View source for Cape Breton Island

{{Short description|Island in Nova Scotia, Canada}}
{{Redirect|Cape Breton|the municipality|Cape Breton Regional Municipality|other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox islands
| name             = Cape Breton
| image_name       = Wfm cape breton island pseudocolour.jpg
| image_caption    = 
| image_size       = 
| map              = Canada Nova Scotia
| map_caption      = 
|local_name = {{plain list|
* ''{{lang|fr|Île du Cap-Breton}}'' ([[Acadian French|French]])<ref name="Destination Cape Breton Association Inc">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbisland.com/about-cape-breton/the-island/ |title=About the Island |last=Destination Cape Breton Association Inc. |first=Cape Breton Island |website=www.cbisland.com |date=24 April 2019 |access-date=2020-09-23 |archive-date=25 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925135230/https://www.cbisland.com/about-cape-breton/the-island/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
* ''{{lang|mic|Unama'ki}}'' ([[Mi'kmaq language|Mi'kmawi'simk]])
* ''{{lang|gd|Eilean Cheap Bhreatainn}}'' ([[Canadian Gaelic|Scottish Gaelic]])
}}
| nickname         = 
| location         = [[Nova Scotia]], Canada
| coordinates      = {{Coord|46|17|42|N|60|40|12|W|scale:1000000_region:CA-NS|display=inline,title}}
| archipelago      = 
| total_islands    = 
| major_islands    = 
| area_km2         = 10311
| rank             = 77th
| length_km        =
| width_km         =
| highest_mount    = [[White Hill (Nova Scotia)|White Hill]]
| elevation_m      = 535
| country          = [[Canada]]
| country_admin_divisions_title     = Province
| country_admin_divisions           = [[Nova Scotia]]
| country_largest_city              = [[Cape Breton Regional Municipality]]
| country_largest_city_population   = 93,694<ref name = "Table from Statistics Canada CBRM">''[https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=cape%20breton&DGUIDlist=2021A00051217030&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0]'' (Census Profile, 2021 Census)</ref>
| population       = 132,019<ref name = "Table from Statistics Canada">''[https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=cape%20breton&DGUIDlist=2021S05001210&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0]'' (Census Profile, 2021 Census)</ref>
| population_as_of = 2021
| density_km2      = 12.8
| ethnic_groups    =
| demonym = Cape Bretoner<ref name="Table from Language Portal of Canada">''[https://www.noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca/bien-well/fra-eng/vocabulaire-vocabulary/demonyms-eng.html Table of demonyms in Canada] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140830091113/http://www.noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca/bien-well/fra-eng/vocabulaire-vocabulary/demonyms-eng.html |date=30 August 2014 }}''</ref> 
| additional_info  =
}}

'''Cape Breton Island''' ({{langx|fr|link=no|île du Cap-Breton}}, formerly ''{{lang|fr|[[Île-Royale (New France)|île Royale]]}}''; {{langx|gd|Ceap Breatainn}} or ''{{lang|gd|Eilean Cheap Bhreatainn}}''; {{langx|mic|Unamaꞌki}})<ref name="Destination Cape Breton Association Incb">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbisland.com/about-cape-breton/the-island/ |title=About the Island |last=Destination Cape Breton Association Inc. |first=Cape Breton Island |website=www.cbisland.com |date=24 April 2019 |access-date=2020-09-23 |archive-date=25 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925135230/https://www.cbisland.com/about-cape-breton/the-island/ |url-status=live }}</ref> is a rugged and irregularly shaped island<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cape Breton Island |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/cape-breton-island |access-date=2023-07-23 |website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca |language=en}}</ref> on the Atlantic coast of North America and part of the province of [[Nova Scotia]], Canada.<ref name="EB1911">{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Cape Breton}}</ref>

The {{convert|10311|km2|abbr=on}} island accounts for 18.7% of Nova Scotia's total area. Although the island is physically separated from the [[Nova Scotia peninsula]] by the [[Strait of Canso]], the {{convert|1385|m|ft|abbr=on}} long [[Canso Causeway]] connects it to mainland Nova Scotia. The island is east-northeast of the mainland with its northern and western coasts fronting on the [[Gulf of Saint Lawrence]] with its western coast forming the eastern limits of the [[Northumberland Strait]]. The eastern and southern coasts front the Atlantic Ocean with its eastern coast also forming the western limits of the [[Cabot Strait]]. Its landmass slopes upward from south to north, culminating in the [[Cape Breton Highlands|highland]]s of its northern cape. One of the world's larger saltwater lakes, {{lang|fr|[[Bras d'Or Lake|Bras d'Or]]}} ("Golden Arm" in French), dominates the island's centre.

The total population at the [[2016 Canadian Census|2016 census]] numbered 132,010 Cape Bretoners, which is approximately 15% of the provincial population.<ref name="Table from Statistics Canada"/> Cape Breton Island has experienced a decline in population of approximately 2.9% since the 2011 census. Approximately 75% of the island's population is in the [[Cape Breton Regional Municipality]] (CBRM), which includes all of Cape Breton County and is often referred to as [[Industrial Cape Breton]].

==Toponymy==
Cape Breton Island takes its name from its easternmost point, Cape Breton.<ref name=hamilton>{{cite book|title=Place-Names of Atlantic Canada|last=Hamilton|first=William B.|date=1996|publisher=University of Toronto Press|isbn=0-8020-7570-3|pages=7–8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UAvyE0pN5akC&pg=PA7|access-date=11 February 2021|archive-date=12 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210612055519/https://books.google.com/books?id=UAvyE0pN5akC&pg=PA7|url-status=live}}</ref> This may have been named after the [[Gascony|Gascon]] fishing port of [[Capbreton]],<ref>{{cite book|title=The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Place-Names|chapter=Cape Breton Island|last=Everett-Heath|first=John|date=2020|publisher=Oxford University Press|edition=6|isbn=978-0-19-190563-6}}</ref> but more probably takes its name from the [[Bretons]] of northwestern France. A Portuguese ''[[mappa mundi]]'' of 1516–20 includes the label "terra q(ue) foy descuberta por Bertomes" in the vicinity of the Gulf of St Lawrence, which means "land discovered by Bretons".<ref name=ganong>{{cite book|last=Ganong|first=William Francis|title=Crucial Maps in the Early Cartography and Place-Nomenclature of the Atlantic Coast of Canada|date=1964|publisher=University of Toronto Press|pages=78–81|isbn=9781487597375|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zvs2DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT78|access-date=11 February 2021|archive-date=12 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210612055548/https://books.google.com/books?id=Zvs2DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT78|url-status=live}}</ref> The name "Cape Breton" first appears on a map of 1516, as ''C(abo) dos Bretoes'',<ref name=ganong/> and became the general name for both the island and the cape toward the end of the 16th century.<ref name=hamilton/>

==History==

Cape Breton Island's first residents were likely [[Archaic period in the Americas|archaic]] maritime natives, ancestors of the [[Mi'kmaq people]]. These peoples and their progeny inhabited the island (known as Unama'ki) for several thousand years and continue to live there to this day. Their traditional lifestyle centred around hunting and fishing because of the unfavourable agricultural conditions of their maritime home. This ocean-centric lifestyle did, however, make them among the first [[Indigenous peoples]] to discover European explorers and sailors fishing in the St Lawrence Estuary. Italian explorer (sailing for the British crown) [[John Cabot]] reportedly visited the island in 1497.<ref name=EB1911/> However, European histories and maps of the period are of too poor quality to be sure whether Cabot first visited [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]] or Cape Breton Island. This discovery is commemorated by Cape Breton's [[Cabot Trail]], and by the Cabot's Landing Historic Site & Provincial Park, near the village of [[Dingwall, Nova Scotia|Dingwall]].

