Fauna and flora of Canada. Geography of Canada: nature, climate, minerals

Detailed solution paragraph 38 on geography for 10th grade students, authors E.M. Domogatskikh, N.I. Alekseevsky Basic level 2016

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Remember

Question 1. What do the natural conditions of Canada and Russia have in common?

Answer. Canada is often compared to Russia in terms of its natural conditions and natural resources. Canada is rich in a variety of mineral resources. There are significant reserves of non-ferrous metal ores (nickel, copper, zinc, lead), iron ore, uranium, oil and natural gas, potassium salts, asbestos, coal. This contributes to the fact that Canada is the largest supplier of mineral raw materials to the industrialized countries of the world, and primarily to the United States. Climatic conditions Canada is diverse. In most of the territory the climate is harsh, which makes economic activity difficult. The amount of precipitation varies greatly: from 250-500 mm in the interior steppe regions of the Great Plains to 1000-2000 mm per year on the coasts of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. A significant part of Canada's territory (about 45%) is covered with forests. The country ranks third in the world in terms of total timber reserves. Great value have animal resources - fur-bearing animals, commercial fish (salmon, herring, halibut, cod). A special place V natural potential Canada is occupied by water resources. By reserves fresh water it also has 3rd place after Russia and Brazil. Important transport and energy value have the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. Natural features led to uneven economic development of the territory.

Question 2. What are the features of the nature of the northern part of North America?

Answer. In winter, the weather depends significantly on solar radiation, and in summer - from the influence of the oceans. In the north of the mainland in January, frosts reach -20...-25 degrees, and in the central part of Greenland they can reach -55 degrees. In Alaska and most of the Hudson Bay, winter temperatures drop to -15...-20, and in summer the air warms up to +5...+10. In areas with a temperate climate (north of the mouth of the Columbia), the temperature in winter is -5...-10 degrees, and in summer it does not exceed +20. The area from Florida to California belongs to the subtropical zone. In the Mississippi Lowland, summer temperatures average up to +25...+30, and in winter frosts can reach -15 degrees. Arctic As the map of North America (physical) shows, the northernmost part of the continent is not at all monotonous. Depending on the relief, nature also changes. Everything that is not covered with ice is saturated with water. The color of the tundra is sometimes even brighter than the Russian autumn forest. Ocean ice give amazing color scheme with a smooth transition from white to black. Ice is often colored with greenish and blue hues. Polar bears and walruses live here, but there are not so many birds, although the abundance of insects serves as rich food for them. The nature of North America is rich in forests. To the south of the tundra aspen-like poplars and spruces grow, to the southwest - spruce and pine forests, which in the south are replaced by a transition zone with coniferous and deciduous vegetation. Canada's northern region is striking in its silent beauty at any time of the year, but in the summer, when the spruce forest sparkles with bright colors, it is especially beautiful here. The Yukon and British Columbia are covered in an ocean of trees. The plants and animals of North America in this area are represented by many species. Representatives of the fauna here include white-tailed deer, wood bison, coyotes, beavers, moose, gray and red lynxes, forest caribou, rabbits and hares, wolverines

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How do you think

Question. What is Canada's role within Anglo-America?

Answer. Canada is one of the eight largest developed countries. Its GDP in 2005 was $1.114 trillion and its per capita GDP was $34,273, indicating high level economic development of the country. Canada ranks 13th among countries in terms of GDP.

Traditionally, Canada's economy has been influenced by two main factors - the presence of rich natural resources and its proximity to the powerful United States.

The country is rich in mineral resources (semi-metals, nickel, uranium, iron ore, copper, oil, natural gas, gold, platinum, asbestos, potassium salts), water and forest resources. The use of natural resources in hard-to-reach northern territories is becoming increasingly important.

Canada has a highly developed manufacturing industry, simultaneously occupying a leading position in the world in the extraction and production of many types of raw materials - nickel, uranium, asbestos, aluminum. Traditionally, the leaders in terms of growth rates of production and investment were corporations in the “resource” industries - the oil and gas industry, the timber industry, non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy.

In the 90s The Government of Canada is focusing its efforts on building the economy" open type", expanding the country's participation in the processes of globalization of the world economy, maintaining economic independence and equality with its powerful southern neighbor.

Due to weakening demand and falling prices on world markets for traditional Canadian industries, revenue growth and capital investment in most businesses in these industries have declined. At the same time, production volumes and investments in high-tech industries - electronic, electrical and heavy engineering, telecommunications, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, as well as in the automotive industry and production of structural materials - have increased significantly.

The most important feature of Canadian industry is that the share of foreign-owned assets in the country's industry exceeds 40%, of which over 70% are owned by US corporations. In particular, in Canada's electric power industry, foreign companies own 63% of assets, in the chemical industry - 68%, in the automotive industry - 92%.

Canada is one of the leading countries in the world in the production and export of agricultural products. Features of the organization of labor in agriculture include pronounced territorial and sectoral specialization: about 90% of all Canadian farms are specialized in certain types of crop and livestock production. The main producers of commercial agricultural products are increasingly large enterprises: over 3/4 of agricultural land is owned by farms with an area exceeding 40 hectares.

The state traditionally plays an active role in economic and social life. The activities of government bodies are aimed primarily at encouraging the development of the manufacturing industry, mastering the production of high-tech products, strengthening the position of national firms and limiting the expansion of foreign capital.

LET'S TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Question 1. What is the population of Canada?

Answer. Despite its huge territory, Canada does not have a very large population - more than 30 million people.

Question 2. What are the two large ethnic groups that make up the bulk of the country's population?

