with some igneous and metamorphic A glacier-fed lake in Jasper National Park in Alberta

Western Cordillera Formation Folding (Rocky Mts) Volcanic (Coastal Mts) Lava flows (interior Plateaus) Mountains of the Yukon. Notice the jagged peaks. If you looks carefully, you will also see glaciers.

Western Cordillera Human Activities Forestry Transportation Tourism Fishing

Interior Plains Description Flat to rolling plains 3 levels separated by escarpments Deep river valleys Rock Type Sedimentary

Interior Plains Formation Deposition of sediment into ancient seas Glaciation Differential erosion to form escarpments Farmland near the Red River in Southern Manitoba

Interior Plains Human Activities Agriculture (wheat) Oil and gas Potash mining Cattle ranching

Canadian Shield Description Oldest rock Relatively flat with rounded hills Thousands of lakes Saucer shaped Rock type Igneous and Metamorphic A boulder in the Northwest Territories. It was deposited here by a retreating glacier.

Canadian Shield Formation Volcanic mountains (igneous rock) Erosion leveled mountains Glaciers scraped soil and made lakes. Notice the scratches in the rock. They were caused by Glaciers retreating.

Canadian Shield Human Activities Mining metallic minerals Tourism & recreation

Hudson Bay Lowlands Description Flat, low and swampy. Rock Type A wetland known as a muskeg in Northern Manitoba Description Flat, low and swampy. Rock Type Sedimentary

Hudson Bay Lowlands Formation Sediment deposited under glacial melt water Human Activities None

Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Lowlands Description Flat plains to rolling hills Great Lakes St Lawrence = rift valley Rock Type Sedimentary (some igneous in St. Lawrence region)

Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Lowlands Formation Sediment deposited into shallow ancient seas Glaciation St Lawrence Rifting Valley A typical farm in Ontario

Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Lowlands Human Activities Agriculture = Farming Tourism Manufacturing Urbanization

Appalachian Mountains Description Oldest highland Rolling mountains and hills Wide glacial valleys Long deep coastal inlets Rock Type Sedimentary with some igneous and metamorphic

Appalachian Mountains Formation Collision of plates = Folding Some volcanic activity Eroded rounded mountains Human Activities Fishing Agriculture

Arctic Lowlands Description Islands, gently rolling hills Rock Type Sedimentary Tundra in Nunavut. Notice the flat land and strewn rocks.

Arctic Lowlands Formation Sedimentary rock scraped bare by glaciers (deposition) Human Activities Oil and Natural Gas exploration and drilling

Innuitian Mountains Description Rugged, ice covered mountains Rock Type Sedimentary with some igneous and metamorphic The dramatic cliffs of Ellesmere Island, Nunavut.

Innuitian Mountains Formation Collision of plates = folding Some Volcanic activity Human Activities Oil and Natural Gas