The local Mi'kmaq peoples began trading with European fishermen when the fishermen began landing in their territories as early as the 1520s. In about 1521–22, the Portuguese under [[João Álvares Fagundes]] established a fishing colony on the island. As many as two hundred settlers lived in a village, the name of which is not known, located according to some historians at what is now [[Ingonish, Nova Scotia|Ingonish]] on the island's northeastern peninsula. These fishermen traded with the local population but did not maintain a permanent settlement. This Portuguese colony's fate is unknown, but it is mentioned as late as 1570.<ref>de Souza, Francisco; ''Tratado das Ilhas Novas'', 1570</ref>

During the [[Anglo-French War (1627–29)|Anglo-French War]] of 1627 to 1629, under [[Charles I of England|King Charles I]], the [[David Kirke|Kirkes]] took [[Quebec City]], [[James Stewart, 4th Lord Ochiltree]],<ref name=EB1911/> planted a colony on Unama'ki at [[Baleine, Nova Scotia]], and Alexander's son, [[William Alexander, 1st Earl of Stirling]], established the first incarnation of [[Nova Scotia|"New Scotland"]] at [[Port-Royal (Acadia)|Port Royal]] ([[Annapolis Royal]]). These claims, and larger ideals of [[European colonization of the Americas|European colonization]] were the first time the island was incorporated as European territory, though it would be several decades later that treaties would actually be signed. However, no copies of these treaties exist.

These Scottish triumphs, which left [[Cape Sable Island|Cape Sable]] as the only major French holding in North America, did not last.<ref>Roger Sarty and Doug Knight. Saint John Fortifications: 1630–1956. New Brunswick Military Heritage Series. 2003. p. 18.</ref> Charles I's haste to make peace with France on the terms most beneficial to him meant the new North American gains would be bargained away in the [[Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1632)|Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye]],<ref>Nichols, 2010. p. xix</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=August 2014}} which established which European power had laid claim over the territories.

The French quickly defeated the Scots at [[Baleine, Nova Scotia|Baleine]], and established the first European settlements on Île Royale, which is present-day [[Englishtown, Nova Scotia|Englishtown]] (1629) and [[St. Peter's, Nova Scotia|St. Peter's]] (1630). These settlements lasted only one generation, until [[Nicolas Denys]] left in 1659. The island did not have any European settlers for another fifty years before those communities along with [[Louisbourg (community)|Louisbourg]] were re-established in 1713, after which point European settlement was permanently established on the island.

===Île Royale===
[[File:Philippe de Pastour de Costebelle.png|thumb|left|upright|[[Philippe de Pastour de Costebelle]], 1st Governor of Île Royale, only known image of a French Governor]]

Known as ''Île Royale'' ("Royal Island") to the French, the island also saw active settlement by France. After the French ceded their claims to [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]] and the [[Acadia]]n mainland to the British by the [[Treaty of Utrecht]] in 1713, the French relocated the population of [[Placentia, Newfoundland and Labrador|Plaisance, Newfoundland]], to [[Île-Royale (New France)|Île Royale]] and the French [[garrison]] was established in the central eastern part at [[Fort Sainte Anne (Nova Scotia)|Sainte Anne]]. As the harbour at Sainte Anne experienced icing problems, it was decided to build a much larger fortification at [[Fortress of Louisbourg|Louisbourg]] to improve defences at the entrance to the [[Gulf of Saint Lawrence]] and to defend France's fishing fleet on the [[Grand Banks of Newfoundland|Grand Banks]].<ref>[http://www.cmhg.gc.ca/cmh/en/page_103.asp ''Canadian Military Heritage''] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008182623/http://www.cmhg.gc.ca/cmh/en/page_103.asp |date=8 October 2007 }}; vol.1, Chapter 6: Soldiers of the Atlantic Seaboard, p103. Government of Canada, 26 April 2004</ref> The French also built the [[Louisbourg Lighthouse]] in 1734, the first lighthouse in Canada and one of the first in North America. In addition to Cape Breton Island, the French colony of Île Royale also included [[Prince Edward Island|Île Saint-Jean]], today called Prince Edward Island, and [[Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine]].

====Seven Years' War====
[[File:Destruction du vaisseau le Prudent et capture du Bienfaisant a Louisbourg 1758.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|[[Siege of Louisbourg (1758)]]]]

[[Louisbourg]] itself was one of the most important commercial and military centres in New France. Louisbourg was captured by New Englanders<ref name=EB1911/> with British naval assistance in the [[Siege of Louisbourg (1745)]]<ref name="timeline" /> and by British forces in 1758. The French population of Île Royale was deported to France after each siege. While French settlers returned to their homes in Île Royale after the [[Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748)|Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle]] was signed in 1748,<ref name=timeline>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/acadian/timeline.html |title=The Acadians – Timeline |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2004 |website=The Acadians |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |access-date=8 August 2014 |archive-date=30 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140830214911/http://www.cbc.ca/acadian/timeline.html |url-status=live}}</ref> the fortress was demolished after the [[Siege of Louisbourg (1758)|second siege]] in 1758. Île Royale remained formally part of [[New France]] until it was ceded to [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] by the [[Treaty of Paris (1763)|Treaty of Paris]] in 1763. It was then merged with the adjacent British colony of Nova Scotia (present-day peninsular Nova Scotia and [[New Brunswick]]). Acadians who had been [[Expulsion of the Acadians|expelled]] from Nova Scotia and Île Royale were permitted to settle in Cape Breton beginning in 1764,<ref name="timeline" /> and established communities in northwestern Cape Breton, near [[Chéticamp]], and southern Cape Breton, on and near [[Isle Madame]].

Some of the first British-sanctioned settlers on the island following the [[Seven Years' War]] were Irish, although upon settlement they merged with local French communities to form a culture rich in music and tradition.  From 1763 to 1784, the island was administratively part of the colony of Nova Scotia<ref name=EB1911/> and was governed from [[Halifax (former city)|Halifax]].

The first permanently settled [[Scottish people|Scottish]] community on Cape Breton Island was [[Judique, Nova Scotia|Judique]], settled in 1775 by Michael Mor MacDonald. He spent his first winter using his upside-down boat for shelter, which is reflected in the architecture of the village's Community Centre. He composed a song about the area called "O 's àlainn an t-àite", or "O, Fair is the Place."

==== American Revolution ====
[[File:The Departure of S.W. Prentice and Five Others from their Shipwrecked Companions, 1781 (inset).png|thumb|upright=2|Samuel Waller Prentice, [[84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants)|84th Regiment]], 4 January 1780, shipwrecked off [[Cape Breton]], Nova Scotia by [[Robert Pollard (engraver)|Robert Pollard]] (1784)<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/cihm_20623 |title=Narrative of a shipwreck on the island of Cape Breton, in a voyage from Quebec 1780 [microform] |first=S. W. (Samuel Weller) |last=Prenties |date=22 September 1782 |publisher=London printed : [s.n.] |isbn=9780665206238 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref><ref>[https://archive.org/stream/navalchronicleco11londiala#page/447/mode/1up Naval Chronicle. Vol. 11, p. 447]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xnAMAAAAYAAJ&q=halifax |title=The Naval Chronicle |first1=James Stanier |last1=Clarke |first2=Stephen |last2=Jones |first3=John |last3=Jones |date=22 September 1805 |publisher=J. Gold |via=Google Books |access-date=11 February 2021 |archive-date=12 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210612055935/https://books.google.com/books?id=xnAMAAAAYAAJ&q=halifax |url-status=live}}</ref>]]

During the [[American Revolution]], on 1 November 1776, [[John Paul Jones]], the father of the American Navy, set sail in command of ''Alfred'' to free hundreds of American prisoners working in the area's coal mines. Although winter conditions prevented the freeing of the prisoners, the mission did result in the capture of ''Mellish'', a vessel carrying a vital supply of winter clothing intended for [[John Burgoyne]]'s troops in Canada.

