 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… NameArctic, Appalachians… Characteristics (Place)Human, Physical LocationAbsolute, Relative, Major Provinces/Cities Challenges/Opportunities (HEI)Jobs, Quality of Life, Safety, Access, Requirements Patterns and ChangeDevelopment, Population…

 Physiographic Regions of Canada APPALACHIAN REGION Location: Eastern Canada Atlantic Canada Eastern US Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island

 Physiographic Regions of Canada APPALACHIAN REGION

 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 km 2 South Eastern Ontario South Western Quebec Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City Lake Erie, Lake Superior, Lake Ontario, Lake Huron

 Physiographic Regions of Canada GREAT LAKES/ST LAWRENCE LOWLANDS REGION

 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:

 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 problemstraffic/commute  Highest population density in Canada 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:

 Physiographic Regions of Canada CANADIAN SHIELD Location: Covers almost half of Canada (8 million km 2 ). 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

 Physiographic Regions of Canada CANADIAN SHIELD Characteristics: Geographical Features Exposed precambrian rock Source: “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)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: mm of rain/snow Sudbury, ON 1888 Sudbury, 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: owerrightx=5104&lowerrighty=3304&mag= owerrightx=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:

 Physiographic Regions of Canada INTERIOR PLAINS Location: Central Canada Prairies East of the Cordillera, West of the Shield Stretches into US Strong North/South stretch Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan

 Physiographic Regions of Canada INTERIOR PLAINS

 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: mm, most precipitation comes in the form of snow, dry summers

 Physiographic Regions of Canada INTERIOR PLAINS Characteristics:  Population

 Physiographic Regions of Canada INTERIOR PLAINS Challenges: Opportunities:

 Physiographic Regions of Canada INTERIOR PLAINS Relationship to Canada:

 Physiographic Regions of Canada WESTERN CORDILLERA Location:

 Physiographic Regions of Canada WESTERN CORDILLERA

 Physiographic Regions of Canada WESTERN CORDILLERA Characteristics:

 Physiographic Regions of Canada WESTERN CORDILLERA Characteristics:  Natural Resources  Climate

 Physiographic Regions of Canada WESTERN CORDILLERA Characteristics:  Population

 Physiographic Regions of Canada WESTERN CORDILLERA Challenges: Opportunities:

 Physiographic Regions of Canada WESTERN CORDILLERA Relationship to Canada:

 Physiographic Regions of Canada ARCTIC Location:

 Physiographic Regions of Canada ARCTIC

 Physiographic Regions of Canada ARCTIC Characteristics:

 Physiographic Regions of Canada ARCTIC Characteristics:  Natural Resources  Climate

 Physiographic Regions of Canada ARCTIC Characteristics:  Population

 Physiographic Regions of Canada ARCTIC Challenges: Opportunities:

 Physiographic Regions of Canada ARCTIC Relationship to Canada:

 Sources