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.

C.

Plants and Animals

About 60 per cent of Newfoundland and Labrador is forested, although only about one-half the forest is of commercial value. The province lies in the boreal forest zone, or taiga, and the dominant trees are conifers, primarily black spruce and balsam fir. In Labrador the tree line extends along the coast; north of this line lies subarctic tundra.

Wildlife is diverse, and large mammals are plentiful. Caribou, moose, and black bear are common in all areas, and polar bear are found in the north. Among the many small animals are muskrat, beaver, lynx, otter, and porcupine. Seafowl nest in great numbers on some of the province's headlands and nearshore islands; the most common are guillemot, gannet, and kittiwake.

D.

Products and Industries

Because of the nearness of the Grand Banks, one of the world's richest fishing grounds, Newfoundland and Labrador's economy has historically been dominated by the fishing industry. Since the end of the 19th century, however, the forestry industry and, later, the mining industry have grown in importance. Today minerals are by far the most valuable commodity produced in the province. Huge iron-ore deposits are found in western Labrador and at Bell Island in Conception Bay, accounting for more than 90 per cent of the value of the province's mineral output. Other minerals include copper, lead, and zinc, as well as asbestos, gypsum, flourite, and talc. Uranium is found in eastern Labrador. Oil and natural gas have been discovered off the coast of Labrador.

Less than 1 per cent of the province's land is classified as farmland. Leading crops include vegetables, greenhouse products, berries, and potatoes. Principal agricultural products are livestock, dairy, and poultry products. The province's large forest resources are used mainly in the production of newsprint. Cod is the traditional staple of the fishing economy. Shrimp, lobster, crab, turbot, flounder, and sole are much smaller catches.

The most important industries are those that manufacture fish products and pulp and paper products. Chemical and non-metallic minerals industries are also significant.

III.

Population and Administration

According to the 1991 census, Newfoundland and Labrador had 568,474 inhabitants, virtually the same as in 1986. A decade later, this figure fell to 509,700 (2006 estimate). Also in 2006 estimate, the overall population density figure was 1.4 people per sq km (3.6 people per sq mi). English was the first language of more than 98 per cent of the population; less than 1 per cent had French as their only mother tongue. About 4,700 Native Americans, 4,100 Inuit, and 1,400 Metis lived in the province in the late 1980s.

The capital, and largest city, of the province is St John’s (population, 2001, 99,182), on the east coast of the island of Newfoundland. Most of the province’s other large communities, such as Corner Brook (population, 2001, 20,103) and Gander (population 1996, 10,364), are also located on the island. Other important towns and settlements in the province are Mount Pearl (population, 2001, 24,964), Conception Bay South (population, 2001, 19,772), Labrador City (population, 2001, 7,744), and Happy Valley-Goose Bay (population, 2001, 7,969).

A.

Education

The province's first school was established at Bonavista in 1726, and the present public education system dates from 1874. Historically, education in Newfoundland and Labrador has been under Church administration, and today most schools are denominational, although publicly supported. Opportunities in higher education are available at a number of institutions in the province. Newfoundland and Labrador's only university is Memorial University of Newfoundland, in St John's; founded in 1925, it has about 13,000 students. The province also has five community colleges, two institutes of applied arts and technology, and a marine institute.

B.

Places of Interest

Newfoundland and Labrador has several landmarks commemorating early inhabitants. Port au Choix contains a Native American burial ground approximately 4,000 years old; L'Anse-aux-Meadows is the site of a Viking village from about ad 1000 and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. Cabot Tower, erected in 1897 to commemorate the first voyage of John Cabot to the region in 1497, stands in the Signal Hill National Historic Site at the entrance to St John's Harbour. In Corner Brook, there is a monument commemorating the life of British navigator and explorer Captain James Cook, who charted the region around 1767. There are more than 90 parks, recreation areas, and campgrounds in the province, of which Gros Morne National Park is one of the most attractive.

Most of the province's cultural institutions are located in St John's. Among the most important of these are the Newfoundland Museum, which contains historical exhibits and artefacts of the Beothuk people, the original inhabitants of the area, and the Memorial University Art Gallery. The Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra is based in St John's.

C.

Government and Politics

Newfoundland and Labrador has a parliamentary form of government. The formal head of the province is the lieutenant-governor, who is appointed by the Canadian governor-general in council for five years and who represents the Crown. The actual chief executive is the premier, usually the leader of the majority party in the provincial assembly. Newfoundland and Labrador has a unicameral legislature called the house of Assembly. This body has 48 members who are elected for a maximum term of five years. Newfoundland and Labrador is represented in the Canadian Parliament by six senators appointed for life by the federal government, and seven elected members of the House of Commons.