[[Timothy Hierlihy|Major Timothy Hierlihy]] and his regiment on board ''HMS Hope'' worked in and protected the coal mines at Sydney Cape Breton from privateer attacks.<ref>C. J. MacGillivray. Timothy Hierlihy and his Times: The story of the Founder of Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia Historical Society., p.40</ref> Sydney, Cape Breton provided a vital supply of coal for Halifax throughout the war. The British began developing the mining site at Sydney Mines in 1777. On 14 May 1778, Major Hierlihy arrived at Cape Breton. While there, Hierlihy reported that he "beat off many piratical attacks, killed some and took other prisoners."<ref>C. J. MacGillivray. Timothy Hierlihy and his Times: The story of the Founder of Antigonish, N.S.  Nova Scotia Historical Society., p.42</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://archives.gnb.ca/exhibits/forthavoc/html/AmericanMSSVol1.aspx?culture=en-CA |title=Provincial Archives of New Brunswick |access-date=16 April 2018 |archive-date=14 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414172308/http://archives.gnb.ca/exhibits/forthavoc/html/AmericanMSSVol1.aspx?culture=en-CA |url-status=live}}</ref>

A few years into the war, there was also [[Naval battle off Cape Breton|a naval engagement]] between French ships and a British convoy off Sydney, Nova Scotia, near Spanish River (1781), Cape Breton.<ref>Thomas B. Akins. (1895) History of Halifax. Dartmouth: Brook House Press.p. 82</ref> French ships, fighting with the Americans, were re-coaling and defeated a British convoy. Six French and 17 British sailors were killed, with many more wounded.

===Colony of Cape Breton===
In 1784, Britain split the colony of [[Nova Scotia]] into three separate colonies: New Brunswick, Cape Breton Island, and present-day peninsular Nova Scotia, in addition to the adjacent colonies of [[Prince Edward Island|St. John's Island]] (renamed Prince Edward Island in 1798) and [[History of Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]]. The colony of Cape Breton Island had its capital at [[Sydney, Nova Scotia|Sydney]] on its namesake harbour fronting on [[Spanish Bay (Nova Scotia)|Spanish Bay]] and the [[Cabot Strait]]. Its first Lieutenant-Governor was [[Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres]] (1784–1787) and his successor was [[William Macarmick]] (1787).

A number of [[United Empire Loyalists]] emigrated to the Canadian colonies, including Cape Breton. [[David Mathews]], the former [[Mayor of New York City]] during the [[American Revolution]], emigrated with his family to Cape Breton in 1783. He succeeded Macarmick as head of the colony and served from 1795 to 1798.<ref>{{cite DCB |title=Mathews, David |first=R. J. |last=Morgan |volume=IV |url=http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/mathews_david_4E.html}}</ref>

From 1799 to 1807, the military commandant was [[John Despard]],<ref>{{cite DCB |title=Despard, John |first=R. J. |last=Morgan |volume=6 |url=http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/despard_john_6E.html}}</ref> brother of [[Edward Despard|Edward]].<ref>Despard, John; ''The Companion to British History'', Routledge</ref>

An order forbidding the granting of land in Cape Breton, issued in 1763, was removed in 1784. The mineral rights to the island were given over to the [[Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany|Duke of York]] by an order-in-council. The British government had intended that the Crown take over the operation of the mines when Cape Breton was made a colony, but this was never done, probably because of the rehabilitation cost of the mines. The mines were in a neglected state, caused by careless operations dating back at least to the time of the final fall of Louisbourg in 1758.

Large-scale shipbuilding began in the 1790s, beginning with [[schooner]]s for local trade, moving in the 1820s to larger [[brig]]s and [[brigantine]]s, mostly built for British ship owners. Shipbuilding peaked in the 1850s, marked in 1851 by the [[full-rigged ship]] ''[[Lord Clarendon (ship)|Lord Clarendon]]'', which was the largest wooden ship ever built in Cape Breton.

===Merger with Nova Scotia===

In 1820, the colony of Cape Breton Island was merged for the second time with Nova Scotia. This development is one of the factors which led to large-scale industrial development in the Sydney Coal Field of eastern Cape Breton County. By the late 19th century, as a result of the faster shipping, expanding fishery and industrialization of the island, exchanges of people between the island of [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]] and Cape Breton increased, beginning a cultural exchange that continues to this day.

The 1920s were some of the most violent times in Cape Breton. They were marked by several severe labour disputes. The famous murder of [[William Davis (miner)|William Davis]] by strike breakers, and the seizing of the [[New Waterford, Nova Scotia|New Waterford]] power plant by striking miners led to a major union sentiment that persists to this day in some circles. [[William Davis Miners' Memorial Day]] continues to be celebrated in coal mining towns to commemorate the deaths of miners at the hands of the coal companies.

===20th century===

The turn of the 20th century saw Cape Breton Island at the forefront of scientific achievement with the now-famous activities launched by inventors [[Alexander Graham Bell]] and [[Guglielmo Marconi]].

Following his successful invention of the telephone and being relatively wealthy, Bell acquired land near [[Baddeck, Nova Scotia|Baddeck]] in 1885. He chose the land, which he named ''[[Beinn Bhreagh]]'', largely due to its resemblance to his early surroundings in [[Scotland]]. He established a summer estate complete with research laboratories, working with deaf people including [[Helen Keller]], and continued to invent. Baddeck would be the site of his experiments with [[hydrofoil]] technologies as well as the [[Aerial Experiment Association]], financed by his wife [[Mabel Gardiner Hubbard]]. These efforts resulted in the first powered flight in Canada when the [[AEA Silver Dart|AEA ''Silver Dart'']] took off from the ice-covered waters of [[Bras d'Or Lake]]. Bell also built the forerunner to the [[Negative pressure ventilator|iron lung]] and experimented with breeding sheep.

Marconi's contributions to Cape Breton Island were also quite significant, as he used the island's geography to his advantage in transmitting the first North American trans-Atlantic radio message<ref>{{Cite web |title=Milestones:Reception of Transatlantic Radio Signals, 1901 - Engineering and Technology History Wiki |url=https://ethw.org/Milestones:Reception_of_Transatlantic_Radio_Signals,_1901#:~:text=On%2012%20December%201901,%20Guglielmo,in%20both%20science%20and%20technology. |access-date=2021-02-12 |website=ethw.org | date=31 December 2015 |archive-date=10 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310122658/https://ethw.org/Milestones:Reception_of_Transatlantic_Radio_Signals,_1901#:~:text=On%2012%20December%201901,%20Guglielmo,in%20both%20science%20and%20technology. |url-status=live}}</ref> from a station constructed at Table Head in [[Glace Bay, Nova Scotia|Glace Bay]]<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=20 April 2020 |title=Receiving Room of Marconi Wireless Telegraph Station, Table Head, Glace Bay, Nova Scotia |url=https://archives.novascotia.ca/piers/item/?ID=69 |access-date=4 April 2021 |website=Nova Scotia Archives |archive-date=12 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210612055724/https://archives.novascotia.ca/piers/item/?ID=69 |url-status=live}}</ref> to a receiving station at [[Poldhu]] in Cornwall, England. Marconi's pioneering work in Cape Breton marked the beginning of modern radio technology. Marconi's station at [[Marconi and Marconi Wireless Station National Historic Sites Towers|Marconi Towers]], on the outskirts of Glace Bay, became the chief communication centre for the [[Royal Canadian Navy]] in [[World War I]] through to the early years of [[World War II]].

Promotions for tourism beginning in the 1950s recognized the importance of the Scottish culture to the province, as the provincial government started encouraging the use of [[Scottish Gaelic|Gaelic]] once again. The establishment of funding for the [[Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts]] and formal Gaelic [[language courses]] in public schools are intended to address the near-loss of this culture to [[cultural assimilation|assimilation]] into Anglophone Canadian culture.

