How many provinces and territories make up Canada?

Ten provinces and three territories make up Canada, which is the second-largest country by territory. The main difference between territories and provinces is that the former derive their powers and mandates from the federal government while the latter derive their authority and powers from the Constitution Act. In other words, the territories are not considered sovereign.

The three territories are Yukon, Nunavut, and Northwest Territories. The capital of the Northwest Territories is Yellowknife, and Aboriginal people make up the majority or 50.3 percent of the population. Nunavut is the newest and the largest Canadian territory, and it was separated from the Northwest Territories through two formal agreements. Nunavut is the size of Western Europe, and it is the least populous Canadian territory. Its population is around 31,900, and most residents are Inuit. Yukon is the smallest, westernmost Canadian federal territory, named after the Yukon River.

Alberta is a prairie province and the fourth largest in Canada. It has a population of 3.6 million, and its capital city is Edmonton. British Columbia is part of the Pacific Northwest, and it is the westernmost Canadian province. The capital city is Victoria, and the largest city is Vancouver. Manitoba is a prairie province with a flat topography, largely continental climate, and more than 110,000 lakes. Major industries are agriculture, tourism, energy, forestry, mining, and manufacturing. Winnipeg is the capital and the largest city of Manitoba. New Brunswick is one of the 3 maritime provinces of Canada and the only bilingual province. The largest city is Saint John, and the capital city is Fredericton. Newfoundland and Labrador incorporates mainland Labrador and the island Newfoundland. It is the easternmost Canadian province, and its largest city and capital is St. John’s. The island has its dialects of Irish, French, and English. Nova Scotia is the second smallest Canadian province and one of the Maritime Provinces. The provincial capital of Nova Scotia is Halifax.

Ontario is the most populous province, which is located in the east-central part of the country. Te province is home to the national capital Ottawa and the most populous Canadian city, Toronto. Ontario is divided into Southern and Northern Ontario, and the province’s arable land is found in the southern part where the majority of residents live. Prince Edward Island is the smallest province in land area and population. The capital city of this maritime province is Charlottetown.

Quebec is found in east-central Canada and is the second largest province by administrative division and the largest by area. The capital city of Quebec is Quebec City, and most residents live in urban areas between Quebec City and Montreal, near the Saint Lawrence River. The population of Quebec is predominantly French-speaking. English-speaking communities are present in Gaspe, Eastern Townships, and Outaouais, and west of the island of Montreal. Finally, Saskatchewan is a prairie province, bordered by the Northwest Territories, Alberta, Manitoba, and the U.S. states North Dakota and Montana. The provincial capital is Regina and the largest city – Saskatoon.



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