Quebec

Quebec, largest province in Canada, second-largest in terms of population. Its capital is Quebec City, one of the oldest cities in North America. About 80% of the people of Quebec are of French descent and speak French. Montreal, on the St. Lawrence River, is the second-largest French-speaking city in the world.

Land and climate

The enormous land area of Quebec can be divided into 3 well-defined regions: the Canadian Shield, the St. Lawrence Lowlands, and the Appalachian Uplands. Over 90% of the area of Quebec lies within the Canadian Shield, a rocky plateau filled with uninhabited forests, lakes, and streams. The St. Lawrence Lowlands, including the St. Lawrence River Valley, has been smoothed out by glacial action and erosion. The Appalachian Uplands, which lie partly along the New Brunswick border and partly along the U.S. border, is part of the Appalachian Chain, which runs from the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec as far south as Alabama in the United States. Much of this region has been smoothed out by erosion to form a rolling plateau. The St. Lawrence River, which links the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean, is Quebec's most important river. Numerous rivers in northern Quebec flow west into the Hudson Bay or north into the Ungava Bay. The largest lake in the province is Lake Mistassini in south-central Quebec. More than half the total area of Quebec is forested. Above the 52nd parallel, west of the Ungava Peninsula, is a tundra region. In general, the climate of Quebec is continental, with severe winters and cool to hot, humid summers. In southern Quebec, precipitation averages 35 to 45 in (889 to 1,143 mm) a year, while the Laurentian Mountains receive well over 100 in (2,540 mm) of snow per year, making skiing a popular sport.

People

Most of the population of Quebec is concentrated in a relatively narrow strip of land along the St. Lawrence River and close to the U.S. border. About 85% are urban dwellers. French Canadians, mostly descended from 17th- or 18-century settlers, constitute 80% of the population. Separate radio and television stations and newspapers exists for the French- and English-speaking communities. French was made the official language of education, business, and government by the French Language Charter of 1977. Roman Catholicism dominates the religious life of the province.

Economy

Quebec has vast supplies of raw materials and almost limitless hydroelectric power. Industries include aluminum processing, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals, and metal products. Montreal and Quebec City are the leading manufacturing centers; ships, aircraft, and railway rolling stock are the chief products. The principal mineral products are iron ore, asbestos, and copper. Dairying is the most important branch of agriculture, and Quebec's forestry industry accounts for nearly half of Canada's wood and paper products. The development of iron ore mines in the northeast has encouraged development of a steel industry. Construction began in 1979 on La Grande Complex, on La Grande River, scheduled to be the world's second-largest hydroelectric plant.

History

The first permanent settlement in Quebec dates from 1608, when the French explorer Samuel de Champlain built a trading post at the site of Quebec City. From then until defeat by the British in the French and Indian War (1754–63), the region was controlled by the French. Since the beginning of British rule in 1763, Quebec's history has been dominated by its effort to preserve its French identity. Its attempts to maintain its cultural identity led to prolonged conflict with “English” Canada. In 1867 Quebec became a founding province of the Dominion of Canada, and as such was given considerable autonomy. In the 1960s a French separatist movement emerged, and the Canadian government has since made several concessions to French Canadians in the field of education. When the issue of constitutional reform was raised in the early 1980s, Quebec was the focus of the debate on national unity. In 1990, an attempt was made to amend the Canadian constitution in the Meech Lake Accord, which, if approved, would yield greater autonomy and additional rights to Quebec. While the initial discussions for the amendments indicated possible ratification, the Meech Lake Accord eventually failed because a political consesus could not be reached. The failure to reach an accord has further complicated an already complex issue between English-speaking Canadians and Quebec.

See also: Canada.