Natural conditions of Canada. Natural conditions and resources Minerals in Canada

The territory of Canada lies in the arctic, subarctic and temperate zones. Lesser Western Canada - mountainous, moderated Pacific Ocean; large, eastern - mostly flat, with a sharply continental climate, strongly influenced by the Arctic.

Natural disasters (risk): persistent, permafrost in the north is a serious obstacle to the development of the region; cyclonic storms and hurricanes that form in the eastern Rocky Mountains as a result of mixing air masses from the Arctic, the Pacific Ocean and North America bring frequent rain and snow.

Environment - environmental issues: air pollution and acid rain greatly harm lakes and forests; waste from the metal-smelting industry and coal combustion, as well as exhaust gases, adversely affect the productivity of forests and agricultural holdings; coastal ocean waters are polluted as a result of agricultural, industrial and human mining activities.

Relief and geological structure

The Canadian Shield is a huge geological structure formed by ancient (at least 600 million years) crystalline rocks. The Canadian shield occupies a colossal territory - 4.6 million square meters. km from the Arctic archipelago to the Adirondacks in the USA, covering Hudson Bay from all sides. The richest deposits and huge mineral reserves of the Canadian Shield (almost the entire periodic table) are the main wealth of the country.

The central part of the mainland land and the adjacent areas of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are occupied by plains and plateaus. Stand out: the lowland of the Hudson Bay, which has an exceptionally flat relief; Laurentian Upland (altitude up to 1000 m) with a characteristic lacustrine-hilly relief; central plains (lowland of the Mackenzie River, Manitoba lowland, valleys of the St. Lawrence River, and so on), foothill plateau of the Great Plains (altitude from 500 to 1500 m.). The western outskirts of Canada is occupied by the Cordillera mountain system (altitude 3000-3500 m, the highest point is Mount Logan, 6050 m). In the northeast along the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and in the north of the Labrador Peninsula there is a strip of mountains with a height of 1500-2000 m. In the extreme southeast there is a region of the Appalachian Uplands with a low-mountain relief.

Inland waters

The entire population of Canada (it is 1% of the world's population) accounts for 9% of the world's fresh water. Most of it is concentrated in rivers and lakes, which occupy 20% of the total area of ​​Canada. The river network is dense. The rivers are fed mainly by snow and rain, on the plains - high spring floods, in the Cordillera - summer floods. The duration of freeze-up is from 3 months in the south to 9 months in the north. Plain regions, which make up about 2/3 of the territory of Canada, belong to the basin of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Complex lake-river systems are formed here, carrying out runoff from vast territories. The largest of them: the St. Lawrence River with the Great Lakes, with a total length of more than 3 thousand km; the Finley-Peace River - Slave - Mackenzie river system, including the Athabasca, Great Slave and Great Bear lakes; Bow rivers - Saskatchewan - Nelson with lakes Bow, Cedar, Manitoba, Cross, Winnipeg. The rivers of the mountain west, belonging to the Pacific basin, are usually short, and have very narrow, deeply incised valleys. The largest are the Fraser River and the Yukon and Columbia Rivers, which belong to Canada in their upper reaches.

Mountain rivers are rapids, navigable only in some areas, but they have large reserves of hydropower. Thanks to numerous lakes, the flow of rivers is well regulated. There are over 200 largest lakes. Plain lakes are mostly of glacial origin, mountain lakes are predominantly tectonic or glacial-tectonic. From 5 to 9 months of the year, rivers and lakes are covered with ice.

But most Canadian rivers are useless for the economy. This "uselessness" is determined by two factors:

1. rivers flow through uninhabited territory;

2. most of them freeze for the winter.

Canada differs by region. In the maritime provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island), winters are not as cold and summers are not as hot due to the influence of the ocean. On the western coast of the country, the climate is influenced by warm ocean currents, which cause, among other things, high humidity. In the mountainous regions, there are areas that are quite dry, despite the fact that rain and snowfall are frequent in the Selkirk Mountains. In general, winters in the country are characterized by heavy snowfalls and frosts, and summers by moderate temperatures. The climate of Canada is so diverse that peaches and grapes grow in the lower reaches of the Fraser River, while deer graze in the Mackenzie Delta. There is already a tundra. The warmest climate is along the US border, and the hottest summers are in Manitoba, in central, southern British Columbia and Ontario.

