Newfoundland and Labrador

I

Introduction

Newfoundland and Labrador, one of the four Atlantic provinces of Canada, consisting of the island of Newfoundland and, on the mainland, a coastal portion of the Labrador region. The island of Newfoundland (108,860 sq km/42,031 sq mi) is situated off the eastern coast of North America between the Gulf of St Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean. The Labrador portion (296,860 sq km/114,618 sq mi) is separated from the island by the Strait of Belle Isle; it is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and on the south and west by Quebec.

Newfoundland became part of Canada on March 31, 1949, as the tenth province. From 1927 to 1965 the name Newfoundland was used for both the island and the province, but in 1965 the province's name was changed to Newfoundland and Labrador. The name Newfoundland appears in British records as early as 1502 and originally was applied to all newly discovered areas in the North Atlantic.

II

Land and Resources

Newfoundland and Labrador, with a total area of 405,720 sq km (156,649 sq mi), is the seventh largest province in Canada. The extreme dimensions of the island are 523 km (325 mi) from north to south and 515 km (320 mi) from east to west; extreme dimensions of the Labrador region are 1,046 km (650 mi) from north to south and 724 km (450 mi) from east to west. Elevations range from sea level to 1,622 m (5,322 ft) atop Mount Caubric (known as Mont D'Iberville in Quebec) in the Torngat Mountains in northern Labrador. The deeply indented shoreline totals 13,676 km (8,498 mi) for the island and 15,286 km (9,498 mi) for Labrador. Cape Spear, on the island of Newfoundland, is the easternmost point in North America.

A

Physical Geography

The island of Newfoundland forms the northern extremity of the Appalachian geological province of eastern North America. The south-eastern part of the island belongs to the Atlantic Uplands region and is underlain by ancient erosion-resistant rocks. To the north is the Central Lowland, a region that has formed in the softer sedimentary rocks. To the west lies the Newfoundland Highlands, a region that comprises the Long Range Mountains. The flat summits of these mountains have an average elevation of about 600 m (1,970 ft). A narrow coastal plain on the western shore of the island is part of the St Lawrence Lowland region.

The Labrador portion of Newfoundland lies entirely within the Canadian Shield. This is a region of ancient erosion-resistant rocks. The interior is an uneven plateau with elevations averaging about 305 m (1,000 ft). Elevations are higher along the coast, rising to 1,622 m (5,322 ft) in the Torngat Mountains of the extreme north. To the south-east of the island is a shallow area of the Atlantic Ocean known as the Grand Banks, one of the world's richest fishing grounds.

The longest river is the Churchill in Labrador; with its tributaries it drains much of the Labrador Plateau. At Churchill Falls, the river drops some 75 m (245 ft); a large hydroelectric power project has appreciably diminished the flow over the falls. The major rivers draining the island are the Exploits, Gander, and Humber. The province's largest lake is the huge Smallwood Reservoir formed on the Churchill River.

Glaciation has left its mark on both the mainland and island portions of the province. Most hilltops have been scraped bare, and many valleys and low-lying areas are capped by a thick mantle of rocky glacial deposits.

B

Climate

The climate of Newfoundland and Labrador varies greatly. In the interior of Labrador, the climate is continental with very cold winters and brief, warm summers. In the eastern part of the island of Newfoundland, the climate is moderated by marine influences, and winters are much milder and summers are warmer and longer. The average temperature ranges from about -1.1° C (30° F) in southern Labrador to about 5° C (41° F) in south-eastern Newfoundland Island. The annual average precipitation ranges from 432 mm (17 in) in northern Labrador to 1,524 mm (60 in) in the southern part of the island.