In the 1960s, the [[Fortress of Louisbourg]] was partially reconstructed by [[Parks Canada]], using the labour of unemployed coal miners. Since 2009, this [[National Historic Site of Canada]] has attracted an average of 90,000 visitors per year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.krausehouse.ca/krause/FortressOfLouisbourgVisitationNumbers.htm |title=Fortress of Louisbourg Visitation Numbers |last1=Krause |first1=Eric R. |date=30 July 2014 |publisher=Krause House Info-Research Solutions |access-date=8 August 2014 |archive-date=12 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812024748/http://www.krausehouse.ca/krause/FortressOfLouisbourgVisitationNumbers.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Geography ==
[[File:Cape Breton Island.png|thumb|upright=1.35|Map of select municipalities on Cape Breton Island]]
[[File:Cape Breton Island map.png|thumb|300px|Travel map of Cape Breton Island, with major highways and freeways marked]]
The irregularly-shaped rectangular island is about 100&nbsp;km wide and 150 long, for a total of {{convert|10311|km2|0}} in area.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cape Breton Island {{!}} The Canadian Encyclopedia |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/cape-breton-island |access-date=2021-08-11 |website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca |archive-date=28 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728034414/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/cape-breton-island |url-status=live}}</ref>

It lies in the southeastern extremity of the [[Gulf of St. Lawrence]]. Cape Breton is separated from the [[Nova Scotia peninsula]] by the very deep [[Strait of Canso]]. The island is joined to the mainland by the [[Canso Causeway]].

Cape Breton Island is composed of rocky shores, rolling farmland, glacial valleys, barren headlands, highlands, woods and plateaus.

=== Geology ===
The island is characterized by a number of elevations of ancient [[crystal]]line and [[metamorphic rock]] rising up from the south to the north, and contrasted with eroded lowlands. The bedrock of blocks that developed in different places around the globe, at different times, and then were fused together via [[tectonics]].<ref name="roland">{{cite book |last1=Roland |first1=Albert E. |title=Geological background and physiography of Nova Scotia |date=1982 |publisher=Nova Scotian Institute of Science |location=Halifax, N.S. |isbn=0-919680-19-4 |pages=248–284}}</ref>

Cape Breton is formed from three [[terrane]]s. These are fragments of the Earth's [[Crust (geology)|crust]] formed on a [[tectonic plate]] and attached by [[Accretion (geology)|accretion]] or [[Suture (geology)|suture]] to crust lying on another plate. Each of these has its own distinctive geologic history, which is different from that of the surrounding areas. The southern half of the island formed from the [[Avalonia|Avalon terrane]], which was once a [[microcontinent]] in the [[Paleozoic]] era. It is made up of [[volcanic rock]] that formed near what is now called Africa.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Parks Canada Agency |first=Government of Canada |date=2018-01-05 |title=The formation of Cape Breton Island - Cape Breton Highlands National Park |url=https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ns/cbreton/decouvrir-discover/environ/geologie-geology/ile-island |access-date=2021-08-11 |website=www.pc.gc.ca |archive-date=11 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811193158/https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ns/cbreton/decouvrir-discover/environ/geologie-geology/ile-island |url-status=live}}</ref> Most of the northern half of the island is on the Bras d'Or terrane (part of the [[Ganderia]] terrane). It contains volcanic and [[sedimentary rock]] formed off the coast of what is now [[South America]].<ref name=":0" /> The third terrane is the relatively small Blair River [[Inliers and outliers (geology)|inlier]] on the far northwestern tip. It contains the oldest rock in the Maritimes, formed up to 1.6 billion years ago.<ref name=":0" /> These rocks, which can be seen in the Polletts Cove - Aspy Fault Wilderness Area north of [[Pleasant Bay, Nova Scotia|Pleasant Bay]], are likely part of the [[Canadian Shield]], a large area of [[Precambrian]] [[Igneous rock|igneous]] and [[metamorphic rock]] that forms the core of the [[North America]]n continent.

The Avalon and Bras d'Or terranes were pushed together about 500 million years ago when the supercontinent [[Gondwana]] was formed. The Blair River inlier was sandwiched in between the two when [[Laurasia|Laurussia]] was formed 450-360 million years ago, at which time the land was found in the [[tropics]]. This collision also formed the [[Appalachian Mountains]]. Associated [[rift]]ing and [[Fault (geology)|faulting]] is now visible as the canyons of the [[Cape Breton Highlands]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Parks Canada Agency |first=Government of Canada |date=2018-01-05 |title=The formation of the Cape Breton Plateau - Cape Breton Highlands National Park |url=https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ns/cbreton/decouvrir-discover/environ/geologie-geology/plateau |access-date=2021-08-11 |website=www.pc.gc.ca |archive-date=11 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811212218/https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ns/cbreton/decouvrir-discover/environ/geologie-geology/plateau |url-status=live}}</ref> Then, during the [[Carboniferous]] period, the area was flooded, which created [[sedimentary rock]] layers such as [[sandstone]], [[shale]], [[gypsum]], and [[Conglomerate (geology)|conglomerate]]. Later, most of the island was tropical forest which later formed coal deposits.

Much later, the land was shaped by repeated [[ice age]]s which left [[Striation (geology)|striations]], [[till]], [[U-shaped valley]]s, and carved the Bras d'Or Lake from the [[bedrock]].<ref name=":1" /> Examples of U-shaped valleys are those of the [[Chéticamp River|Chéticamp]], [[Grande-Anse River|Grande Anse]], and Clyburn River valleys. Other valleys have been eroded by water, forming V-shaped valleys and [[canyon]]s. Cape Breton has many fault lines but few earthquakes. Since the North American continent is moving westward, earthquakes tend to occur on the western edge of the continent.

=== Climate ===
{{climate chart
| Sydney
|-9.6 | −1.1 | 152.5
|-10.3 | −1.5 | 128.1
|-6.7 | 1.5 | 130.0
|-1.6 | 6.6 | 133.3
|2.7 | 13.1 | 103.2
|7.7 | 18.6 | 96.9
|12.6 | 23.1 | 88.5
|13.1 | 22.9 | 100.2
|9.1 | 18.8 | 118.7
|4.3 | 12.6 | 142.9
|0.2 | 7.3 | 156.0
|-5.0 | 2.1 | 167.0
| float = right
| clear = none
| source = [[Environment Canada]]<ref name="CCN Sydney">{{cite web |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=6486&lang=e&amp;StationName=Sydney&amp;SearchType=Contains&amp;stnNameSubmit=go&dCode=1&dispBack=1 |title=Sydney NS |work=Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 |date=25 September 2013 |publisher=Environment Canada |language=English, French |accessdate=28 September 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111843/http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=6486&lang=e&StationName=Sydney&SearchType=Contains&stnNameSubmit=go&dCode=1&dispBack=1 |url-status=live}}</ref>}}

The warm summer [[humid continental climate]] is moderated by the proximity of the cold, oftentimes polar [[Labrador Current]] and its warmer counterpart the [[Gulf Stream]], both being dominant currents in the North Atlantic Ocean.

=== Ecology ===
==== Lowlands ====
There are lowland areas in along the western shore, around Lake Ainslie, the Bras d'Or watershed, [[Boularderie Island]], and the Sydney coalfield. They include salt marshes, coastal beaches, and freshwater wetlands.<ref name="eco" />

Starting in the 1800s, many areas were cleared for farming or timber. Many farms were abandoned from the 1920s to the 1950s with fields being reclaimed by [[Picea glauca|white spruce]], [[Acer rubrum|red maple]], [[Betula papyrifera|white birch]], and [[Abies balsamea|balsam fir]].<ref name="eco" /> Higher slopes are dominated by [[Betula alleghaniensis|yellow birch]] and [[Acer saccharum|sugar maple]]. In sheltered areas with sun and drainage, [[New England–Acadian forests|Acadian forest]] is found. Wetter areas have [[Larix laricina|tamarack]], and [[Picea mariana|black spruce]]. The weather station at Ingonish records more rain than anywhere else in Nova Scotia.<ref name="eco">{{cite web |last1=Neily |first1=Peter |last2=Basquill |first2=Sean |last3=Quigley |first3=Eugene |last4=Keys |first4=Kevin |title=Ecological Land Classification |url=https://novascotia.ca/natr/forestry/ecological/pdf/Ecological-Land-Classification-guide.pdf |access-date=12 August 2021 |publisher=Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources |archive-date=12 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812040653/https://novascotia.ca/natr/forestry/ecological/pdf/Ecological-Land-Classification-guide.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>

Behind barrier beaches and dunes at [[Aspy Bay]] are [[salt marsh]]es. The Aspy, Clyburn, and Ingonish rivers have all created [[floodplain]]s which support populations of black ash, [[Fiddlehead|fiddle head]] fern, [[Decodon verticillatus|swamp loosestrife]], [[Asclepias incarnata|swamp milkweed]], [[Neottia bifolia|southern twayblade]], and [[Sanguinaria|bloodroot]].