Answer. Two ethnic groups make up almost 70% of Canada's population. These are English-Canadians, whose share in the country's population is close to 40%, and French-Canadians - about 30%.

Question 3. What natural resources is Canada rich in?

Answer. Canada is rich in natural resources. There are large reserves of almost all the most important types of mineral resources. Canada has large reserves of oil, gas, coal, iron ore, non-ferrous and precious metals, and uranium. This wealth, combined with its proximity to the United States, has led to Canada exporting most of its raw materials to the United States.

Canada has enormous water resources. These are not only numerous large and small rivers, but also a huge number of lakes of various sizes. Located in the northern forest belt, Canada has rich forest resources. Almost half of Canada's territory is occupied by coniferous forests - almost 10 million km2. In terms of timber reserves, Canada is second only to two countries: Russia and Brazil.

Agroclimatic resources south of 60° northern latitude can be assessed very highly. Here, in the steppes, there are the most fertile black soils, and the climate is quite mild and humid. Only 7% of the country's territory is used in agriculture. Recreational resources countries are quite modest.

Question 4. What industries are the basis of the country's economy?

Answer. Canada is a highly developed country and has long been a member of the G7. At the same time, there are some economic features that greatly distinguish Canada from other developed countries. First of all, there is a clear predominance of extractive industries. The main ones are: gas, oil and forestry. Canada is a major global exporter of uranium, nickel, zinc, iron ore, gold, and silver. The main flows of raw materials go south, to the USA.

Canada is one of the leaders in electricity generation and one of the first in the world in electricity production per capita. Canada is one of the top three world leaders in aluminum smelting. Mechanical engineering, which employs almost a third of the economically active population, provides another 30% of GDP. The industry is almost completely controlled by US capital. In fact, Canadian engineering plants are branches of American companies that produce equipment for the mining and forestry industries, metallurgy, energy and agriculture, as well as automotive products.

Canada has a large forestry industry that relies on its own resources. The pulp and paper industry is especially developed in Canada.

Question 5: What agricultural products does Canada export?

Answer. The main direction of Canadian agriculture is farming. Although Canada has a developed livestock industry, it is known on the world market primarily as a major exporter of wheat.

AND NOW FOR MORE COMPLEX QUESTIONS

Question 1. What are the features geographical location Canada?

Answer. Canada is located in the north of the American continent and has a total area of 9976 thousand square meters. km. (the second largest country in the world). It is washed by the waters of the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as a result of which it has the largest coastline in the world. In the south it borders with the United States, and in the north, thanks to its polar islands, it goes 800 km deep. beyond the Arctic Circle.

Canada owns a number of islands - Baffin Island, Victoria, Ellesmere, Devon, Banks, Newfoundland, etc. The highest point is the city of Logan in the northwest (5951 m).

The rocky Pacific coast of the country is indented by fjords and fenced off from the main territory by the powerful mountain range of the St. Elijah Mountains, the Beregovoy and Boundary ridges. The famous Canadian prairie stretches across the entire south of the country to the Atlantic coast. The Atlantic regions of the country are occupied by low hilly ridges interspersed with vast plains. The Polar Zone and Hudson Bay region are vast low-lying plains crossed by thousands of rivers and lakes, often swampy or tundra-like.

Speaking about the peculiarities of the geographical location of Canada, it should be noted that the rocky Pacific coasts are indented by fjords and fenced off from the main territory by the powerful ridge of the St. Elias Mountains, the Boundary and Beregovoye ridges. The famous prairie stretches from the south all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic coast has low hills with vast plains. The Hudson Bay region and the polar zone are represented by huge low-lying plains that are crossed by thousands of marshy lakes and rivers.

Question 2. What is the reason for the high concentration of the country's population along the border with the United States?

Answer. Main reasons:

1. Due to the harsh northern climate, only 12% of Canadian territory is suitable for agriculture. As a result, the majority of Canada's population (almost 27 million) live within 200 to 300 kilometers along the southern border, where the climate is mildest, a long, thin strip stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.

2. Economic benefit. Since most of the economy is concentrated on the border with the United States.

Question 3. What features of the nature of the distribution of natural resources and the population of Canada bring it closer to Russia?

Answer. Only 1.5% of its inhabitants live in the resource-rich northern regions, which occupy 70% of the country's territory. This is due not only to the more severe natural and climatic conditions of the northern regions (the climate of the “Mid North” adjacent to the developed southern regions is not much different from the climate of the latter), but also to the historically determined features of the development of the country’s economy.

Question 4. What is the reason for the close connection between the economies of Canada and the United States?

Answer. Canada's economy benefits from its proximity to the United States and various trade agreements, such as the 1965 Canada-United States Automotive Agreement, the 1989 Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement (ALE) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). ) and others

Relations with the United States have always been an important component of Canada's economic development. The intensive exchange of goods, capital, and services allows us to talk about close economic integration between these two countries, one of the manifestations of which was the conclusion of numerous trade agreements.

After the signing of the FTA and NAFTA agreements, the development of economic integration between the two countries rose to a new qualitative level. The established economic relations between Canada and the United States are unmatched in scope and content among other pairs of industrialized countries. It is important to note that Canada received the status of a privileged economic partner of the United States and easier access to the world's largest market.

Today, the United States is Canada's largest foreign trade partner. Thus, in 2002, the United States accounted for 87.68% of Canadian exports and 62.65% of Canadian imports. During the NAFTA period, the growth of mutual trade was observed almost constantly. The only exception is the period 2001-2002. due to the economic turmoil that occurred in the United States after September 11. Thus, for Canada, foreign economic relations with the United States are extremely important, since the main consumer of Canadian goods and services is the US market.