Soils, vegetation and animal world

The islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and the north of the mainland coast are occupied by a zone of arctic deserts with a sparse cover of lichens and a few herbaceous species and a tundra zone. There are reindeer, musk ox, polar bear, arctic fox, lemmings, polar hare, tundra partridge, snowy owl. Further south, stretching as a strip from the foothills of the Cordillera to the Atlantic coast, there are zones of forest-tundra and pre-tundra woodlands on permafrost-taiga, mostly stony soils and a zone of taiga forests where white and black spruce, American larch, Banks pine and balsam fir grow on podzolic, and in some places marsh soils. Elk, forest deer, bison, red squirrel, northern flying squirrel, porcupine, hare, marten, bear, lynx, red fox, wolf, beaver live in this territory. In the south of the central regions, the taiga gives way to forest-steppe and steppe zones, where aspen forests, feather grass, grass and grama grow.

The fertile gray forest, meadow-chernozem, chernozem and chestnut soils of these regions are used in agriculture. More than half of the steppe territories have been plowed up. Next is the zone of coniferous-wide deciduous forests developing on podzolic and brown forest soils. Several species of spruce, cedar, juniper, Canadian yew grow there. Marmots, hares, raccoons, red lynx, gray squirrel, Virginian deer, huapiti deer are found in Canadian forests. Pronghorn antelope, bagged gopher rats, ground squirrels, prairie dog, steppe polecat, steppe fox, badger, coyote are found in the southern treeless regions. On the Cordillera there is altitudinal zonality. The Pacific slopes of the Cordillera are occupied by forests of giant arborvitae, Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, giant fir and other very productive species. Animals: mountain goat, mountain sheep, grizzly bear, puma. Rivers and lakes, as well as coastal waters, are rich in fish. In Atlantic waters, cod, herring, haddock, flounder, and crabs are of commercial importance; in the Pacific waters, mainly salmon are caught: sockeye salmon, pink salmon, chum salmon, halibut.

Canada has the largest reserves of minerals, including coal, oil, natural gas, iron ore (3rd in the world), lead and zinc (1st), nickel and platinum (2nd), gold ( 3rd place), radioactive ores (1st place in terms of uranium reserves), asbestos (first place, over 50% of world reserves). Deposits of oil, natural gas, as well as lead, zinc, copper, gold, silver, coal, and asbestos have been discovered in the Northwest Territories.

natural attractions

Among the natural attractions that attract tourists, spring flower festivals stand out: the Ottawa Spring Festival (Tulip Festival) in May is the most significant of them. In the fall, the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival is held. There are autumn tours in Ontario and Quebec. Canada has a large number of nature reserves and national parks (they cover an area of ​​730,000 km 2). The most famous: Wood Buffalo National Park, which is home to the largest herd of bison: National parks Kootenay, Glacier and Yoho, famous for their glaciers and waterfalls: Jasper National Park - glaciers, lakes, hot springs, among the animals - bears, mountain goats and elks; oldest national park Canada, which is a mountain resort with hot springs - Bauff Park; Elk Island National Park (Moose Island) - a large number of beautiful forest lakes, among the animals are elks, bison.

Geography and climate of Canada

The territory of this country stretches between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, the United States and the Arctic Ocean. It occupies 40% of the entire area of ​​North America, which makes it the second largest state in the world (after Russia). Geographical features are reflected in the nature of Canada, which is very diverse. It has low-lying areas located in the Great Lakes region, prairies, extensive rocky terrain and high mountains. 40% of the country's territory is in the Arctic regions.

• Fraser;
• Colombia;
• Mackenzie;
• Nelson;
• Churchill and others

Canada has the largest fresh water supply in the world, distributed by the Great Lakes of North America and all other Canadian water bodies. It is also located here, which in 2007 was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The borders of this country run from 43 to 80 degrees north latitude. Such a large scatter was the main factor that influenced the formation of the climate and nature of Canada. In addition, this was also facilitated by the presence of the Rocky Mountains, which do not allow western oceanic winds into the country, and proximity to the Arctic Ocean. So, the nature of Northern Canada is influenced by the polar climate, and in the British Columbia area the climate is milder. Before planning a trip, you should remember that winters are cold here, and summers are moderate and humid.

