Newfoundland

Newfoundland, province of Canada, far larger than the other Atlantic Provinces. St. John's is the capital and largest city.

Land and climate

The province comprises the island of Newfoundland (43,539 sq mi/112,299 sq km) and the long arm of Labrador (112,825 sq mi/292,218 sq km), which borders eastern Quebec. The island's western shore, in the mouth of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, has a long, indented coastline dotted with small islands. Newfoundland's north, south, and east coast, along the Atlantic Ocean, is rugged, with the land rising to rocky heights and a plateau with lakes and bogs. The longest river is the Exploits (153 mi/246 km). Hanking the western and northern coasts is the forested Great Northern Peninsula, dominated by the Long Range Mountains. In the south is the Burin Peninsula. In the southeast, across a narrow isthmus, is the densely populated Avalon Peninsula and St. John's.

Labrador, across the Strait of Belle Isle to the north of the island, comes within the Canadian Shield, the great plateau of forest-covered ancient rocks that covers about half of Canada. The high, rocky coast on the Labrador Sea portion of the Atlantic has many fjords. The largest lake is Lake Melville (1,113 sq mi/2,883 sq km). Emptying into it is the Churchill (formerly Hamilton) River, the longest (600 mi/965 km) in the province. The province's highest mountains are in Labrador; the tallest is Cirque Mountain (5,160 ft/1,573 m).

The northern coasts of both Labrador and Newfoundland island have a harsh climate; it is less severe on the southern coasts. Precipitation averages from 20 in (51 cm) in northern Labrador to 60 in (150 cm) in the southern part of the island.

People

The province is sparsely inhabited, with most people, mainly of Irish, English, or French descent, living on the coasts. Only 3% live in Labrador, and 10% of these are of Native American or Eskimo descent.

Economy

Some of the world's most lucrative fisheries have been operating off Newfoundland in the Grand Banks since the early 18th century, although the island's local economy remained precarious until the 1930s. Its strategic position as the closest North American point (along with Greenland) to Europe makes it a center of transatlantic air service. In Labrador huge iron-ore deposits are mined, and also copper, gold, lead, silver, and zinc. Powered by its hydroelectric plants, service industries, mining, lumbering, food processing, and the manufacture of pulp, paper, steel, textiles, and clothing also support a firmer provincial economy.

History

Remains of 10th-century Viking settlements have been found on the island. John and Sebastian Cabot rediscovered it in 1497, and Sir Humphrey Gilbert claimed it for England in 1583, establishing a settlement at St. John's. England ruled it, though in conflict with the French, who maintained fishing rights until 1904. In 1927, England gave Labrador to Newfoundland as a dependency. They chose to join the Dominion of Canada in 1949, becoming its 10th province.

See also: Canada.