Red sandstone and white gypsum cliffs can be observed throughout this area. Bedrock is Carboniferous sedimentary with [[limestone]], shale, and sandstone. Many [[Fluvial processes|fluvial]] remains from are glaciation found here. Mining has been ongoing for centuries, and more than 500 mine openings can be found, mainly in the east.<ref name="eco" />

[[Karst]] topography is found in Dingwall, South Harbour, Plaster Provincial Park, along the Margaree and Middle Rivers, and along the north shore of Lake Ainslie. The presence of gypsum and limestone increases soil [[pH]] and produces some rich wetlands which support [[Calliergon giganteum|giant spear]], [[Paludella squarrosa|tufted fen]], and other [[moss]]es, as well as vascular plants like [[Cyperaceae|sedges]].<ref name="eco" />

==== Cape Breton Hills ====
This ecosystem is spread throughout Cape Breton and is defined as hills and slopes 150-300m above sea level, typically covered with Acadian forest.<ref name="eco" />

It includes [[North Mountain (Nova Scotia)|North Mountain]], [[Kellys Mountain]], and [[East Bay Hills (Nova Scotia)|East Bay Hills]].

Forests in this area were cleared for timber and agriculture and are now a mosaic of habitats depending on the local terrain, soils and [[microclimate]]. Typical species include ironwood, white ash, beech, sugar maple, red maple, and yellow birch. The understory can include striped maple, [[Corylus cornuta|beaked hazelnut]], fly [[honeysuckle]], club mosses and [[fern]]s. Ephemerals are visible in the spring, such as [[Dicentra cucullaria|Dutchman's breeches]] and [[Claytonia|spring beauty]].<ref name="eco" />

In ravines, shade tolerant trees like [[Tsuga canadensis|hemlock]], white pine, [[Picea rubens|red spruce]] are found. Less well-drained areas are forested with balsam fir and black spruce.

==== Highlands and the Northern Plateau ====
The Highlands comprise a [[Table (landform)|tableland]] in the northern portions of [[Municipality of the County of Inverness|Inverness]] and [[Municipality of the County of Victoria|Victoria]] counties.

An extension of the [[Appalachian Mountains|Appalachian mountain chain]], elevations average 350 metres at the edges of the plateau and rise to more than 500 metres at the centre. The area has broad, gently rolling hills bisected with deep valleys and steep-walled canyons. A majority of the land is a [[taiga]] of balsam fir, with some white birch, white spruce, mountain ash, and heart-leaf birch.<ref name="eco" />

The northern and western edges of the plateau, particularly at high elevations, resemble arctic [[tundra]]. Trees 30–90 high, overgrown with [[Cladonia rangiferina|reindeer lichens]], can be 150 years old. At very high elevations some areas are exposed bedrock without any vegetation apart from [[Cladonia]] lichens. There are many barrens, or [[heath]]s, dominated by bushy species of the [[Ericaceae]] family.

[[Spruce]], killed by [[Choristoneura|spruce budworm]] in the late 1970s, has reestablished at lower elevations, but not at higher elevations due to moose [[Browsing (herbivory)|browsing]]. [[Decomposition]] is slow, leaving thick layers of [[plant litter]]. [[Groundcover|Ground cover]] includes [[Oclemena acuminata|wood aster]], [[Linnaea|twinflower]], [[Marchantiophyta|liverworts]], wood [[sorrel]], [[Clintonia borealis|bluebead lily]], [[Coptis|goldthread]], various ferns, and [[Lily of the valley|lily-of-the-valley]], with [[bryophyte]] and [[Solidago macrophylla|large-leaved goldenrod]] at higher elevations. The [[understory]] can include [[Acer pensylvanicum|striped maple]], mountain ash, ferns, and [[Acer spicatum|mountain maple]].<ref name="eco" />

Near water, [[Betula pumila|bog birch]], [[alder]], and [[Rowan|mountain-ash]] are found. There are many open [[wetland]]s populated with stunted [[Larix laricina|tamarack]] and black spruce. Poor drainage has led to the formation of [[Mire|peatlands]] which can support [[Trichophorum cespitosum|tufted clubrush]], [[Amelanchier bartramiana|Bartram's serviceberry]], [[Carex exilis|coastal sedge]], and [[Rubus chamaemorus|bakeapple]].<ref name="eco" />

==== Cape Breton coastal ====
The eastern shore is unique in that while not at a high elevation, it has a cool climate with much rain and fog, strong winds, and low summer temperatures. It is dominated by a boreal forest of black spruce and balsam fir. Sheltered areas support tolerant hardwoods such as white birch and red maple. Many salt marshes, fens, and bogs are found there.<ref name="eco" />

There are many beaches on the highly crenelated coastline. Unlike elsewhere on the island, these are rocky and support plants unlike those of sandy beaches. The coast provides habitat for common coast bird species like [[common eider]], [[Black-legged kittiwake|black legged kittiwake]], [[black guillemot]], whimbrel, and [[great cormorant]].

=== Hydrology ===
Land is drained into the [[Gulf of Saint Lawrence]] via the rivers [[Aspy River|Aspy]], [[Sydney River|Sydney]], [[Mira River (Nova Scotia)|Mira]], [[Framboise River|Framboise]], [[Margaree River|Margaree]], and [[Chéticamp River|Chéticamp]]. The largest freshwater lake is [[Lake Ainslie]].

==Government==
Local government on the island is provided by the [[Cape Breton Regional Municipality]], the [[Municipality of the County of Inverness]], the [[Municipality of the County of Richmond]], and the [[Municipality of the County of Victoria]], along with the Town of [[Port Hawkesbury]].

The island has five [[Miꞌkmaq]] [[Indian reserve]]s: [[Eskasoni First Nation|Eskasoni]] (the largest in population and land area), [[Membertou First Nation|Membertou]], [[Wagmatcook First Nation|Wagmatcook]], [[Waycobah First Nation|Waycobah]], and [[Potlotek First Nation|Potlotek]].

==Demographics==
[[File:Glace Bay Shul, August 2012.jpg|thumb|The former Congregation Sons of Israel synagogue, in Glace Bay. In 1902, the synagogue was Nova Scotia's first purpose-built synagogue. It permanently closed in July 2010. To the left is the also closed Talmud Torah community centre. This was the location of the Hebrew school and functions like Bar Mitzvah and wedding dinners.]]

The island's residents can be grouped into five main cultures: [[Scottish people|Scottish]], [[Mi'kmaq people|Mi'kmaq]], [[Acadian]], Irish, and English, with respective languages [[Scottish Gaelic]], [[Míkmaq language|Mi'kmaq]], [[Acadian French|French]], and English alongside several [[sign language]]s including [[Maritime Sign Language]].<ref name=MSL>{{cite thesis |last=Yoel |first=Judith |date=Jan 2009 |title=Canada's Maritime Sign Language |url=https://dam-oclc.bac-lac.gc.ca/download?is_thesis=1&oclc_number=1356860226&id=d02f6693-f649-47e7-a7c9-3b45a7f7b8f8&fileName=Yoel_Canadas_Maritime.pdf |degree=Doctor of Philosophy |chapter= |publisher=The University of Manitoba |docket= |oclc= |access-date=25 November 2023}}</ref> English is now the primary language, including a locally distinctive [[Cape Breton accent]], while Mi'kmaq, Scottish Gaelic and Acadian French are still spoken in some communities. Amongst sign languages, it is unknown to what extent [[Quebec Sign Language|LSQ]] is spoken amongst Acadians, but [[American Sign Language]] is certainly predominant across the island, as it has gained significant numbers of signers, especially with the steep declines in [[Maritime Sign Language]] use.<ref name=MSL />

Later migrations of [[Black Loyalist]]s, Italians, and Eastern Europeans mostly settled in the island's eastern part around the industrial Cape Breton region. Cape Breton Island's population has been in decline two decades with an increasing exodus in recent years due to economic conditions.