Mountains of Canada

The length of the mountain range in this country is about 5000 km. Indigenous peoples often compared it to a sea wave covering the horizon. The great length has become the reason that in some mountainous areas the nature of Canada is absolutely wild and virgin.

The mountain range consists of the Rocky Mountains in the west and the Appalachians in the east. The Rocky Mountains are formed from limestone and shale. The following rivers originate in them:

• Colorado;
• Missouri;
• Snake;
• Rio Grande.

The Appalachians are a rolling plateau with broad-leaved, coniferous, and mixed forests. From the characteristics of the nature of Canada, you can find out that its highest point is Mount Logan (5959 m). It forms at its slopes, which, after melting, merges with the Gulf of Alaska.

The real mountain nature of Canada is good not only for its beauty and diversity, but also for its rich opportunities for. On the slopes of the Canadian mountains were opened, equipped with modern tourist infrastructure.

Flora of Canada

Approximately 50% of the country's area is covered by green spaces. In addition to the tundra and taiga, these are:

• deciduous forests;
• pine forests;
• oak forests;
• birch and maple groves.

The tundra stretches south along west coast Hudson. Willows and dwarf birches grow here, lupins, daisies, buttercups, primrose, cereals and heather bloom in the fields. Wetlands are strewn with cranberry bushes.

Most interesting places in the sense of nature, they are concentrated in the taiga of Canada, which stretches along the entire country. Larch, black and white spruce grows here, which is often used by locals. Some instances coniferous trees reach a height of 60-70 m, and their age is up to 800 years.

In the Pacific Ocean vegetable world nature of Canada is represented by Alaskan and red cedar, Sitka and Douglas firs. Atlantic coast inhabited by Acadian forests, in which grow:

• balsam fir;
• black and red spruce;
• American larch;
• cedar;
• yellow birch.

Oregon oaks and strawberry trees can be found in the area.

Animal world of Canada

The fauna of this country also changes from north to south. For example, off the coast of the Arctic Ocean, you can find musk oxen, which, thanks to their thick dark wool, are able to withstand very coldy and winds. The tundra nature of Canada has become a habitat for such animal species as:

• reindeer;
• lemmings;
• polar hares;
• arctic foxes.

Closer to the south the list is replenished forest deer caribou, elk and elk deer. Bighorn sheep and mountain goats live in the mountains. Key Representatives wildlife Canada's are wolves, grizzly bears, blacks and brown bears, cougars, foxes and Canadian lynxes. You can also meet smaller predators:

• sable;
• pecans;
• wolverines;
• otters;
• raccoons.

More than 450 species of birds live on the territory of the country, including great blue herons, loons, wild geese. Golden eagles, geese and ruby ​​hummingbirds are a real decoration of the animal world and nature of Canada.

Canadian reservoirs are often called "Klondikes", because they are full of a wide variety of fish species. Pike, perch, trout and carp live in them. Some specimens weigh up to 20 kg.

Protected areas

This country is characterized by a well-developed system of protection and protection and environment. It is represented by numerous national and social parks, ecological reserves and reserves. The main difference between nature parks in Canada is the level of access. For example, if visiting ecological reserves is as limited as possible, then it is allowed to engage in hunting and (only for this you need to have a special permit).

The list of the largest nature of Canada includes:

• bay Knight;
• botanical garden of Montreal;
• the Robson Bight whale sanctuary;
• park, etc.

In addition, there are areas that are protected in connection with nesting and habitation. rare species animals and birds. For example, New Brunswick's Daly Point is protected because it is home to an endangered butterfly species, and the Bylot Island Bird Sanctuary is home to many species of seabirds.

Despite strict restrictions and vigilant protection, environmental problems are relevant in this country. First of all, they are caused by the activities of the wood processing industry. It is by looking at the forests that one can see how much nature in Canada has been changed by man. This is especially noticeable in British Columbia, where timber is actively cultivated. The country is one of the main suppliers of newsprint in the world.