Question 5. What interethnic problems are typical for Canada?

Answer. There are three main problems of this kind.

The first of these is the problem of French-Canadian nationalism. IN recent history Canada has perhaps no more pressing problem.

At first glance this may seem strange. In fact, French-Canadian Quebec is the largest in area (its territory could accommodate three Frances) and the second most populous province of Canada, providing more than 1/5 of the country's total GNP. A deep-sea waterway along the river passes through the territory of Quebec. St. Lawrence. On this river are located cities such as Montreal, where almost half the population of the province lives and which is often called the Canadian Paris, and Quebec, almost the entire population of which is French Canadian. But what is especially important is that French Along with English, it serves as the official language of Canada. The equality of these two languages is strictly observed. Not only official documents, but even labels of goods sold, advertisements and inscriptions throughout the country are made in two languages.

The second pressing national problem is the problem of the indigenous peoples of Canada. The indigenous population has also recently intensified the fight for their rights. To a certain extent, this is explained by the reorientation of part of it from hunting to hired work and, accordingly, relocation to the cities of the Canadian North. Aboriginal peoples have long demanded a special amendment to the country's constitution providing for their right to self-determination. As a result, in 1993, a provision was introduced into the Constitutional Act stating that the indigenous peoples of the country have an inalienable right to self-government within Canada.

The third problem is the problem of foreign immigration. Immigration has always been a feature of Canada. But recently its composition has changed noticeably. In contrast to the past, now among immigrants (about 200 thousand people annually) immigrants from Europe account for only 19%, while immigrants from Asia - 57%, Latin America - 13%, Africa - 7% (the rest are from the USA). From the above figures it follows that nowadays “colored” immigration to Canada sharply predominates, which has become widespread.

FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE

Question 1. Using statistical materials from the textbook, select socio-economic parameters that characterize Canada.

Answer. Territory: in terms of total area (9985 thousand sq. km), Canada is second only to Russia. The territory is divided into the Arctic region, the central plains, the Pacific coast, eastern and western geographical zones. It has many islands on the east, north and west coasts. It lies in the Arctic, subarctic and temperate climatic zones. The relief of the center of the mainland and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago is flat, the western and eastern parts of the country are mountainous. The territory has a dense network of rivers and lakes and diverse vegetation.

The population is 33.4 million people, the average annual growth rate is 0.9%. Birth rate - 10.75, mortality - 7.9 per 1 thousand people. Growth due to immigrants, mainly from Asian countries, 262 thousand people. per year. About 11% of all Canadians are considered to be of British ancestry (Anglo-Canadians), 9% are of French ancestry (French Canadians), 13% are from other European countries, 4.5% are from Eastern and Southeast Asia, 35.8% are of mixed origin, 18.6% are of Canadian origin; 1.7% belong to the indigenous people - Indians and Eskimos (Inuit). About 46% of believers are Catholics, 36% are Protestants; Muslims number 7.5%, Orthodox Christians - 1.4%. Canada has two official (state) languages - English and French; at the level colloquial speech 17% of the population speaks both, 67% only speaks English, and 14% only speaks French.

Level and system of education. Schooling is compulsory for children from 6 to 14–16 years of age (depending on the province). At the last stage of secondary school, education is divided into academic and practical (professional) areas. Completing senior secondary school gives you the right to enter university. There are 75 universities and 195 colleges in the country. More than 99% of adults are literate.

9.6% of GDP is spent on health care, about 70% of total expenses are covered by the state. Average duration life - 80 years (men - 77 years, women - 84 years).

The standard of living is one of the highest in the world. Human Development Index - 0.936 (second place in the world along with Australia and Sweden).

Administratively, Canada is divided into 10 provinces (Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia) and 3 territories: Yukon, Nunavut and Northwest Territory . The capital is Ottawa (1.1 million people), other major cities are Toronto (5.0 million people), Montreal (3.5 million people), Vancouver (2.1 million people) .

Published: 02.02.2010 Category: Press releases

Political subject The country we are talking about is the second largest state in the world. Due to the low population density, there is no total development in its area, including industrial sector facilities. As a result, Canada's nature has retained its original appearance. This circumstance attracts natural scientists, photographers and filmmakers - documentarians from all over the world. The regions in North America are also well known among ordinary tourists. Moreover, many inhabitants of the planet want to move here. And this, in general, is not difficult to do...

Geographical location and relief

The nature of Canada is the result of centuries-old geological, climatic and biological processes, occurring in the temperate, cold-temperate and arctic zones North America. “The Country of Good-natured People” is washed by the northern waters of the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific Oceans, covering an area of 9,984,670 km². There is a land border only with the United States - in the south and northwest. The country has dozens of large bays. The Hudson is considered an inland sea. The Cordillera continues in the west of Canada, and the Appalachians in the east. 49% of the territory is occupied by the so-called Canadian Shield - a rocky surface in the north of Saskatchewan, Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec. The deepest lowlands are located around the Hudson, St. Lawrence and Queen Maud bays. The rest of the state (geographical center) is the Great Plains, covered with thousands of lakes. The most impressive of them is Winnipeg (24,300 km²). There are 7 rivers in the country, comparable to our Volga and Lena. The largest water artery– Mackenzie (its length is over 4.5 thousand km).

History of the "village"

Once upon a time (before the 16th century), the nature of Canada was the property exclusively of the Indians and Eskimos, who were divided into several large and small tribal unions. Europeans penetrated here in small groups (such as the Norwegian Vikings). There was not even a hint of global colonization in the Middle Ages. The situation changed radically after the exploration of Portuguese sailors in 1498-1521. They based on Atlantic coast There are permanent fishing settlements in this area. Towards the middle of the century, they were joined by the French, one of whom named this land Canada (in the Iroquois language of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the word means “village”).

