Canada’s Regions: Study Notes

Canada is the second-largest country on Earth, touching three oceans. This chapter walks through the five regions and the facts attached to each province and territory.

Key facts to know

• Three oceans border Canada: the Pacific in the west, the Atlantic in the east and the Arctic in the north.
• Canada has ten provinces and three territories. There are five regions: the Atlantic Provinces, Central Canada, the Prairie Provinces, the West Coast and the Northern Territories.
• Ottawa, on the Ottawa River, was chosen as the capital in 1857 by Queen Victoria.
• Newfoundland and Labrador is the most easterly point in North America and has its own time zone.
• Prince Edward Island is the smallest province, the birthplace of Confederation, and is joined to the mainland by the Confederation Bridge. Anne of Green Gables is set there.
• Nova Scotia has the world’s highest tides, in the Bay of Fundy. Halifax is home to Canada’s largest naval base.
• Ontario has the largest population among the provinces. Toronto is Canada’s largest city and main financial centre. The Niagara region is known for vineyards and fruit crops, and Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world.
• The Prairie Provinces are Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Regina, Saskatchewan’s capital, is home to the RCMP training academy.
• The Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon make up the North, often called the “Land of the Midnight Sun” because summer daylight can last up to 24 hours.
• Yukon had a gold rush in the 1890s. Mount Logan in Yukon is the highest mountain in Canada.
• Vancouver’s port is Canada’s largest and busiest.

These notes summarize the official Discover Canada guide in our own words. Always check the current edition of the guide on canada.ca. Discover Canada Prep is independent and not affiliated with IRCC.