In Canada, there is an acute problem of pollution of nature with toxic waste that enters the Great Lakes and other bodies of water. There is also the issue of acid rain. Thanks to the competent policy of the government, the country was among the first to sign the Kyoto Treaty - a document on the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

The nature of Canada is multifaceted and amazing. Even in the presence of serious environmental issues it remains one of the richest and most diverse in the world. That is why every traveler arriving in the country is obliged to set aside time to get to know it.

The country of Canada is one of the countries with the largest territory in the world, ranking second after Russia. The territory of Canada is 9,984,670 km², while the population of the country in 2016 was 36,048,521 people. But the density of the country is only 3.5 people per km2, which is one of the lowest in the world. Canada also became famous for the longest coastline worldwide - 243,791 km! Canada is located on the mainland North America, in its northern part. It has a land border only with the United States, and has sea borders with Denmark (Greenland) and France (Saint Pierre and Miquelon).

Canada is washed by the Arctic Ocean in the north, the Pacific Ocean in the west, and the Atlantic Ocean in the east. The length of Canada from north to south of the country is 4600 km, and from west to east of the country - 7700 km.

The capital of Canada is Ottawa. The monetary unit is the Canadian dollar. The current monarch of Canada is Elizabeth II.

Canada is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. It was founded in 1534 by J. Cartier. The country consists of 3 territories and 10 provinces. There are two in the country official languages- English and French.

Flag of Canada:

Today, this country is an industrially and technologically advanced state. Canada has a diversified economy based on trade and natural resources Canada is rich in.

Relief of Canada

The central part of the country is occupied by plains. We can distinguish the Hudson Bay Lowland, which is marked by a flat relief, the Laurentian Upland, which is characterized by a hilly relief, and the central plains. In the west of the country is the Cordillera mountain system. most high point is Mount Logan this mountain system, whose height reaches 5959 m above sea level. In the northeast of the country there is a strip of mountains up to 2000 m high, and in the southeast the region of the Appalachian highlands.

Climate of Canada

The climate of Canada is quite diverse, due to its large territory. In total, Canada has three types climatic zones– Arctic, Subarctic and temperate. The temperature is very different in the north and south of the country. AT winter time the difference in average temperatures in the south and north reaches almost 30 units, and in summer it is slightly less.

For example, the average maximum temperature in the north in winter reaches -28 degrees Celsius, and in the south of the country -0.4 degrees Celsius. In summer, the average maximum temperature in the north reaches 6 degrees Celsius, and in the south of the country 29 degrees Celsius. At the same time, in the summer in the south of the country the temperature can rise to 35-40 degrees Celsius, and in the north of the country it can drop to -45-60 degrees Celsius with strong icy winds.

Canada's climate is quite harsh. These are lengthy snowy winters, which last up to 8 months a year and a short summer. At the same time, in winter in the south of the country the sun shines 8 hours a day, and in the north it does not shine at all. Since icy winds from the north and warm winds blowing from the USA, then a fairly large amount of precipitation falls over Canada.

Inland waters of Canada

Canada occupies one of the first places in terms of the number of lakes. About 10% of Canada is covered by water. On its territory are the Great Lakes (Ontario, Superior, Erie, Huron), as well as smaller lakes and numerous rivers throughout the country. The most important river in Canada is the navigable St. Lawrence River, which connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean basin. Thanks to Canada's climate, all of its lakes and rivers are covered with ice for 5 to 9 months a year.

Flora of Canada

The vegetation in the country varies from deciduous and mixed forests in the south of the country to tundra, taiga, which in the north of the country turn into arctic deserts. Of the forests in Canada, coniferous forests predominate. In the forests, you can most often find plants such as: black spruce, pine, white spruce, thuja, larch, oak, beech, chestnut, alder, birch, willow, cedar, fir, strawberry tree, elm and many other plants.

Animal world of Canada

In the south of the country, the animal world is the most diverse, and in the north it is the most scarce. Deer, elk, sheep, goats, arctic fox, hare, chikari squirrel, chipmunks, jerboas, porcupines, American flying squirrel, beaver, striped raccoon, wolf, fox, bears and many other representatives of animals are found on the territory of the country. There are also many migratory and game birds. Rivers and lakes are rich in fish. But the list of reptiles and amphibians is not so numerous.