'''Population trend'''<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160819104757/http://www66.statcan.gc.ca/eng/acyb_c1943-44-eng.aspx?opt=%2Feng%2F1943-44%2F194301510081_p.%2081.pdf Censuses 1871-1941]</ref><ref>Statistics Canada: [[Canada 1996 Census|1996]], [[Canada 2001 Census|2001]], [[Canada 2006 Census|2006]] census</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="float:left; margin-right:1em"
|-
! Census
! Population
! Change (%)
|-
| 1951
|  157,696
|-
| 1956
|  162,859
| {{gain}}3.3%
|-
| 1961
|  169,865
| {{gain}}4.3%
|-
| 1966
|  166,943
| {{loss}}1.7%
|-
| 1971
|  170,007
| {{gain}}1.8%
|-
| 1976
|  170,866
| {{gain}}0.5%
|-
| 1981
|  170,628
| {{loss}}0.1%
|-
| 1986
|  166,116
| {{loss}}2.6%
|-
| 1991
|  161,686
| {{loss}}2.7%
|-
| 1996
|  158,271
| {{loss}}2.1%
|-
| 2001
|  147,454
| {{loss}}6.8%
|-
| 2006
|  142,298
| {{loss}}3.5%
|-
| 2011
|  135,974
| {{loss}}4.4%
|-
| 2016
|  132,010
| {{loss}}2.9%
|-
| 2021
|  132,019
| {{gain}}0.0%
|}
{{clear left}}

===Religious groups===
[[Canada 2001 Census|Statistics Canada]] in 2001 reported a "religion" total of 145,525 for Cape Breton, including 5,245 with "no religious affiliation."<ref>"[http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CD&Code1=1217&Geo2=CD&Code2=1216&Data=Count&SearchText=Cape%20Breton%20County&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= Table from Statistics Canada – Cape Breton & Richmond Counties]{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}"  ''(Nova Scotia Statistics Agency)''</ref><ref>''[http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CD&Code1=1218&Geo2=CD&Code2=1215&Data=Count&SearchText=Cape%20Breton%20County&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= Table from Statistics Canada'' Victoria & Inverness Counties''] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200519002556/http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CD&Code1=1218&Geo2=CD&Code2=1215&Data=Count&SearchText=Cape%20Breton%20County&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |date=19 May 2020 }}'' (Nova Scotia Statistics Agency)</ref> Major categories included:
*[[Roman Catholic]]: 96,260 (includes [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Eastern Catholic]], [[Polish National Catholic Church]], [[Old Catholic Church|Old Catholic]])
*[[Protestant]]: 42,390
*Christian, not included elsewhere: 580
*Orthodox: 395
*[[Jewish]]: 250
*[[Muslim]]: 145

==Economy==

Much of the recent economic history of Cape Breton Island can be tied to the coal industry.

The island has two major coal deposits:

*the Sydney Coal Field in the southeastern part of the island along the Atlantic Ocean drove the Industrial Cape Breton economy throughout the 19th and 20th centuries—until after World War II, its industries were the largest private employers in Canada.
*the Inverness Coal Field in the western part of the island along the Gulf of St. Lawrence is significantly smaller but hosted several mines.

[[Sydney, Nova Scotia|Sydney]] has traditionally been the main port, with facilities in a large, sheltered, natural harbour. It is the island's largest commercial centre and home to the ''[[Cape Breton Post]]'' daily newspaper, as well as one television station, [[CJCB-TV]] (CTV),{{refn|group="Note"|[[CBIT-TV]] (CBC) existed from 1972 until 31 July 2012, when the CBC closed its over-the-air analog transmitters in small markets. It produced a local news broadcast until 1991, when local news shows were consolidated to Halifax. The CBC Nova Scotia television signal, which originates from Halifax, is now available only by cable or satellite providers.<ref name="CBC closes transmitters">{{cite web |title=Revocation of licences for the rebroadcasting stations CBIT Sydney and CBKST Saskatoon and licence amendment to remove analog transmitters for 23 English- and French-language television stations |work=Decisions, Notices and Orders |publisher=Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission |url=http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2012/2012-384.htm |date=17 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728043036/http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2012/2012-384.htm |archive-date=28 July 2012 |url-status=live |location=Ottawa}}</ref>}} and several radio stations. The [[Marine Atlantic]] terminal at [[North Sydney, Nova Scotia|North Sydney]] is the terminal for large ferries traveling to [[Channel-Port aux Basques]] and seasonally to [[Argentia]], both on the island of [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]].

[[Point Edward, Nova Scotia|Point Edward]] on the west side of Sydney Harbour is the location of Sydport, a former [[Royal Canadian Navy|navy]] base ({{HMCS|Protector}}) now converted to commercial use. The [[Canadian Coast Guard College]] is nearby at Westmount. Petroleum, bulk coal, and cruise ship facilities are also in Sydney Harbour.

[[Glace Bay, Nova Scotia|Glace Bay]], the second largest urban community in population, was the island's main coal mining centre until its last mine closed in the 1980s. Glace Bay was the hub of the Sydney & Louisburg Railway and a major fishing port. At one time, Glace Bay was known as the largest town in Nova Scotia, based on population.

[[Port Hawkesbury]] has risen to prominence since the completion of the Canso Causeway and [[Canso Canal]] created an artificial deep-water port, allowing extensive petrochemical, pulp and paper, and gypsum handling facilities to be established. The Strait of Canso is completely navigable to [[Seawaymax]] vessels, and Port Hawkesbury is open to the deepest-draught vessels on the world's oceans. Large marine vessels may also enter Bras d'Or Lake through the Great Bras d'Or channel, and small craft can use the Little Bras d'Or channel or [[St. Peters Canal]]. While commercial shipping no longer uses the St. Peters Canal, it remains an important waterway for recreational vessels.

The industrial Cape Breton area faced several challenges with the closure of the [[Cape Breton Development Corporation]]'s (DEVCO) coal mines and the [[Sydney Steel Corporation]]'s (SYSCO) [[steel mill]]. In recent years, the Island's residents have tried to diversify the area economy by investing in tourism developments, [[call centre]]s, and small businesses, as well as manufacturing ventures in fields such as auto parts, pharmaceuticals, and window glazings.

While the [[Cape Breton Regional Municipality]] is in transition from an industrial to a service-based economy, the rest of Cape Breton Island outside the industrial area surrounding Sydney-Glace Bay has been more stable, with a mixture of fishing, forestry, small-scale agriculture, and tourism.

Tourism in particular has grown throughout the post-Second World War era, especially the growth in vehicle-based touring, which was furthered by the creation of the [[Cabot Trail]] scenic drive.  The scenery of the island is rivalled in northeastern North America by only [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]];{{Citation needed|reason=Subjective?|date=September 2013}} and Cape Breton Island tourism marketing places a heavy emphasis on its Scottish [[Gaels|Gaelic]] heritage through events such as the Celtic Colours Festival, held each October, as well as promotions through the [[Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts]].

Whale-watching is a popular attraction for tourists. Whale-watching cruises are operated by vendors from Baddeck to Chéticamp. The most popular species of whale found in Cape Breton's waters is the [[pilot whale]].

The [[Cabot Trail]] is a scenic road circuit around and over the [[Cape Breton Highlands]] with spectacular coastal vistas; over 400,000 visitors drive the Cabot Trail each summer and fall. Coupled with the [[Fortress of Louisbourg]], it has driven the growth of the tourism industry on the island in recent decades. The ''[[Condé Nast Publications|Condé Nast]]'' travel guide has rated Cape Breton Island as one of the world's best island destinations.

=== Transport ===
The island's primary east–west road is [[Nova Scotia Highway 105|Highway 105]], the [[Trans-Canada Highway]], although [[Nova Scotia Trunk 4|Trunk 4]] is also heavily used. [[Nova Scotia Highway 125|Highway 125]] is an important arterial route around Sydney Harbour in the [[Cape Breton Regional Municipality]]. The [[Cabot Trail]], circling the Cape Breton Highlands, and [[Nova Scotia Trunk 19|Trunk 19]], along the island's western coast, are important secondary roads. The [[Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway]] maintains railway connections between the port of Sydney to the [[Canadian National Railway]] in [[Truro, Nova Scotia|Truro]].