The “frogs” settled in what is now called the French-speaking autonomy of Quebec. Residents of the United Kingdom began to move here in 1610, establishing the first British colony in Newfoundland. After 100 years, France and Great Britain began to make territorial claims to each other related to Canadian possessions. Both sides used the Indian population in the colonial wars that began, which was one of the many reasons for its disappearance...

Finally, in 1840, this region was completely assigned to the British, first as a colony, and 27 years later - as a dominion (autonomy within the empire). At the same time, Canadians had to defend their borders from the encroachments of their southern neighbor, the United States. The final US-Canadian border was established only in 1867. By the way, now it is the longest and most unguarded in the world. In 1946, Canada became a fully independent state within the British Commonwealth. All this time, Quebec also wanted to declare itself a sovereign political entity, but never became one.

There was a lot of untouched land and clean water in the vastness of Canada. Nature and all sorts of subsoil inspired later settlers - Ukrainians, Poles, residents of the Russian Empire, Armenians (who scattered en masse around the world during the genocide of 1915), and after resonant events Vietnam War- even Americans. At first, the government used foreigners as brute labor, but then the newcomers settled in the local provinces as citizen-landowners. The most interesting thing is that the active phase of settlement of this corner continues. They are waiting for you here too.

Flora and fauna

Let us repeat that the indicated area of the North American continent is located in a zone of three climatic zones, covering thousands of kilometers, both in the meridian and latitudinal directions. So what are the main features of Canada's nature? This is a country of giant sea bays, deep canyons, huge dense forests, numerous lakes and vast plains. And virtually everywhere the virgin environment reigns. As for trees and plants, coniferous thickets predominate here - black spruce in the east and white spruce in the Pacific “half”. It is dominated by cedar, pine and larch. In 2nd place are moss and dwarf birch of the Canadian tundra, and in 3rd place are deciduous arboretums. Maple, American elm, Weymouth pine, oak, beech, chestnut and hemlock at the latitude of Quebec and the Great Lakes gradually give way to a rich mixed habitat closer to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Herbs include sedges, heathers, and grasses. There is a willow near the water...

Canada's natural environment is the most powerful driver of the potential and development of thousands of terrestrial mammal and bird populations. Animals characteristic of the circumpolar and temperate zones, have particularly impressive sizes here. We are talking about white and brown bears, the terrible black baribal and gray grizzly bear, polar deer and the rather rare (in other countries) noble deer wapiti. The forests preserve a record number of raccoons, porcupines, sables, otters, wolverines, wolves, beavers, polecats, chipmunks, foxes, several species of hares and platypus. Only the red squirrel, pronghorn antelope and puma are endangered... The local tracts are home to such “Red Book” winged birds as the sandhill crane and the Hudson godwit. Only here you can see a bird with the name Eastern Royal Tyrant.

The natural world of Canada is also represented by a unique ichthyofauna. Unfortunately, its safety turned out to be at a critical level - due to fishing on a catastrophic scale that began several centuries ago. The narwhal has become a rarity ( sea unicorn), southern and blue whales, Californian porpoise, hooded seal. As a rule, their more or less noticeable populations are found exclusively in Canada. There are so many delicious sea fish here! Halibut, bluefin tuna, giant salmon. Weight up to 300 kilograms.

Recreational potential

In Canada, outdoor recreation is a favorite pleasure of local residents and most visitors. The previous section of our review, which describes Canadian wildlife, is devoted to why this is so. There are too few places left on Earth that have not been touched in any way by civilization. They return a person to the past, filling them with natural forces. These Canadian locations attract travelers the most:

Auyuttuq in Nunavut (most liked by trackers);
Banff in Alberta (Canadian nature “wrote” its own “hymn” here);
Brus Peninsula in Ontario;
Wapusk in Manitoba;
Wood Buffalo on the border of Alberta and the Northwest Territories;
Vuntut in Yukon;
Gulf Islands in British Columbia;
Newfoundland and Labrador;
La Mauricie in Quebec.

Outdoor recreation in Canada is subject to a number of administrative restrictions. In nature reserves and national parks it is not allowed to burn fires, litter, engage in any kind of fishing (including gathering), build buildings (without permission from the authorities) or agriculture. “Tent campers” who comply with all these regulations are not touched by the rangers (the pass system is not developed here; entry into and out of the reserves is always free). As you understand, absolutely all natural monuments in Canada are part of specially protected areas, the most popular of which are listed by us in the above list. It remains to name the first ten of those miraculous miracles around which these reserves were developed. These are the northern shores of the Great Lakes (on one of which is the famous Niagara Falls, just in Canada its “Great Horseshoe”), the best landscapes of the rocky mountains (Banff Nature Reserve), the bison nursery in Wood Buffalo, Vancouver Island (which has preserved all the fauna) and the protected Jasper (Alberta) zone. Most of all there are grizzly bears, wolverines and rare birds.

Inspired by the features of Canadian nature? If you wish, you can enjoy unique (mostly relict) landscapes every day. Becoming Canadian is not as difficult as you might imagine. The French-English state is recognized by experts the best country for immigration. Instead of submitting to stereotypes imposed on the Internet by losers and TV channels that have become weapons of hybrid warfare, take advantage of this unique opportunity. It is featured at http://icgworld.ca. There are more and more people who have been helped by IMMIGRATION CORPORATION GROUP to obtain tourist, immigration and study visas. See for yourself! And also join the community about Canada

Banff, Banff National Park, Improvement District No. 9

Banff National Park is Canada's oldest park. It is located on the border of Alberta and British Columbia. Since 1885, the park has attracted the attention of tourists and climbers. First of all, it surprises with the beautiful landscapes of the Rocky Mountains, lakes, glaciers and coniferous forests, where wild animals. Also open in the park ski resorts, the most famous of which is located near the city of Banff.