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Population - 23.1 million people. The capital is Ottawa (700 thousand inhabitants). The official languages ​​are English and French.

The geography of Canada is wide and varied. Occupying northern part North American continent (approx. 40%), in terms of area, Canada is the second country in the world after Russia. Canada occupies a vast territory between the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Atlantic in the east (hence the country's motto "From Sea to Sea"), between the USA in the south and northwest (Alaska), the Arctic Ocean in the north and Greenland in the northeast . On the latitude of the southern coast of Newfoundland is the French overseas territory of Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Since 1925, Canada has been asserting its rights to the Arctic region between 60°W. and 141°W. to the North Pole; however, these rights are not universally recognized.

Covering an area of ​​9,984,670 km2 (land: 9,093,507 km2; water: 891,163 km2), Canada has an area slightly smaller than three-fifths that of Russia; Canada is about 1.3 times the size of Australia, although slightly smaller than Europe, but more than 40.9 times the size of the United Kingdom. In terms of total area, Canada is slightly larger than the United States or China; however, it is slightly smaller than these two countries in terms of land area (China occupies 9,596,960 km2, and the United States - 9,161,923 km2), becoming the fourth in this calculation.

northernmost locality in Canada (and in the world) - this is the station of the Canadian Forces Alert (in Nunavut, north of Alert) on the northern tip of Ellesmere Island - 82.5 ° N.L. - only 834 kilometers from the North Pole. The north magnetic pole is inside Canadian borders; however, recent observations suggest that it is moving towards Siberia.

Most of the country is located in the same geographic latitudes as the CIS. The extreme south of Canada lies on the same latitude as Georgia, and the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are located at a distance of about 1000 km from the North Pole.

Canada is rich in forests, minerals, fur-bearing animals; on its territory there are many rivers with large reserves of water energy. In the south - vast arrays of fertile lands.

The first colonists of Canada were immigrants from France who settled in the early 17th century. on the banks of the St. Lawrence River. Canada at that time was called New France. French trading companies founded trading posts here and quickly grew rich, buying valuable fur-bearing animals for next to nothing from the Indians. The fur wealth of Canada also attracted the attention of the British. Armed clashes constantly took place between the detachments of the British and French. Competing fur companies tried to attract Indian tribes to their side by deceit and bribery, inciting enmity between them. The indigenous population was pushed back into remote areas and died out. Now Indians and Eskimos are slightly more than 1% of the population.

As soon as the United States gained independence, they began to covet the English colonies. In 1846, it was determined that the 49th parallel would become the border between the United States and Canada. But even after that, there were armed clashes over Canadian lands. To protect its colonies in North America, England needed to unite them politically and economically. To do this, in 1867 they were transformed into a federation, one of the first dominions of Great Britain. The British government encouraged emigration from the mother country to Canada. In 1885, the Atlantic and Pacific coasts were connected by the Trans-Canada Railway.

In Canada, American methods of developing capitalism in agriculture have become widespread. In the fertile steppe provinces (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta), a system of almost free giveaway migrants of large plots of land. At the beginning of the 20th century, Canada became the largest supplier of wheat to the world market.

Following the construction of railways and the settlement of the prairies, the development of the mineral and energy resources of the country began. At the beginning of the XX century. American and British companies built the first mines, hydroelectric power plants, pulp and paper and metallurgical plants here. Canada has become one of the largest producers of non-ferrous metals (aluminum, lead, zinc, nickel, copper), wood pulp, newsprint, lumber. Between 1903 and 1914, 2.5 million new settlers arrived in Canada. In addition to the British, among them were immigrants from Germany, from the Scandinavian Peninsula, from the former Austria-Hungary, from Tsarist Russia (especially from Ukraine) and other countries. Now Anglo-Canadians - about 1/2 of the population, French-Canadians, more than 1/4. Quite a lot of Germans, Italians, Ukrainians, Dutch live here.

Statistical indicators of Canada
(as of 2012)

Canada is a developed industrial and agricultural country. It occupies sixth place among the capitalist countries in terms of the output of industrial products. In terms of industrial and agricultural output per capita, Canada is second only to the United States and Switzerland among the capitalist countries. Canada's share in industrial production of the capitalist world reaches 3.1%, while its population is correspondingly only 0.6%.