Cape Breton Island is served by several airports, the largest, the [[JA Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport]], situated on Trunk 4 between the communities of Sydney and Glace Bay, as well as smaller airports at Port Hawksbury, Margaree, and Baddeck.

==Culture==

[[File:Cape_Breton_Island_Flag_(Popular).svg|thumb|100px|Cape Breton Island's most recognizable and commonly used flag]]
[[File:Cape_Breton_Island_Flag_(Eagle).svg|thumb|100px|Cape Breton Island's "Eagle" flag (1994)<ref>[http://www.capebretonpost.com/Football/2009-11-23/article-774026/Woman-wants-Cape-Breton-flag-designed-by-her-daughter-recognized/1 Woman wants Cape Breton flag designed by her daughter recognized – Football] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413142115/http://www.capebretonpost.com/Football/2009-11-23/article-774026/Woman-wants-Cape-Breton-flag-designed-by-her-daughter-recognized/1 |date=13 April 2014 }}. Cape Breton Post (23 November 2009). Retrieved on 12 April 2014.</ref>]]
[[File:Cape_Breton_Island_Flag_(Unofficial_1990's).svg|thumb|100px|Cape Breton Island's second cultural flag, the "Tartan" flag (early 1990s)]]
[[File:Cape_Breton_Island_Flag_(Original_Blue_Flag).svg|thumb|100px|Cape Breton Island's first cultural flag, the blue-and-yellow flag (1940s) incorporating [[Saint Alban's Cross]].]]

=== Language ===
[[Scottish Gaelic|Gaelic speakers]] in Cape Breton, as elsewhere in Nova Scotia, constituted a large proportion of the local population from the 18th century on. They brought with them a common culture of poetry, traditional songs and tales, music and dance, and used this to develop distinctive local traditions.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |last=Kennedy |first=Michael |date=2001 |title=Gaelic Report |url=https://gaelic.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/files/Gaelic-Report.pdf |access-date=13 January 2019 |publisher=Nova Scotia Museum |archive-date=11 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011125127/https://gaelic.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/files/Gaelic-Report.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>

Most Gaelic settlement in Nova Scotia happened between 1770 and 1840, with probably over 50,000 Gaelic speakers emigrating from the Scottish Highlands and the Hebrides to [[Nova Scotia]] and [[Prince Edward Island]]. Such emigration was facilitated by changes in Gaelic society and the economy, with sharp increases in rents, confiscation of land and disruption of local customs and rights. In Nova Scotia, poetry and song in Gaelic flourished. George Emmerson argues that an "ancient and rich" tradition of storytelling, song, and Gaelic poetry emerged during the 18th century and was transplanted from the Highlands of Scotland to Nova Scotia, where the language similarly took root there.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Emmerson |first=George |title=The Scottish tradition in Canada |date=1976 |publisher=McClelland and Stewart in association with the Multiculturalism Program, Dept. of the Secretary of State of Canada and the Pub. Centre, Supply and Services Canada |others=Reid, W. Stanford (William Stanford), 1913–1996. |isbn=0771074433 |location=Toronto |oclc=2678091}}</ref> The majority of those settling in Nova Scotia from the end of the 18th century through to middle of the next were from the Scottish Highlands, rather than the Lowlands, making the Highland tradition's impact more profound on the region.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dunn |first=Charles |title=Highland Settler: A Portrait of the Scottish Gael in Nova Scotia |publisher=University of Toronto Press |year=1968 |pages=3–4}}</ref> Gaelic settlement in Cape Breton began in earnest in the early nineteenth century.<ref name="auto" />
 
The Gaelic language became dominant from [[Colchester County]] in the west of Nova Scotia into Cape Breton County in the east. It was reinforced in Cape Breton in the first half of the 19th century with an influx of [[Highland Scots]] numbering approximately 50,000 as a result of the [[Highland Clearances]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1 June 2014 |title=Great Scots: The past comes to life at Highland Village Museum |language=en |work=The Chronicle Herald |url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1211615-great-scots-the-past-comes-to-life-at-highland-village-museum |url-status=dead |access-date=14 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614122616/http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1211615-great-scots-the-past-comes-to-life-at-highland-village-museum |archive-date=14 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=8 February 2010 |title=History of Cape Breton Island |language=en-US |work=The Cabot Trail's Wilderness Resort on Cape Breton Island |url=https://cabotshores.com/history-of-cape-breton-island-272 |access-date=14 June 2018 |archive-date=17 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117093516/https://cabotshores.com/history-of-cape-breton-island-272 |url-status=live}}</ref>

From 1892 to 1904, Jonathon MacKinnon published the Scottish Gaelic-language biweekly newspaper {{lang|gd|[[Mac-Talla]]}} ({{lit|The Echo}}) in [[Sydney, Nova Scotia]]. During the 1920s, several Scottish Gaelic-language newspapers were printed in Sydney for distribution primarily on Cape Breton, including the {{lang|gd|Teachdaire nan Gàidheal}} ({{lit|The Messenger of the Gaels|lk=no}}), which included Gaelic-language lessons; the [[United Church of Canada|United Church]]-affiliated {{lang|gd|[[An Solus Iùil]]}} ({{lit|The Guiding Light|lk=no}}); and MacKinnon's later endeavor, {{lang|gd|Fear na Cèilidh}} ({{lit|The Entertainer|lk=no}}).<ref>{{cite journal|title=Post-''Mac-Talla'' Gaelic Periodicals in Nova Scotia: An Assessment|first=Robert|last=Dunbar|journal=Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium|volume=37|date=2017|pages=77–104 |jstor=45048889}}</ref>

Gaelic speakers, however, tended to be poor; they were largely illiterate and had little access to education. This situation persisted into the early days of the twentieth century. In 1921 Gaelic was approved as an optional subject in the curriculum of Nova Scotia, but few teachers could be found and children were discouraged from using the language in schools. By 1931 the number of Gaelic speakers in Nova Scotia had fallen to approximately 25,000, mostly in discrete pockets. In Cape Breton it was still a majority language, but the proportion was falling. Children were no longer being raised with Gaelic.<ref name="auto"/>

From 1939 on, attempts were made to strengthen its position in the public school system in Nova Scotia, but funding, official commitment and the availability of teachers continued to be a problem. By the 1950s the number of speakers was less than 7,000. The advent of [[multiculturalism in Canada]] in the 1960s meant that new educational opportunities became available, with a gradual strengthening of the language at secondary and tertiary level. At present several schools in Cape Breton offer Gaelic Studies and Gaelic language programs, and the language is taught at [[Cape Breton University]].<ref name="auto"/>

The 2016 Canadian Census shows that there are only 40 reported speakers of Gaelic as a mother tongue in Cape Breton.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=8 February 2017 |title=Census Profile, 2016 Census - Cape Breton, County [Census division], Nova Scotia and Nova Scotia [Province] |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CD&Code1=1217&Geo2=PR&Code2=12&Data=Count&SearchText=Cape+Breton&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&TABID=1&B1=All |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca |access-date=22 September 2020 |archive-date=20 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020163147/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CD&Code1=1217&Geo2=PR&Code2=12&Data=Count&SearchText=Cape+Breton&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&TABID=1&B1=All |url-status=live}}</ref> On the other hand, there are families and individuals who have recommenced intergenerational transmission. They include fluent speakers from Gaelic-speaking areas of Scotland and speakers who became fluent in Nova Scotia and who in some cases studied in Scotland. Other revitalization activities include adult education, community cultural events and publishing.<ref>{{cite web |last=McEwan |first=Emily |date=2017 |title=Contrasting Gaelic Identities |url=https://gaelic.co/gaelic-identities/ |access-date=13 January 2019 |archive-date=13 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113182356/https://gaelic.co/gaelic-identities/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Traditional music===
{{main|Cape Breton fiddling}}

Cape Breton is well known for its traditional fiddle music, which was brought to North America by Scottish immigrants during the [[Highland Clearances]]. The traditional style has been well preserved in Cape Breton, and [[cèilidh]]s have become a popular attraction for tourists. [[Inverness County, Nova Scotia|Inverness County]] in particular has a heavy concentration of musical activity, with regular performances in communities such as [[Mabou, Nova Scotia|Mabou]] and [[Judique, Nova Scotia|Judique]]. Judique is recognized as "{{lang|gd|Baile nam Fonn|italic=unset}}" ({{lit|Village of Tunes|lk=no}}) or the 'Home of Celtic Music', featuring the Celtic Music Interpretive Centre. The traditional fiddle music of Cape Breton is studied by musicians around the world, where its global recognition continues to rise.