When talking about the nature of Canada, it is very difficult to find words that could accurately describe it. This country seems to combine two different worlds - a civilized one and one where a person rarely sets foot. In the first, everything is subject to people. But in the second, a person has to get along with wild nature, which lives according to its own laws. It is this primitiveness that makes Canada a unique country. A country where people go for breathtaking impressions of the local nature.

Lakes of Canada

There are about 4 million large and small lakes in Canada. A fantastic figure, because not a single person can imagine such an amount of water! Travel to local lakes is chosen by amateurs active recreation. You can go kayaking, canoeing, and it’s great to go horseback riding along the coast.

Canada's largest lakes form the Great Lakes system. This includes Lake Superior (depth - 394 m), Ontario (236 m), Huron (208 m), Michigan (281) and Erie (64 m). All of them are interconnected, and in terms of the amount of fresh water they are second only to Russian Baikal. These lakes are located on the border between Canada and the United States, and Michigan is an American territory.

The listed lakes can be called rated. For example, Huron and Michigan are among the four largest in the world; Lake Ontario overlaps in area largest lake in Europe - Ladoga. Interesting comparison: total area all Great Lakes more area UK.

30% of Canadians live here on the coast. Cities are connected to each other by lakes; ships up to 300 m long ply the water surface.

Also worth noting are two more Canadian lakes - Great Bear and Great Slave. The first is known for the fact that uranium was mined on its shores for the bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And the depth of Nevolnichy reaches 641 meters.

In the north of the country, lakes Winnipeg, Athabasca, Winnipegosis, and Olenye stand out for their size. The Niagara River, famous for its 50-meter waterfall, connects Lakes Erie and Ontario. Canadians are lucky - on their territory there is the “Big Horseshoe”, one of the three waterfalls of Niagara, which reaches a width of almost 800 meters. An amazingly beautiful phenomenon demonstrating the power of nature.

But Emerald Lake, located in Waterton-Glacier Park in the Rocky Mountains, produces a peaceful impression. It's good to go boating, trout fishing (with permission from the authorities, of course) and watch the local birds.

Parks Canada

In Canada, the only country in the world, there are still territories untouched by humans. Many tourists come to this country specifically to visit national parks. In Canada, parks are protected at the government level. Federal agencies monitor the ecological integrity of the territories, maintaining order in 36 parks, reserves and historical sites.

Wood Buffalo

Canada's largest national park is Wood Buffalo. It is located in the northwest, between Lakes Athabasca and Great Slave. Its territory is more than 4.5 million hectares. Here are mixed and coniferous forests, swamps and wastelands. This park is home to reindeer, wood bison, elk, wolf, short-eared hare, black bear and more than 200 species of birds, including the snow bunting, American nutcracker, Canada juck, spruce grouse, rare whooping crane and many others.

Kluain

Another park in the north-west of the country is called Kluein. It borders the state of Alaska and, together with Wrangell-St. Elias State Park, constitutes one of the largest areas of human conservation in the world. There are coniferous forests, swamps, tundras, mountain meadows, and a large glacial massif. The forests contain aspen and balsam poplar, Sitka and black spruce, willow - the flora includes more than 1,300 plants. The park is home to wolves, bighorn sheep, more than 100 species of birds (snowy owl, ptarmigan, peregrine falcon, golden eagle), as well as the world's largest population of grizzly bears, there are more than 600 of them.

Nahani

Nahani National Park covers an area of 480 thousand hectares. These are northern taiga forests, mountain tundras and swamps on the slopes of the Mackenzie Mountains. The pine forests found in the mountains give way to taiga with larch and poplar. There are about 600 plant species in the park.

In "Nakhani" live snow goats, moose, caribou, white-horned deer, black bears, wolves, grizzly bears. The park is also famous for its waterfalls and hot springs. For example, Virginia Falls reaches a height of 100 meters, and in the Ridge Range area there are sintered limestone terraces 30 meters high.

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Banff

One more thing worth mentioning national park- "Banff". This is the first national park Canada, created in 1885. Its territory is more than 600 thousand hectares. With Jasper, Yoho and Kootenay parks it creates a single protected area.

Here you can see mountain forests of fir, larch, pine, hemlock, maple, birch and poplar. The park is home to moose, bighorn sheep, bighorn goats, grizzly bears, wolves, Canada lynx, cougars, as well as almost 200 species of birds - junco bunting, Canada jay, American nutcracker and woodpecker, stonewall duck, collared grouse and many others.

Rivers of Canada

Canada's deep rivers cover the entire country in a dense network. Of the most important, which play a significant role in the economy of the state, we can highlight Columbia, Mackenzie, Niagara and the St. Lawrence River. The last two are important transport arteries for the country and its neighboring United States; thanks to the “holy” river, the Canadian territory in the south of Quebec and Ontario was populated. The Mackenzie is the longest river in the north of the continent, 4.5 thousand kilometers long, it flows into the Beaufort Sea in the north of the Northwest Territories.

Almost all rivers are covered with ice in cold period and form a giant skating rink for 5-9 months.

The Government of Canada is closely monitoring the situation local rivers And environment, the country has had a national program for their protection since 1984, which includes 30 items. For local residents and tourists of the river - favorite place recreation: you can fish, go boating, travel and explore the nature of the country.