Most of the products of agriculture, mining and forestry are exported. In the post-war period, the penetration of US monopolies into the economy of Canada intensified, while the historically established economic ties between Canada and Britain weakened to a large extent. In addition to large manufacturing plants, the American monopolies have set up enterprises in Canada that exploit the vast natural wealth of that country.

To better imagine Canada, let's look at this country through the eyes of a tourist traveling through it from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. When the plane flies up to Canada, numerous fishing boats are visible in the ocean through its windows. Icebergs gleam in the sun here and there. Here, near the island of Newfoundland, there are vast shoals (banks) where huge shoals of cod accumulate. More than 500 thousand tons of fish are caught annually on banks, that is, half of the Canadian catch. Vessels of the USA, Japan, England, France, and Spain also come here to fish.

Newfoundland Island is located at the entrance to one of the most important waterways in North America - the St. Lawrence River. There are few cities on the island. The bulk of the population lives in fishing villages scattered along the coast. The western edge of the island is covered with dense coniferous forest. There are many pulp and paper mills here. In the production of pulp and paper pulp, Canada ranks second in the capitalist world (after the USA), and first in newsprint. Canada exports most of it to the USA and England.

The coastal provinces of Canada - Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island - played a leading role in the country's economy in the early period of history. But they lost their importance as the central and western parts of the country were colonized. Most of the inhabitants of the maritime provinces are descendants of immigrants from the British Isles; they are fishermen, sailors and lumberjacks, stern-looking people accustomed to hard work. The most developed industry in Nova Scotia. Here, in the city of Sydney, in the area of ​​coal deposits, ferrous metallurgy arose. In the main city of the province, Halifax, the oil refining industry, shipbuilding and aircraft building are developed.

The Atlantic coast is connected to the Great Lakes by the St. Lawrence River - an important transport route. But the rapids prevented the passage of ships from the ocean to the lakes. In 1959, the construction of a sea route along the St. Lawrence River was completed. Ships travel down the river to the Great Lakes. This waterway transports goods from Canada and the industrial regions of the northeastern United States. The river flows through densely populated southern regions province of Quebec, along its banks numerous farms are scattered, surrounded by cultivated fields, vegetable gardens and orchards. In the main city of the province - Quebec - 500 thousand inhabitants. In the same province is the largest city in Canada - Montreal (about 3 million inhabitants). No city in the world other than Paris has as many French-speaking people as Montreal. The city is spread over a vast island. Skyscrapers of banks, insurance companies, trade and industrial firms rise in its business center. Montreal is located near the industrial states of the northeastern United States. In the immediate vicinity of the city are large arrays coniferous forests, large iron ore deposits and rivers rich in water energy. Montreal is Canada's largest industrial center. There are enterprises of oil refining, energy, food and half of the enterprises of the Canadian light industry. economic development Montreal is facilitated by its convenient transportation location. The St. Lawrence River links the city to the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. Montreal is the most important transport and transshipment point in Canada. This is the largest Cultural Center countries. There are three universities - French and two English, theaters, museums, the country's largest television and radio studios. 1967 marked the centenary of the unification of the disparate British colonies of North America into the Canadian federation. The opening of the World Exhibition "Expo-67" in Montreal was timed to coincide with this event. One of its largest pavilions was the Soviet one.

From Montreal close to the capital of Canada - the city of Ottawa. It is a relatively small, quiet city. There are no large industrial enterprises here, but there are many buildings of ministries, embassies of foreign states, mansions of officials and diplomats. In the center of Ottawa is the Parliament of Canada - a somewhat smaller copy of the parliament building in London. The city has two universities, English and French, large libraries, the National Gallery, the National Museum, and a research center.

There are many farms to the south of the capital, and each of them specializes in growing a certain crop: cabbage or lettuce, cucumbers or berries. On the shores of the Great Lakes, there are dozens of cities that seem to pass into each other. This is the industrial heart of Canada. Many of these cities play a leading role in certain branches of Canadian industry: in Sarnia - chemical plants, in Hamilton - ferrous metallurgy, in Oshawa, Windsor - automotive industry, in Port Colborne smelted nickel. The main city of the province of Ontario - Toronto is dominated by machine-building and electrical plants, printing and footwear enterprises.