IV.

History

A.

Exploration and Settlement

It is likely that indigenous peoples lived in Newfoundland and Labrador thousands of years before the arrival of the Europeans. Norse explorers first discovered the area about ad 1000. (Remains of a settlement at L'Anse-aux-Meadows were uncovered in 1963.) The area was visited in 1497 by the Italian-born explorer John Cabot, sailing under the English flag, and by the Portuguese navigator Gaspar Corte-Real in 1500. The French explorer Jacques Cartier visited the island in 1534.

Following Cabot's landfall, England made no attempt at colonization, but during the 16th century the coastal waters of the island attracted increasing numbers of French, English, and Spanish fishing boats. In 1583 Sir Humphrey Gilbert took formal possession of Newfoundland in the name of England. A colony, which became St John's, was established in 1610 on the Avalon Peninsula. During the 17th century France also acquired a foothold on the island, establishing a base of operations on the shores of Placentia Bay. French forces sacked and burned most of the English settlements on the island at one time or another and for a while seemed to have the upper hand.

In 1713, however, British sovereignty over Newfoundland was recognized by the Peace of Utrecht. France retained only the islands of St Pierre and Miquelon, off the south coast, and cod fisheries on the west coast. Labrador became a British possession in 1763 under the terms of the Treaty of Paris, but was transferred to Quebec in 1774. It became part of Newfoundland in 1809, but the boundary with Quebec remained a matter of dispute until it was settled in 1927. Colonization of Labrador was not undertaken until the 19th century.

B.

Colonial Status

The population of Newfoundland increased considerably during the 19th century as labourers from various parts of the British Isles were brought to work in the fisheries. With this influx of settlers and the growth of towns, the people of Newfoundland began to resent the colonization restrictions of the British government, directed at keeping the island merely a fishing station. This situation led to a demand for self-government. In 1832 Great Britain granted Newfoundland the right of representative government, and in 1855 complete self-government, or responsible government, was established, including a legislature of two houses, a Cabinet, and a governor. Exploitation of the abundant mineral resources began in 1864.

The financial condition of Newfoundland was continually precarious, and the adverse effects of the Great Depression of the 1930s resulted in virtual bankruptcy. In 1934 the British Parliament suspended self-government, and executive authority was vested in the governor, three Newfoundlanders, and three British commissioners, all subject to parliamentary control. The commission worked to develop agriculture, employment opportunities, and the educational and social welfare facilities of Newfoundland. As a result, economic conditions improved considerably. In 1941 the island became one of the eight British possessions in the western hemisphere on which sites for air bases were leased to the United States. The presence of American soldiers and the construction of US air bases gave an additional boost to the economic recovery of the island.

C.

Confederation

On July 22, 1948, Newfoundland chose to unite itself with Canada by a vote of 78,323 to 71,334. On March 31, 1949, Newfoundland became the tenth Canadian province. The Liberal party, under Premier Joseph R. Smallwood, held power in the province for 23 years. In 1972 the Liberal party lost control, and a new government under Premier Frank Duff Moores was formed by the Progressive Conservative party, the first such administration in the history of the province.

The Smallwood regime had embarked on numerous projects intended to spur the growth of modern industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. One of the more successful was the hydroelectric power development at Churchill Falls, Labrador, which began operating in 1971. By the mid-1970s the project was generating about 78 per cent of the hydroelectricity produced in the province. Most of the power from the Churchill Falls project was exported from Newfoundland and Labrador under an agreement with Hydro Quebec.

D.

The Late 20th Century and Beyond

Despite a degree of economic growth, Newfoundland and Labrador continues to depend heavily on the government in Ottawa for subsidies. In the 1970s and 1980s many Newfoundlanders migrated to other parts of Canada. The Moores government was more conservative in economic matters than its predecessor, concerning itself with the preservation of the province's fishing industry and other natural resources. When Moores resigned, in 1979, he was succeeded by A. Brian Peckford, another Progressive Conservative, who later that year won his own mandate; he was re-elected in 1983 and 1985.

Continued economic troubles in Newfoundland and Labrador bred discontent, however, and in the 1989 election a new Liberal leader, Clyde K. Wells, became premier, ending Conservative rule in the province. In 1996 Brian Tobin became premier, continuing Liberal control in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Liberals remained in power into the early 21st century; in the 1999 general elections, the Liberals secured victory, although by a slightly reduced margin compared to previous years. In 2000 Tobin was succeeded as premier by Beaton Tulk. However, Tulk stepped down from office in 2001 to concentrate on federal politics; he was replaced by Roger Grimes.