Canada

1
Canada

• Physical Geography

2
Political Features

• 10 Provinces
• 3 Territories
• 2nd largest country in the world.
• Population Approximately 33 million
• Mexico has 3x the population
• USA has 9x
• Shares over 3,000 miles of border with the USA. .
  . Makes trade easier between the 2 nations.

3
Land

• Canada is located on the continent of North
  America in the northern western hemispheres
• Second largest continent (North America) in the
  world in land size
• Wide variety of physical features

4
Land

• Mountains
• Rocky Mountains
• Extend 3000 miles in North America (U.S.
  Canada)
• Smaller mountain chains along both coasts
• Coast Mtns West
• Notre Dame Mtns - East

5
Land

• Prairie
• Interior Plains
• Located east of the Rockies (western Canada)
• Northern extension of Great Plains in US
• Flat land used mostly for farming

6
Land

• Other landforms
• Canadian Shield
• Covers nearly ½ of Canadas land area
• Circles Hudson Bay in eastern Canada
• Area of ancient rock - Very rugged
• Rich in natural resources trees, minerals
  water
• Mining is an important industry along the
  Canadian Shield (1.5 million people)

7
Water

• Oceans
• Canada is bordered by three oceans
• Atlantic to the east
• Pacific to the west
• Arctic to the north
• Other
• Hudson Bay
• Connected to both the Arctic and Atlantic Ocean
• Niagara Falls
• Border between Ontario and New York state
• 2nd largest waterfall behind Victoria Falls in
  Africa

8
Niagara Falls
American Falls  (far left) Bridal Veil Falls
(mid left)
Canadian/Horseshoe Falls
Length of brink  1060 feet Height  176 feet 
(due to rocks at the base actual fall is
70) Volume of water 150,000 U.S. gallons /second
Length of brink 2600 feet Height 167
feet Volume of water 600,000 U.S. gallons/second
9
Does Niagara Falls Freeze Over in Winter?

• The tremendous volume of water never stops
  flowing.
• However, the falling water and mist create ice
  formations along the banks of the falls and
  river.
• This can result in mounds of ice as thick as
  fifty feet.
• If the Winter is cold for long enough, the ice
  will completely stretch across the river and form
  what is known as the "ice bridge". 
• This ice bridge can extend for several miles down
  river.
• Until 1912,visitors were allowed to actually walk
  out on the ice bridge and view the Falls from
  below. 

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• HOWEVER....
• The flow of water was stopped completely over
  both falls on March 29, 1848 due to an ice jam in
  the upper river for several hours.
• This  is the only known time to have occurred.
• The Falls did not actually freeze over, but the
  flow was stopped to the point where people
  actually walked out  and recovered artifacts from
  the riverbed! 

11

• June to November 1969
• The American Falls were dewatered.
• Most of the diverted water was either sent over
  the Horseshoe Falls or diverted to the Robert
  Moses generating plant's upriver intakes.
• Purpose was to do on-the-spot inspections and
  aerial photographs of the river bed's rock
  formation.
• Part of a plan to reduce erosion to the Falls.

12
Water

• Lakes
• Great Lakes
• 5 freshwater lakes - largest in the world
• Lake Superior
• Lake Michigan
• Lake Huron
• Lake Erie
• Lake Ontario
• HOMES
• SuperMan Hates Eating Oreos
• 4 lakes that share a border with Canada
• Formed by glaciers during the last Ice Age
• 4 of 5 lakes shared by both US and Canada
• Only Lake Michigan is entirely within the US
• Important waterways for both countries

13
Water

• Rivers
• St. Lawrence River
• Mother of Canada
• Connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean

14
Water

• St. Lawrence Seaway
• One of North Americas most important
  transportation routes
• Built by both the USA and Canada
• Locks are used to allow ships to navigate through
  elevation changes (like Panama Canal)

15

• Distance from the Atlantic Ocean to Duluth,
  Minnesota on Lake Superior 2,038 nautical miles
  (2,342 statute miles)
• 8.5 sailing days.

16
Climate

• Because of its size, Canada has many climate
  zones
• Most of Canada is very coldwhy?
• Areas along the coasts enjoy milder climateswhy?
• Inland areas have more extreme climates (very
  cold winters very warm summers)why?
• Some areas of eastern Canada can exceed 100
  inches of snowfall EACH year! . . . Any ideas why?

17
Vegetation

• Because of its latitude, Canada only has several
  types of natural vegetation
• Tundra
• found in the far north
• cold, dry, contains permafrost
• a layer of permanently frozen ground
• Prairie
• grasslands located in central Canada
• Used for farmland
• Forests
• cover almost half of Canada
• located east and west

18
Where do Canadians live?

• About 80 of Canadians live in urban areas in
  southeast and central parts of Canada roughly
  100 miles from the USA-Canada border.
• WHY???
• Available natural resources and climate
• 20 live in small rural communities because
  natural resources are spread over ALL of Canada
• Great Lakes/St. Lawrence River
• Most densely populated area provide trade
  routes inland
• Fertile farm land, temperate climate and large
  cities (Montreal, Toronto)
• Western Plains
• People have settled here to harvest the rich
  farmlands
• Canadian Shield
• Large mining industry mineral deposits

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Summarizing Activity
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Lets Talk About Trade . . .