To the north of the industrial cities of the central provinces lie underdeveloped territories. Geologists call this region the Canadian Shield, as its soil lies on solid crystalline rocks. The Canadian shield is covered with coniferous forests, there are many lakes and swamps. The richest deposits of iron ore, asbestos, uranium, polymetallic ores and ores of rare metals have been discovered in its bowels. The rivers of the region are very rich in water energy and are convenient for the construction of hydroelectric power stations. All this made it possible to create large centers of non-ferrous metallurgy and the pulp and paper industry in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

To the west of the Great Lakes are vast expanses of steppes. Farms are scattered far apart. Only occasionally rise concrete elevators and oil derricks. More recently, only agriculture was developed in this region, and now industry has become the leading sector of the economy. In 1947, gas and oil fields were discovered, and oil refineries and chemical plants grew here.

At the western border of Alberta, the majestic Cordillera rises. The mountains cover the entire province of British Columbia, which Canadians call the Sea of ​​Mountains. Snow-capped peaks sparkle in the sun. Dark green coniferous forests envelop the slopes with an almost continuous cover. Glaciers descend into the valleys like white tongues. Noisy mountain rivers run through the gorges. The largest river in British Columbia - the Fraser - flows in the canyon. At its confluence with the Pacific Ocean lies the city of Vancouver - the main economic center of all of Western Canada. The city descends like an amphitheater to the Pacific coast. Protected by high mountains, Vancouver is almost unaffected by arctic winds. The warm and humid breath of the Pacific Ocean creates here the mildest climate in all of Canada. Nearly 10 months of the year, Vancouver residents bathe in the ocean, and you can ski in the mountains surrounding the city for most of the year. The main wealth of the province of British Columbia is the forest. In warm and humid climates, trees grow three times faster than in other parts of Canada. There are a lot of dark coniferous arc-lasovy fir and giant arborvitae in the forests. The height of the thuja reaches 80 m, the diameter of the trunk is 4.5 m, its wood does not rot.

The Pacific coast of Canada is cut by deep fjords. On the shores of one of these fjords, called Douglas Bay, lies the city of Kitimat. It houses a large aluminum smelter. Electricity comes here from the Kemano underground hydroelectric power plant. Turbines are installed in the engine room, carved into the rock. Water to the turbines goes through a tunnel from a reservoir built high in the mountains. The fall height of this artificial waterfall is about 700 m, 14 times more than that of the famous Niagara Falls.

The population of the northern part of the West of Canada is peculiar. The “spirit of pioneers” is still preserved here. There are many Indians among the inhabitants. Tourists rarely visit this remote area of ​​Canada, so the local Indians (unlike their southern counterparts) do not paint their faces with tattoos and do not dress up in colorful clothes and colorful feathers. The main occupation of the local Indians is gardening, fishing, and hunting.

The Canadian North contains gold, iron ore, oil, natural gas, uranium and rare metals.

There are very few inhabitants here - about 60 thousand people, mostly Eskimos and Indians. They are engaged in fishing, reindeer herding and hunting, some work as laborers at military bases, airfields and radar stations created by the United States.

After the Second World War, the mining industry began to develop rapidly in the Canadian North, despite the difficult climatic conditions and lack of work force. For organization profitable production large (sometimes the largest in the world) enterprises are created here, using the most advanced technology. Before the war, Canada imported iron ore, but now, thanks to the development of the iron ore deposits of Labrador, it has become one of the first places in the world in the export of iron ore.

Canada is part of the Commonwealth led by Great Britain. The head of state is the Queen of England, represented by the Governor General. It is appointed with the consent of the Canadian government. Since 1949 Canada has been a member of the aggressive NATO bloc. Canadian working people are becoming increasingly convinced that participation in blocs is not in the interests of the country, and are intensifying the struggle for peace. Canada has several political parties. The Liberal Party holds the largest number of seats in Parliament. The second largest party is the Progressive Conservative. Both parties represent the interests of the big bourgeoisie.