Local performers who have received significant recognition outside of Cape Breton include [[Angus Chisholm]]; [[Buddy MacMaster]]; Joseph Cormier,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.acadianfiddle.com/artists2/2015/1/29/joe-cormier |title=JOE CORMIER |access-date=31 August 2019 |archive-date=31 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831235746/http://www.acadianfiddle.com/artists2/2015/1/29/joe-cormier |url-status=dead}}, article from {{cite web |url=http://www.acadianfiddle.com/ |title=ACADIAN FIDDLE |access-date=31 August 2019 |archive-date=31 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831235747/http://www.acadianfiddle.com/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.arts.gov/honors/heritage/fellows/joseph-cormier |title=Joseph Cormier |access-date=31 August 2019 |archive-date=31 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831235825/https://www.arts.gov/honors/heritage/fellows/joseph-cormier |url-status=dead}}, biography from {{cite web |url=https://www.arts.gov/ |title=NATIONAL ENDOWMENT for the ARTS |access-date=31 August 2019 |archive-date=1 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190901092855/https://www.arts.gov/ |url-status=live}}</ref> the first Cape Breton fiddler to record an album made available in Europe (1974);<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/fr/Joseph-Cormier-Scottish-Violin-Music-From-Cape-Breton-Island/release/8594111 |title=Joseph Cormier – Scottish Violin Music From Cape Breton Island |publisher=[[Rounder Records]], USA |access-date=31 August 2019 |archive-date=15 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115012008/https://www.discogs.com/fr/Joseph-Cormier-Scottish-Violin-Music-From-Cape-Breton-Island/release/8594111 |url-status=live}} {{cite web |url=https://img.discogs.com/lKFIoYIVRs6FG22c5hl1r8BeJDY=/fit-in/600x594/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-8594111-1464725269-4093.jpeg.jpg |title=Vinyl album, 1974 |access-date=31 August 2019 |archive-date=31 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831235745/https://img.discogs.com/lKFIoYIVRs6FG22c5hl1r8BeJDY%3D/fit-in/600x594/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-8594111-1464725269-4093.jpeg.jpg |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Lee Cremo]]; [[Bruce Guthro]]; [[Natalie MacMaster]]; [[Ashley MacIsaac]]; [[The Rankin Family]]; [[Aselin Debison]]; [[Gordie Sampson]]; [[John Allan Cameron]]; and the [[Barra MacNeils]].

[[The Men of the Deeps]] are a male choral group of current and former miners from the industrial Cape Breton area.

"The Island" by [[Kenzie MacNeil]], and "[[Rise Again (The Rankin Family song)|Rise Again]]", written by [[Leon Dubinsky]] and recorded by [[The Rankin Family]], are each considered unofficial anthems of Cape Breton.<ref>{{cite news |last1=MacDonald |first1=Ryan |title=Songwriter behind iconic Cape Breton anthem passes away |url=https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/songwriter-behind-iconic-cape-breton-anthem-passes-away-1.5525524 |access-date=23 February 2024 |work=CTV News Atlantic |date=27 July 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Lombard |first1=Natalie |last2=MacDonald |first2=Ryan |title=Rise Again: Leon Dubinsky, composer of Cape Breton's unofficial anthem, dies at 81 |url=https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/rise-again-leon-dubinsky-composer-of-cape-breton-s-unofficial-anthem-dies-at-81-1.6237115 |access-date=23 February 2024 |work=CTV News Atlantic |date=19 January 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

===Film and television===
* ''[[My Bloody Valentine (film)|My Bloody Valentine]]'': 1981 [[slasher film]] shot on location in Sydney Mines.
* ''[[The Bay Boy]]'': 1984 semi-autobiographical [[drama (film and television)|drama film]] about growing up in [[Glace Bay]].
* ''[[Margaret's Museum]]'': 1995 drama film which tells the story of a young girl living in a coal mining town where the death of men from accidents in "the pit" (the mines) has become almost routine. 
* ''[[Pit Pony (TV series)|Pit Pony]]'': 1999–2000 TV series about small-town life in Glace Bay in 1904. The plot revolves around the lives of the families of the men and boys who work in the coal mines.
* ''[[New Waterford Girl]]'': 1999 comedy-drama film about two teenage girls in [[New Waterford, Nova Scotia|New Waterford]], one an aspiring artist, the other a boxer.

== Photo gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Cabotslanding.jpg|Cabot's Landing, Victoria County, commemorating the "first land seen" by explorer John Cabot in 1497
File:Cape breton island 1.jpg
File:Cape breton island 2.jpg|The shoreline of [[Bras d'Or Lake]] at [[Marble Mountain, Nova Scotia|Marble Mountain]], [[Inverness County, Nova Scotia|Inverness Co.]]
File:Cape breton island 3.jpg|A bulk carrier in the [[Strait of Canso]] docked at the Martin Marietta Materials quarry at Cape Porcupine
File:NS CapeBretonHighlands2 tango7174.jpg|[[Cape Breton Highlands National Park]]
File:NS SmeltBrook tango7174.jpg|[[Smelt Brook, Nova Scotia|Smelt Brook]] on the northern shore
File:CapeBretonEntrance.jpg|Entering Cape Breton Island from [[Canso Causeway]]
File:Capebretonmainlandbridge.jpg|[[Seal Island Bridge]] in Victoria County, the 3rd-longest in Nova Scotia
File:Sydney Harbour aerial view.jpg|[[Sydney, Nova Scotia|Sydney]] Harbour with Point Edward, Westmount, and downtown Sydney visible
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Canadian Gaelic]]
* [[Cape Breton accent]]
* [[Cape Breton Highlands National Park]]
* [[Cape Breton Labour Party]]
* [[Cape Breton Regional Municipality]]
* [[List of people from Cape Breton]]
* [[Province of Cape Breton Island]]
* [[Provinces and territories of Canada]]
* [[Sydney Tar Ponds]]

== Explanatory notes ==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book |last1=Barlow |first1=Maude |last2=May |first2=Elizabeth |year=2000 |title=Frederick Street: Life and Death on Canada's Love Canal |url=https://archive.org/details/topicsinoptimald0000unse |url-access=registration |location=Toronto |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers |isbn=978-0-00-638529-5}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Tennyson |first1=Brian Douglas |last2=Sarty |first2=Roger F. |year=2000 |title=Guardian of the Gulf: Sydney, Cape Breton, and the Atlantic Wars |url=https://archive.org/details/guardianofgulfsy0000tenn | url-access=registration |location=Toronto  |publisher=University of Toronto Press |isbn=0-8020-4492-1}}

==External links==
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{{Commons category|Cape Breton Island}}
{{Wikivoyage|Cape Breton Island}}
* [https://www.cbisland.com/ Cape Breton Island Official Travel Guide] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902034649/http://cbisland.com/ |date=2 September 2011 }}

{{Subdivisions of Nova Scotia}}
{{Canadian colonies}}
{{British overseas territories}}
{{Celtic languages}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cape Breton Island| ]]
[[Category:British North America]]
[[Category:Canadian Gaelic]]
[[Category:Former British colonies and protectorates in the Americas]]
[[Category:Geographic regions of Nova Scotia]]
[[Category:Islands of Nova Scotia]]