Also among the largest rivers in the country are the Nelson, Churchill, St. John, and Capilano.

Hunting in Canada

To become a hunter in Canada, you must take a course at any hunting or sporting goods store, pass a written test, and learn gun handling skills. If you are not involved in crime in the past, you will receive a license and the right to purchase weapons in any quantity.

In Canada, there are special laws that determine at what time of the year in what zone you can hunt this or that animal and bird. You can track the rules using the hunter's annual newsletter. For example, you can hunt a bear in any region. The exception is if the female has one or two cubs - then she cannot be killed.

To obtain a hunting permit, you must pay a fee; its amount also depends on the type of animal. For example, hunting a bear - 20 CAD, hunting a deer - 30 CAD, a license to shoot a bird will be cheaper - up to 15 CAD.

Low prices contribute to the fact that there are practically no poachers in Canada. It is easier for a hunter to pay a little money for a license than to take risks. In addition, the local Ministry of Nature Conservation and Environmental Protection is considered one of the strongest legal structures. The intruder is waiting severe punishment, up to and including imprisonment.

You can purchase weapons in hunting or sporting stores if you have a license to carry a weapon. If you have no problems with the law, then the purchase will take a few minutes. The country has restrictions on automatic weapons, barrel length, country of manufacture and some models.

As for hunting with dogs, it is only allowed for game birds. In some provinces, dogs can be taken when tracking cougars.
Hunting in Canada from a vehicle is strictly prohibited!

Mountains of Canada

The Indians who lived in Canada compared the local mountains to a wave of stone that covers the horizon. In this country, the mountains stretch for almost 5 thousand kilometers and are perhaps the wildest place on our planet. Here you can easily find corners of virgin nature.

The Canadian Mountains are made up of two complex systems: the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians. The former are located in the west, the latter in the east of the country. The Colorado, Snake, Missouri, and Rio Grande rivers begin in the Rocky Mountains, which continue throughout the United States. They are covered with forests and consist of shale and limestone. The following national parks are located here: Waterton Lakes, Jasper, Banff, Yoho, Kootenay.

The Appalachians are lower than their rocky counterparts and represent a hilly plateau with individual mountain ranges overgrown with broad-leaved, coniferous and mixed forests.

Most high mountain in Canada is Logan. It is located in the Kluane National Park in the mountain range romantically named St Elias Range. Its height is 5959 meters. The mountain is named after Sir William Logan, explorer, geologist, and founder of the Geological Survey of Canada. The Hubbard Glacier forms on the slopes of Logan and flows into the Gulf of Alaska.

The Canadian mountains are very popular among ski lovers. Here are such famous resorts as Whistler, Big White, Banff, Lake Louise. The Rocky Mountains in southwestern Alberta and southeastern British Columbia are best suited for this sport.

Each park has a settlement equipped with the necessary tourist infrastructure: there are hotels, campsites, shops and even museums and theaters.

Forests of Canada

Canada is compared to Russia in terms of the number of forests - 50 percent of the country's territory is covered with green space. Most often here you can find deciduous fox, pine forests, oak forests, maple and birch groves.

The taiga has occupied most of the space and stretches across Canada. Black and white spruce and American larch grow here. The elegant white spruce, 35 meters high, is often used as a decoration for holidays. Black spruce grows in rocky and swampy areas, and American larch chooses areas with moisture.

Mixed forests grow in the southwest of the country. These are oaks, maples, conifers, lindens, ash trees, and sometimes exotic tulip and ironwood. Maples are the pride of Canada. It's no coincidence maple leaf depicted on the country's flag. In autumn they are especially beautiful and delight with a variety of colors.

In western Canada, coniferous forests are most common, and on the coast - tall coastal forest. The trees here are tall, sometimes reaching 60-70 meters. Some specimens grow for 800 years.

Forest is a strategically important sector of Canada's economy, its oldest industry. This country is one of the largest exporters newsprint. Most of the lumber is supplied to the neighboring United States.

The most commonly used best forests countries. These include the forests of British Columbia, mixed forests Atlantic provinces, some areas of the southern taiga in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario.

Almost 90 percent of Canada's forest area is publicly owned. Private companies usually lease plots of land for up to 50 years and try to hit the big jackpot as quickly as possible. Due to improper use of natural resources, the forest zone does not have time to recover. Therefore, the government spends significant funds to maintain forests in the country and prevent them from depleting.

