Interactive map of Canada (political)

Canada is the world's second largest country after Russia. Canada has the longest coastline of any country, and Canada's border with the United States is the world's longest border between two countries. Around 42% of Canada is forested. North of the tree line, vast expanses of land feature permafrost and Arctic tundra. Canada is a federation consisting of ten provinces and three territories.

Provinces

Alberta is in Western Canada, and is one of Canada's only two provinces that are landlocked. The western part of the province is part of the Rocky Mountains range. The Caribou Mountains in the north of Alberta are another significant mountain range. The south of the province is prarie, which sustains livestock, while the north is largely forest.

British Columbia is bordered by the Rocky Mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The province is largely mountainous, but is very diverse geographically, with prarie, icefields, desert regions and numerous Pacific islands. The province is renowned for it's wildlife and astonishing natural beauty, and world famous protected areas include the Yoho, Mt Revelstoke, Kootenay and Glacier national parks. Over half of the population of British Columbia live in or around the city of Vancouver.

Manitoba is in the south center of Canada, bordering the United States to the south, and Hudson Bay to the northeast. The north west of the province is densely forested, and the south and Central regions are largely prarie farmland. Lake Winnipeg, in the south of the province, is the eleventh largest freshwater lake on Earth.

New Brunswick lies on Canada's Atlantic coast, and is the country's third smallest province by land area. Much of New Brunswick is part of the Appalachians range. Around two thirds of the province's population speak English as a first language and a third speak French as a first language.

Newfoundland and Labrador is on Canada's Atlantic coast, and is comprised of the island of Newfoundland and the mainland region of Labrador. Approximately 92% of the province's population live on Newfoundland, and 40% live in St John's, the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador. The province includes over 7,000 islands.

The majority of Nova Scotia lies on the Nova Scotia peninsula, which is part of the Canadian mainland. There are also numerous islands, of which Cape Breton Island is by far the largest. Most of the province is part of the Appalachians range, although the maximum elevation in the province is only 520 meters (1,700 feet). Most of the land in the province is bedrock, and unsuitable for agriculture.

Ontario is Canada's most populous province, and is home to more than 38% of Canadians. Ontario is the second largest province, although the territories of Nunavut and Northern Territories are larger than Ontario. The population largely lives in the south of the province, which is where the province's agricultural production is centered. The north of the province is heavily forested. Toronto , Canada's largest city, and Ottawa, the nation's capital are both located in Ontario.

Prince Edward Island lies in the Gulf of St Lawrence on the southeast coast of Canada. Prince Edward Island is the country's smallest province by land area and the least populated province. The province is the most densely populated of Canada's provinces. Prince Edward Island has a maritime climate, and is warmer in winter than most of Canada.

Quebec is Canada's largest province, although the territory of Nunavut is larger in size. Although sparsely populated, Quebec is Canada's second most populous province, and is the location of Canada's second largest city, Montreal. Quebec is the only province in Canada where French is the most spoken language, and the sole official language. The St Lawrence Lowlands, through which St Lawrence River flows, sustains considerable agricultural activity and most of the province's population.

Saskatchewan is in the southern central part of Canada, far inland from any large water body or ocean. Due to it's geographical location, Saskatchewan has a continental climate with very cold winters. The southern part of the province is prarie, while the northern part is heavily forested. Most of the population live in the south of the province. Saskatchewan has around 100,000 lakes.

Territories

The land area of the Northern Territories was more than halved in 1999 when Nunavut was created from the eastern part of the territory. The territory is predominately great expanses of boreal forest or tundra grasslands. Northern Territories is most mountainous to the west and southwest of the territory. Nearly half of the territory's population live in Yellowknife, the capital and the only city of the Northern Territories.

Nunavut was created in 1999, and is the largest of Canada's provinces and territories. Nunavut is also the second least populous of the states and territories, and is one of the least densely populated areas on Earth. The territory includes many islands in Hudson Bay and the large Arctic Archipelago. Nunavut has a polar climate, and the predominant vegetation is tundra. Around five sixth of the population is Inuit.

Yukon, in the extreme northwest of Canada, is the country's smallest territory. It is also has the smallest population of any Canadian territory or state. Much of the Yukon is mountainous and densely forested. Mount Logan, Canada's highest mountain, is in the Yukon. The north of the territory is arctic tundra.

About this geography activity

An online map of Canada showing the country's provinces, territories, state capitals and major cities. Fun visual activities for kids, created for geography class use.

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