Geography
                                            

Canada occupies the northern half of the North American Continent, and has a land mass of
9,970,610 square kilometers [3,849,674 square miles]. It is the second-largest country in the
World, after Russia. From east to west, Canada encompasses six time zones.

Canada's has three Ocean Coastlines;  Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic - giving it the longest
National Coastline in the World.

On the south, Canada shares an 8892 kilometer  [5585 miles] boundary with the United
States, and to the north, the Arctic Islands come within 800 kilometers [497 miles] of the
North Pole. Canada's neighbour across the Arctic Ocean [over the Top of the World] is
Russia.
                                                                                                                          

Because of Canada’s northern climate, only 12 percent of the land is arable [suitable for
cultivation/agriculture]. Thus, most of the population of 30 plus million people live within a
300 kilometers [186 miles] of its southern border, where the climate is milder.

It is estimated that Canada has One-Seventh of the World's 'Fresh Water'. In addition to
the Great Lakes, four of which it ‘shares’ with its southerly neighbours, Canada has an
astoundingly large number of Rivers and Lakes.

                                                      
                         Bridal Veil Falls ~ Spring, Manitoulin Island
                             © 2002-6 by SLaF, Cricket Hill ~The Digital Darkroom,
                                          Original Digital Photography,  All Rights Reserved
                                                                    

Geographically, Canada can be divided into Seven Regions, each of which has a very different
Topography, Ecology and Climate ~

The Pacific Coast - The British Columbia Coast and Coastal Islands

The Cordillera - The Mountainous Region of British Columbia just to the east of the Alberta
Border

The Prairies - The Plains of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Lowlands - Southern Quebec and Ontario

The Atlantic Provinces-Appalachian Region - New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince
Edward Island and Newfoundland

The Canadian Shield - Canada's largest geographical feature, stretches east to Labrador,
south to Kingston, on Lake Ontario, and northwest as far as the Arctic Ocean

The Arctic - North of the Tree-line [and across the entirety of Northern Canada]

                                                                                                        Canada Geese, Manitoulin Island
                                                                © 2002-6 by SLaF, Cricket Hill ~The Digital Darkroom,
                                                                          Original Digital Photography,  All Rights Reserved

It is safe to say that the Climate of Canada is largely a reflection of its Latitude and
Geography [or Topography]. Accordingly, the Climate will vary depending on in which of
the Seven Regions one lives.

The Pacific Coast - The coastal area of British Columbia has the most temperate Climate in
Canada, as a result of moist Pacific Ocean air streams. The area generally enjoys comfortable
and relatively dry summers and mild, wet winters. Snow seldom falls in low-lying areas, and
when it does, it usually melts quickly.

The Cordillera -The vast mountain system, which includes the Coastal Range and the Rocky
Mountains, blocks the warm, moist Pacific air from the central and eastern areas of the
Prairies. As the moist air is forced to rise over the mountains, it cools and falls on the western
slopes in heavy amounts of precipitation, as rain at lower altitudes and snow at higher elevations.
The valleys between the mountain ranges receive much less precipitation and experience warm,
and sometimes blistering Summers.
                                                                                                                                                                                     

The Prairies - Part of the vast Central Plains of North America, the Canadian Prairies
extend east from the Rocky Mountains to west  of the Great Lakes. Here, Cold Winters and
Hot Summers are the norm, with relatively low amounts of precipitation.

Spring rains and dry Fall conditions have helped make the Prairies one of the top Grain-
Growing areas of the World. Farming is not, however, without risk in the form of wind,
drought, thunder and hail storms and early frosts.

Among the most remarkable features of the Prairies in Winter is a phenomenon known as a
'Chinook' - a Warm, usually Dry Winter wind that affects much of southern Alberta.
Chinooks sweep down from the Rocky Mountains and have been known to raise temperatures
upwards of 16 degrees Celsius [60 degrees Fahrenheit] in a single day.

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Lowlands - Here, Winter brings heavy snowfalls, and
Summer tends to be longer and more humid than elsewhere in Canada.

   Lakeside Reflection ~ Spring, Manitoulin Island
   © 2002-6 by SLaF, Cricket Hill ~The Digital Darkroom,
               Original Digital Photography,  All Rights Reserved

Rainfall varies little from year to year, and is typically sufficient to sustain some of the best
Farming in Canada.

Mean daily temperatures, during the Summer, of 20 degrees Celsius [70 degrees
Fahrenheit] are common [from mid-June to mid-September], with week-long heat waves in
the 30's Celsius [85 to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit] not uncommon.

Warm, sunny days and crisp, cool nights make the Fall a very popular season.

The Atlantic Provinces-Appalachian Region - The combined influence of Continental air
masses and air currents off the Ocean give this region one of the most 'rugged' and variable
Climates of all of Canada.

In Winter, mean temperatures can vary greatly as Arctic air is displaced by Maritime air
from passing storms. Snowfall is relatively heavy from November to March. While Rain
and  Fog are common in Spring and early Summer. The warmest month is July, with
mean temperatures in the 16 to 18 degree Celsius [60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit] range.

                                 
                                                       Beaver Pond In Fall, Manitoulin Island
                                                             © 2002-6 by SLaF, Cricket Hill ~The Digital Darkroom,
                                                                                               Original Digital Photography,  All Rights Reserved
                                                                      
The Northern Region/Canadian Shield - Spans the entire country North of  the Great
Lakes -St. Lawrence Region. The Area is known as the Boreal Forest. Northerly Parts
of  this area are usually snow-covered for more than half of the year. The Summer here
[the frost-free period], at best, lasts  two months. Precipitation is low, except along the
coast of Labrador where the influence of Atlantic storms is manifested.

The Arctic Region - Farther North, above the Tree-line, lies Canada's vast land of 'Snow
and  Ice'. Here, temperatures rise above freezing for only a few weeks per year. And, just a
meter, or so, below the delicate, but hardy and persistent vegetation that grows in the brief
'Summer', theground remains permanently frozen [Permafrost].