Most of Canada is a rolling plain, bounded to the east and west by mountain peaks along the coast of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. In the west of the country along the Pacific coast stretches mountainous country Cordillera (width mountain belt about 600 km). The Canadian Cordillera begins with a series of mountain ranges on the border with Alaska (Ogilvie Range, Mackenzie, Pelly, Cassiar), reaching an altitude of 2000–2700 m. From the Layard River basin, the Rocky Mountains go south, which are divided by river valleys into two meridionally located ridge; their western slopes are covered with coniferous forests, their eastern slopes are bare and rocky; individual peaks exceed 4000 m in height. The western ridge is called in the northern part of Mount Caribou; to the south it is divided into separate branches (Golden Mountains, Selkirk and Purcell). West of the Rocky Mountains lies the volcanic plateau of the Fraser and Columbia Rivers. The Pacific Coast Mountains also consist of two meridionally running ridges, separated by a longitudinal valley, in the southern part flooded by the sea. The highest sections of the western mountain belt in the south are the coastal islands of Vancouver, Queen Charlotte, etc., and in the north, on the border with Alaska, they end in the wide massifs of the St. Elias and Logan mountains (5959 m, the highest point in Canada), covered with powerful glaciers , going down to the sea.
Along the Atlantic coast there are low mountain ranges that continue the Appalachian Mountains of the United States. These include the hills east of Quebec, the Notre Dame Mountains on the right bank of the river. St. Lawrence, the Shikshok massif in the north of the Gaspé Peninsula, the Kibkid Mountains, running in a latitudinal direction from the northeastern corner of the Bay of Fundy, and the heights of New Brunswick, cut through the valley of the Saint John River. The height of these mountains does not exceed 700 m. The surface of Newfoundland Island is elevated (height up to 805 m).
North of the St. River Lawrence and Lake Superior, the vast region of the Canadian Shield extends to the shores of the Arctic Ocean - a low country composed of hard crystalline rocks (granites, gneisses and schists). Its modern surface bears clear traces of geologically recent glaciation - curly rocks processed by ice (“ram’s foreheads”), numerous lakes, fast rapids rivers, and a thin soil layer. The Labrador Peninsula is characterized by bare rocky hills and cliffs. Along the southern and western coasts of Hudson Bay, the elevation does not exceed 200 m; to the east and closer to Lake Superior, the terrain rises, but not higher than 500 m, and only in the eastern part of Labrador do the Torngat Mountains rise. A strip of lowland stretches along the northern coast of Canada, extending far into the continent along the Mackenzie River. To the west of the Canadian Shield to the meridional belt of the Rocky Mountains there is a plain, wide in the south and tapering towards the Mackenzie River basin. Towards the mountains, it rises in a series of steps: on the first of them (height 200–400 m) lie lakes Manitoba, Winnipeg, Winnipegosis, the height of the second is 400–700 m, the third is formed by the Coto de Missouri plateau (height up to 1000 m.). Near the southern border of Canada lie the flat-topped Wooded and Cypress Mountains, 1000–1100 m high.

Soils

In Canada, the most common soils are podzolic soils, which are usually infertile. They predominate in the tundra and the vast zone located to the south coniferous forests. In areas where there is less precipitation, and it occurs mainly in the summer, highly fertile black soils are formed, which are extremely suitable for agriculture (the Winnipeg-Edmonton-Calgary triangle). Coniferous forests give way to vast prairies. Where there is less than 330–360 mm of precipitation per year, chestnut soils are formed, which are widely used in agriculture. High yields here can be obtained in wet years and with the help of irrigation. To the south, grayish soils are common, characteristic of arid regions.

Water resources of Canada: lakes, oceans, rivers

Most of Canada's rivers belong to the Atlantic and Arctic oceans; significantly fewer rivers flow into the Pacific Ocean. The most significant river is the navigable river St. Lawrence with numerous tributaries (Ottawa, Saguiney, Saint-Maurice, Manicouagan, etc.). It connects the Great Lakes basin to the Atlantic Ocean. The Saskatchewan River flows into Lake Winnipeg, from where the river flows. Nelson, flowing into Hudson Bay. The Churchill River also flows there. The Athabasca and Peace Rivers merge into the Slave River, which is a tributary of Great Slave Lake. From it flows the mighty Mackenzie River, which flows into the Northern Arctic Ocean. Its basin extends far into the Rocky Mountains. The Fraser River, as well as the Yukon and Columbia rivers partially passing through Canada, flow into the Pacific Ocean.
Canada is one of the richest countries in the world with lakes. On the border with the United States are the Great Lakes (Superior, Huron, Erie, Ontario), connected by small rivers into a huge basin with an area of more than 240 thousand square meters. km. Less significant lakes lie on the territory of the Canadian Shield (Great Bear, Great Slave, Athabasca, Winnipeg, Winnipegosis), etc. Among the powerful waterfalls is the famous Niagara on the border with the United States.

Canadian Climate: Temperature. Winter

Due to the large latitudinal extent and topography, Canada's climate is extremely diverse. A number of climatic regions can be distinguished, from cold in the north to mild-temperate on the Pacific coast. The main feature of the climate is its continentality, sharp transitions between extreme types of weather: hot summer and cold winter. The cold zone contains the Polar Archipelago, the large northern part of the Mackenzie River basin, and the northern half of the Labrador Peninsula. Annual temperatures cold zone– 5–10°, the ground is covered with snow most of the year and freezes to great depths. Summers are short and cold, precipitation (mostly in solid form) is insignificant. To the south, in the area of the middle reaches of the Mackenzie, the climate becomes somewhat less severe; precipitation approx. 400–500 mm. per year. In southern Canada, average winter and summer temperatures are increasing, but daily temperature ranges reach 20–25 degrees.
The climate of the Great Lakes and St. Laurentia is moderately warm; winters are characterized by abundant precipitation and frequent snow storms. Precipitation increases towards the Atlantic Ocean. On the Atlantic coast, winters are milder, but summers are cool; fogs are frequent. The Pacific coast has mild, rainy winters and cool summers. The area near Vancouver is the only one where temperatures remain above 0° in January. There is a lot of precipitation on the Pacific coast - 1500–2000 mm per year, and on Vancouver Island - St. 5000).
On the plateau between the Rocky Mountains in the east and the Coast Mountains in the west, the climate is sharply continental - harsh winter gives way to hot summers, the amount of precipitation is insignificant. The strip between Lake Winnipeg, Edmonton and the Rockies receives approx. 380 mm of precipitation per year. In the upper reaches of the Yukon, winters have the most low temperatures throughout North America (minus 60°).