• Canadas trade is impacted by location, climate
  and natural resources.
• Location major trading partners
• Climate Natural resources what they trade
• Major Trading partners . . .
• 70 of manufactured goods are produced in the
  Great Lakes region
• Lakes, rivers St. Lawrence Seaway are used to
  transport goods to other countries.

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• Due to Canadas location north of the USA, the
  U.S. is Canadas major trading partner
• Imports and Exports
• Both countries are interdependent on each other
• They need each other to be successful
  economically
• NAFTA was established (North American Free Trade
  Agreement)
• Since 1994, US, Canada and Mexico have free trade
  between their countries
• 80 of exports go to the USA
• Including . . . Hydroelectric power, oil, natural
  gas, fish, agricultural products and timber.

23
Natural Resources

• Farmland
• 12 of Canadas land is used for farming
• Most farmland located in the interior plains
• Most important agricultural product produced is
  wheat
• Minerals/Energy Resources
• Nickel, copper, gold, silver, zinc and uranium
  found in the Canadian Shield
• Oil and natural resources western plains
• Fishing
• Mostly along the Pacific coast
• also along the Atlantic coast
• Timber
• One of the worlds leading producers of timber
  products, such as lumber, paper, plywood, and
  maple syrup

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1. In which province would you find the most oil?
2. What is the main product found along the eastern
   and western coasts?
3. What does the F symbol represent?
4. What is the only province that produces cheese?
5. Near which body of water is fur found?
6. In what geographic region can wheat and cattle be
   found?
7. Which province/territory only has one product or
   resource labeled?
8. What product is found furthest north?
9. What four resources and products are found in
   Manitoba?

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Answers to Natural Resources Map

1. In which province would you find the most oil?
   Alberta
2. What is the main product found along the eastern
   and western coasts? Fish
3. What does the F symbol represent? Furs
4. What is the only province that produces cheese?
   Quebec
5. Near which body of water is fur found? Hudson
   Bay
6. In what geographic region can wheat and cattle be
   found? West/Southwest
7. Which province/territory only has one product or
   resource labeled? Yukon Territory
8. What product is found furthest north? Silver
9. What four resources and products are found in
   Manitoba? Furs, Forest Products, Copper, Wheat

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Environmental Concerns

• Overfishing
• Too many fish being caught has led to a reduction
  in fish populations off both Atlantic Pacific
  coasts
• Canadas government has banned fishing in some
  areas to allow the fish to repopulate

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Environmental Concerns

• Canadian Shield
• Major natural resources minerals, water
  forests
• Extraction and use of these natural resources can
  cause pollution
• Canada is trying to balance the economic growth
  from these resources as well as the environmental
  and conservation concerns.
• Minerals
• Valuable exports and help fuel
• the countrys industries
• Concerns
• Toxic waste can seep in
• ground water and water sources
• Habitat loss
• Emissions can cause acid rain (sulfur dioxide)

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• Rivers
• Produce hydroelectricity largest producer in
  the world
• Concerns
• Creation of dams, reservoirs and change in river
  flow
• Habitat loss
• Shoreline erosion and change in aquatic food
  chain
• Flooding of farmland

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• Timber Industry
• Harvested to make lumber and paper products
• Concerns
• Clear-cutting cutting down an entire group of
  trees at one time
• Flooding, erosion loss of habitats
• Eutrophication nutrient-rich soil from
  clear-cut forests moves into rivers, leading to
  excessive plant growth and less oxygen for fish

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Environmental Concerns

• Acid rain
• Caused by air pollution from burning coal or oil
• Sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides
• Acid levels can become similar to acid levels in
  vinegar
• Primarily a result from power plant emissions,
  factories that process minerals vehicles
• Great Lakes region in eastern Canada the USA
• How does the pollution from the USA impact
  Canada?
• Wind patterns move the pollution from the USA to
  Canada . . . 50-75
• Major Problem in Quebec and Ontario
• Bedrock prevents the water and soil from
  neutralizing the acid
• Seeps into the ground water poisioning lakes,
  forests and soil

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Environmental Concerns

• Effects of Acid Rain
• Polluted farmland and dying trees in eastern
  Canada
• Dead plants and fish in thousands of lakes
  including the Great Lakes
• Damage to buildings
• Especially those made of granite, marble and
  limestone
• Lower profits in vital industries such as
  fishing, forestry and agriculture
• Solutions
• Regulating industries and car manufactureres
• Replace coal-fired power plants with gas-powered
  power plants
• Adding lime to lakes, rivers and soil to
  neutralize acid
• Encourage citizens to walk, ride bikes or carpool

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• Great Lakes Pollution
• Major source of water and
• transportation for commerce
• Pollution from . . .
• Waste from industries
• Sewage treatment plants
• Runoff containing pesticides, fertilizers, oil,
  grease and salt from highways
• The Great Lakes have been utilized as an
  inexpensive dumping ground for waste (industrial
  and human).
• Solution
• Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
• Signed by Canada and the USA in 1971 and renewed
  in 2002
• Goal is to restore the lakes environment and
  prevent future damage.