Universidad de La Serena

Cultura y Civilización de los Pueblos de Habla Inglesa II

Canada
Covering more than 3.86 million square miles, it is the world’s second largest country.
Only Russia is larger.
The diversity of its beauty can be fully appreciated only at ground level where its
wind and sand carved rock formations, majestic mountains, and golden plains.

Gently rolling hills, and vast lowlands, stretch across six time zones. Most geographers
divide Canada's vast and diverse lands, into seven regions: The Appalachian
Highlands, the St. Lawrence Lowlands, the Hudson Bay Lowlands, the Canadian
Shield, the Arctic Islands, the Interior Plains and the Mountain West, or Cordillera.

The Cordillera contains two large mountain ranges, The Rocky's, and the Pacific Range.
Because the Pacific Range hugs much of Canada's western shores, there are many
fiords in the region. Fiords are long, narrow inlets with mountain walls on two sides and
they often provide a good route for watercraft. Because the mountains offer protection
against stormy weather. For the same reason, many ocean animals are found in the
fjords of Western Canada. In addition to animals and ships, islands are another feature
along the coast.

The Pacific Range of Western Canada extends beyond the coastline. A large basin
and plateau lie to the east of the coastal mountains, still farther eastward lie the Rockies.
Many rivers fed by melting snows from both the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Range, are
found in this basin area. At the southern reaches of the basin, a large number of orchards
take advantage of this plentiful supply of water, Kiwifruit, apples, berries and other fruits
come from this area.

The Canadian Rockies lie to the East of the basin. To many people, the Canadian
Rockies, which are in the Province of Alberta, make up some of the world's most
breathtaking mountain scenery. Many places here look as if they are picture postcards
come to life. The Canadian Rockies are a major recreational area. Golfing, skiing, rock
climbing, hiking and sightseeing play a key role in this region's economy.
A large number of islands lie northeast of the Rockies. These Arctic Islands make up the
second major land region of Canada. The three largest Arctic islands are Ellesmere,
Victoria and Baffin. Baffin is the fifth largest island in the world. Much of Baffin, as well
as most of the other islands in the region, are located inside the Arctic Circle. Therefore,
are cold and snowy much of the year.
Glaciers cover much of this area, the rest is tundra, where the sub soil is permanently
frozen and surface lands are covered with only the heartiest of plants.

The climate is so cold here, trees are unable to take root and grow. The interior plains
lie southwest of the Arctic Islands. This region covers a large portion of Canada's mid-
section, the third of the countries seven land regions, it is for the most part covered with
grasslands. Some of which are used for horse and cattle ranching. Huge grain farms
also are found on the interior plains. For this is Canada's breadbasket region.
Where it is not uncommon for some 30 million metric tonnes of wheat to be harvested
each year. While Canadians use a large portion of that wheat, much of the rest is
shipped overseas. Hay, oats, barley, rye, canola, and many other crops also are grown
on interior planes lands.

Canada's largest region, the Canadian Shield, covers approximately one half of the
country’s total land area. The Shield forms a vast horseshoe around Hudson Bay,
except at the south, and, for the most part, is composed of ancient rock and low hills.
The Shield is where many of Canada's large forests are located. It is also an area noted for its
thousands upon thousands of lakes, as well as spectacular rapids and magnificent waterfalls.

The next region, the Hudson Bay Lowlands, lies south of Hudson Bay. Sometime called the Arctic
Coastal Plains, it's covered by flat swampland and stunted trees. Huge deposits of peat, or decayed
vegetation are found here. Although the St. Lawrence Lowlands make up the smallest of the Canadian
regions, it is where most Canadians live. Toronto, Canada's largest city, with more than 4 million people
in it's metropolitan area, is located in this region.

The St. Lawrence Lowlands are mostly flat, but there are a few gently rolling hills in the region. Ponds
and lakes often punctuate these hills. Some of Canada's best farm land is found here. In fact, about one
third of the country's total agricultural output comes from the St. Lawrence lowlands. Principle crops
Universidad de La Serena
Cultura y Civilización de los Pueblos de Habla Inglesa II
Ingrid López.

include corn, a wide array of fruits, including cherries, all kinds of vegetables and canola, seen here, as
well as barley, soy beans, oats, and maize.

Now, onto the last but certainly not least Canadian region, The Appalachian Highlands. Found at the
far eastern reaches of the country, large portions of it border the Atlantic Ocean. For the most part, it's
hilly in The Appalachian Highlands, but geographically, the region is perhaps most notable for its rocky
shoreline.

Canada's vast water supplies make it one of the world’s leading producers of hydroelectricity. Besides
water and rich soil, forests are still another abundant natural resource of Canada.
Forrest trees particularly evergreens, but other varieties as well, supply the raw material for the country's
large lumber, pulp and paper industries, more on them in a few minutes.

Fish are still another natural resource of Canada. At one time, the waters of the countries east coast
were among the world's richest fishing areas. However, over fishing has reduced the fish population
there. Salmon are actively harvested near coastal waters in western Canada however, as are prawns,
sharks, halibut, and herring. Fisherman take perch, pickerel, and white fish from Canada's many lakes.
In addition, game fishing is a major economic activity in many areas.
Finally, minerals also rank as a major natural resource. Canada's mines produce copper, gold,
diamonds, iron ore, nickel, potash, and zinc. Nevertheless, oil and natural gas account for much of the
countries mining income. In fact, petroleum and natural gas, account for about half of all Canadian mining
revenue. Even with petroleum and natural gas however, mining is only a small part of Canada's economy.

More than two out of every three Canadian workers, hold service jobs in the hotel and tourism industries,
in education and healthcare, and in legal and financial services, such as banks and insurance companies.
Almost one of every five Canadian workers holds a job in manufacturing. Many of them work in plants
that make products for export. A large number of those export related jobs are found in petroleum, and
natural gas production, as well as in refining and petrochemical manufacturing.

The remainder of Canada's economy, for the most part, is made up of two other industries. The first,
is the lumber industry, plywood and pulp manufacturing, and paper milling. Especially newsprint for
newspapers. But other types of paper as well. The second is agriculture, the farming and ranching
industries.

As we've already mentioned, wheat farming is a major part of Canadian agribusiness. But Canada's
280,000 farms also produce potatoes, corn, oats, rye, apples and other fruits and vegetables and poultry.
Ranching is also important. Recent figures show that there are almost 13 million head of cattle in the
country. Canadian cattle ranchers supply the citizens of that country with almost all their beef. Those
ranchers also export beef and beef products to many overseas nations.
Ranked fourteenth in the world in cattle production, Canada is a leading beef exporter.

Canada then, is a huge country. One with many different regions and landforms. Fjords, mountains,
and a lowland basin far to the west, Tundra in the north. Waterfalls rivers lakes and forests on the
Canadian shield, swamps with peak deposits on the Hudson Bay lowlands and rolling hills and flat
lands in the Saint Florence low lands. Finally, there are rocky coastlines and mountains in the
Appalachian region.

Canada is a country of abundant natural resources, rich soil for farming, abundant water to help
nourish plants and to generate electricity, forests that provide wood and paper products. Fish to feed
Canadians and others around the world. Mineral deposits such as gold, copper, and zinc for
manufacturing, and oil and natural gas for energy. Finally, Canada has a modern, diverse economy,
based on many different service industries, manufacturing, and agriculture. Canada, a land of
breathtaking beauty and enormous diversity