Flora of Canada. Forests

The polar islands are located in a zone whose surface is covered with snow and glaciers that do not melt even in the short summer. Baffin Island and other islands off the northern coast of Canada are covered with tundra, which occupies the entire northern mainland of Canada, extending far to the south along the western coast of Hudson Bay and the Labrador Peninsula. Heathers, sedges, shrubby birch and willow grow here. South of the tundra between the Quiet and Atlantic Oceans there is a wide strip of forests. Coniferous forests predominate; the main species are black spruce in the east and white spruce in the west (in the Mackenzie River valley), pine, larch, thuja, etc. Less common deciduous forests consist of poplar, alder, birch and willow. The forests in the Great Lakes region are especially diverse (American elm, Weymouth pine, Canadian tsuga, oak, chestnut, beech). On the Pacific coast, coniferous forests of Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, Alaskan and red cedar are common); Arbutus and Oregon oak are found near Vancouver. In the coastal Atlantic provinces there are Acadian forests with balsam fir, black and red spruce; also cedar, American larch, yellow birch, beech.
South of the forest belt west of Lake Winnipeg to the foot of the Rocky Mountains is a prairie steppe zone, mostly plowed under wheat fields. Among the wild ones are wheatgrass, bromegrass, buteloua, keleria and feather grass.

Animal world

The tundra zone is home to reindeer, polar hare, lemming, arctic fox and the original musk ox. South fauna more diverse - forest caribou, red wapiti deer, elk, in mountainous areas - bighorn sheep and bighorn goats. Rodents are quite numerous: the Canadian chikari squirrel, chipmunk, American flying squirrel, beaver, jumper from the jerboa family, muskrat, porcupine, meadow and American hare, pika. Among the cat predators for Canada are the Canadian lynx and the puma. There are wolves, foxes, gray bears - grizzlies, and raccoons. Mustelidae include sable, pecan, otter, wolverine, etc. There are many nesting migratory birds and game birds. The fauna of reptiles and amphibians is not rich. There are a lot of fish in freshwater waters.

Canada is located in the north of North America, because the climate there is quite harsh. In winter, temperatures in some regions can drop to −45 °C, and snow accumulates in snowdrifts up to 3 meters high and higher. Only the coast of British Columbia has a mild climate, temperate in winter, and hot and humid in summer.

Such climate features have shaped northern in terms of the composition and number of species, the nature of Canada, whose remarkable feature is the preservation of the original, pre-technological biodiversity.

Flora of Canada

Canada's vegetation is mainly a world of tundra and taiga. In the tundra, which stretches across the north of the country (except for the areas of snowy white deserts on the polar islands) and penetrating south along the western coast of the Hudson, dwarf birches and willows grow, the clearings are sown with lupins, daisies and buttercups, primrose and cereals, and heather. Large and very healthy northern cranberries are scattered throughout the wetlands.

The Canadian taiga, stretching from northwest to east for 4 thousand kilometers, mainly consists of black spruce and aspen in the east and white spruce, pines, larches, and thujas in the west. There are also forests of common spruce (Yukon, western Canada), oak groves, maples, white birches, cedar, larches, and rowan trees.

The Great Lakes region is dominated by mixed forests with maples, birches, beeches, Weymouth pine, chestnuts, fir, spruce, aspen, magnolia, hickory, forest nyssa, and Canadian tsugami.

In the southwest of the taiga grow different types poplars, in the east, in areas of high humidity - sugar maple, tsuga, oaks. Prince Island is home to picturesque forests of red spruce, beech, maple and yellow birch.

The Pacific coast is inhabited by Douglas and Sitka firs, red and Alaskan cedar. In the Vancouver area there are strawberry trees and Oregon oaks. The Atlantic provinces are home to Acadian forests of balsam fir, red and black spruce, American larch, cedar, beech and yellow birch.

Wildlife of Canada

The Canadian tundra is home to reindeer, lemmings, arctic hares, arctic foxes, musk oxen. Musk oxen are also able to live in Arctic regions, withstanding severe frosts and winds under the protection of thick dark wool.

As you move south, the number of animals increases; in the forests you can find forest caribou, elk, and wapiti red deer. The mountains are home to bighorn goats and bighorn sheep.

Canada's forests are extremely populated by rodents. Everywhere - Canadian chikari squirrels, beavers, American flying squirrels, jerboas, spiny porcupines, muskrats, American and meadow hares, pikas.

The Canadian world of predators is also representative, in which there are cougars and Canadian lynxes, gray grizzly bears, wolves, foxes, raccoons, coyotes, gray wild cats(considered endemic animals), sables, otters, pecans, wolverines.

In addition to grizzly bears - the most aggressive and dangerous among bears, in Canada you can find smaller ones brown bears(Pacific coast), black bears and even white bears, which are tirelessly protected by the state due to their small numbers.

Wildlife is so well protected by the state and the residents themselves that it is gradually penetrating into cities. In many areas of Canada, it is common to see wild rabbits running around city lawns and parks, excellently replacing cats in urban areas.

As a northern and maritime country, Canada is famous for its bird diversity - 451 species of birds live there. There are especially many beautiful loons, great blue herons, and wild Canada geese on its territory.

Colonies of Atlantic petrels (“sea parrots”) nest on the islands, and northern cormorants nest on the cliffs of the East Coast. The decoration of Canada's nature is golden eagles, ruby hummingbirds, and Canada geese. Tundra and white partridges and snowy owls live or nest in the Arctic.

Canada is called the “Klondike” for fishermen. Thousands of lakes and rivers are filled with fish - pike, perch, trout, carp. There are a lot of largemouth bass, lake trout growing up to 20 kilograms, and freshwater muskellunge in the reservoirs.