How many geographical regions does Canada have?
The territory of Canada can be divided into 7 geographic regions, which are characterized by different landscape and climate. The Cordillera covers an extensive area of plateaus, intermontane basins, and mountain ranges. Canada’s western system comprises the
Canadian Rocky Mountains and Mackenzie Mountains. The Prairies is a region in the western part of Canada, comprising the provinces of
Manitoba,
Saskatchewan, and
Alberta. The Prairies experience dry continental climate in the black soil and dark brown soil areas. Semi-arid climate is characteristic of the brown soil regions. The main grassland types are fescue prairie, mixed prairie, and tallgrass prairie, each with a unique mix of plant species and
geographic distribution. The south-western parts are semi-arid and support black and brown soil types. They are prone to severe and frequent droughts. The zones east of
Calgary and around
Regina are very dry. The eastern part of the Prairies is well watered by several
large rivers.
The Canadian Shield, called Bouclier Canadien and the Laurentian Plateau, is a geological shield composed of igneous rock. The Canadian Shield consists of 5 physiographic provinces, the Kazan Region, James, Hudson, Davis, and Laurentian Upland. The shield encompasses an area of 8,000,000 km, covered by
boreal forests in Labrador and northern Quebec. Due to the effect of glaciation, hydrographical drainage is poor. Many mammals are present, including weasels, moose, otters, wolves, grizzly bears, and wolverines. There are a number of mining towns that exploit the substantial deposits of copper,
silver,
gold, and nickel, found here.
The Great Lakes region is situated in north-eastern North America and has a humid continental climate. The collection of freshwater lakes consists of Lakes Erie, Ontario, Michigan, Huron, and Superior. A number of rivers connect the lakes, including Calumet River, Chicago River, Niagara River, and St. Lawrence River. Some 35,000 islands are dispersed throughout the lakes. Manitoulin Island and Isle Royale are the largest islands, found in Lake Huron and Lake Superior.
The Atlantic Provinces make another geographic region, which comprises
Nova Scotia,
Prince Edward Island,
New Brunswick, and
Newfoundland and Labrador. The region has a mix of igneous bedrock and sedimentary rock with acid soils and cold wet climate. The coastal lowlands have a milder climate and better soils for agriculture. Forests include conifers such as red pine, balsam fir, white spruce, red spruce, eastern white pine, etc. The only large carnivorous in this area are the bobcat, lynx, and the black bear. Large herbivorous represented here are the moose and whitetail deer. There are many small herbivorous and species of aquatic mammals (gray seal, harp seal, blue whale, etc.)
The Arctic North comprises three territories: the
Northwest Territories,
Yukon, and
Nunavut. Large portions of the Arctic North are covered by tundra and permanent ice. The Athabasca and Peace Rivers and the
Great Slave and Great Bear Lake are important components of the Arctic watershed.
Finally, the Pacific Coast is a region characterized by temperate climate, warm air currents, and significant amounts of rainfall.