The Communist Party of Canada was founded in 1921. It is fighting for social transformation, for the creation of a united front of all the democratic forces of the country. The Canadian communists are demanding Canada's withdrawal from NATO, they are in favor of a policy of neutrality, against the dominance of US monopolies, for an end to the sale of the country's natural resources, and for the nationalization of the main branches of industry.

The nature of Canada is diverse. Its vast expanses, flora and fauna, many different trails with amazing landscapes are amazing.

Mixed forests, green meadows, snowy mountains and ocean bays create an amazing atmosphere.

Description

In the west of the country stretches a wide mountain range of the Cordillera. In the northern part of the Cordillera are the Rocky Mountains, famous for their glaciers.

Features of Canada

In the north, the country is in the arctic and subarctic climatic zones. The northern islands are the largest and least populated. They are covered in ice. Here harsh winter and short summer. Here, in the northern part of the country, there is almost no sun, but in the south of the country it is light 8 hours a day.

nature canada photo

In the south and west, the climate is mild - temperate, with a lot of precipitation. Canada has a huge number of forests, and the most beautiful of them grow in the Cordillera region.

Animals of Canada

The most common mammals in Canada are wolves. They live in all regions of the country. Porcupines, rabbits, badgers, raccoons, foxes, chipmunks, skunks live in forests and meadows. Squirrels are common in Ontario. Flying squirrels in Southern Ontario. But due to the reduction in the number of deciduous forests, this type of squirrel began to be classified as a rare species.

Plants

In the south of the tundra, coniferous forests are located in a wide strip. They have a large variety of firs: gray, black, Engelman, Sitka, red. In some places there are Pacific fir and Canadian cedar.

Canadian forests photo

Deciduous forests predominate in the central region of the country. There grow different kinds maple trees, birches, oaks, willows, poplars. Off the coast of the Hudson in the meadows you can see a lot of flowers: daisies, buttercups, primroses. Northern cranberries grow near swamps.

Lakes and rivers of Canada

There are many lakes and rivers in Canada - this is a whole river and lake network interconnected. In addition to small bodies of water, this includes the Great Lakes and major rivers countries. Here are some famous lakes:

• Upper is the largest freshwater lake in the world.
• Kliluk is an unusual lake due to the unique spots on the water. It contains a huge amount of minerals, its water has a healing effect.
• Emerald - located in the Rocky Mountains. Due to the presence of limestone in the water, it has an emerald color.

For 5 - 9 months of the year, the rivers and lakes of Canada are covered with ice.

• Mackenzie is the largest and deepest river in Canada, its length is 4000 km.
• Saint Lawrence - greatest river countries. Its feature is the miscibility of fresh and salt water.
• Niagara is the most beautiful river, it forms a whole complex of waterfalls. One of the most famous is Niagara Falls.

Reserves of Canada

• Cathedral Park - in its vicinity there are majestic rocks and snowy mountains, alpine meadows with lakes.
• Park Rouge - nature reserve in Toronto along the Rouge River. Tourists come here to enjoy the view river valley and the lake, which was formed since the time ice age.
• Jasper National Park - famous for the ancient Athabasca Glacier and waterfall. The mountain landscape strikes with extraordinary beauty. Wild animals roam freely in the park without fear of people.

Jasper National Park photo

Sights of Canada

• Banff National Park - This oldest national park in Canada is of interest for its icy valleys and fields, mountain peaks and hot springs.
• Niagara Falls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls on the planet, an amazing miracle of nature.
• Casa Loma Castle - resembles a fairy-tale castle. The owner tried to realize his childhood dreams, but he never built it to the end.

Problems

Environmental issues are the most common in Canada. The further south you go, the more you feel the impact of people on the environment. Water and air pollution, garbage dumping, deforestation, acid rain kill unique plants and trees, causing significant damage to the nature of Canada.

Canada has a single desert called Carcross. This is an unusual desert. It was formed after the Ice Age. It is a sand dune overgrown with wild drought-resistant plants. It is considered the smallest desert in the world.

Results

Many people come to Canada every year to enjoy the wild and amazing nature. Canada is a leader in environmental protection. The government guards and protects organized parks and reserves. Here you can meet unique representatives of flora and fauna.