PRESENTS
Newfoundland and Labrador
Quick Fact Sheet
Newfoundland Coat of Arms
Newfoundland Flag
| Capital City: | St. John's |
| Date Entered Confederation: | March 31, 1949 |
| Area: | 405,720 Sq Km Newfoundland (island section): 111,390 sq km Labrador (mainland section): 294,330 sq km Nunatsiavut: see below |
| Population: | Click Here for Population Page |
| Motto: | Seek Ye First The Kingdom Of God |
| Known As: | The Rock |
| Provincial Flower: | Pitcher Plant |
| Provincial Bird: | Atlantic Puffin |
| Provincial Animal: | Caribou (unofficial) |
| Provincial Tree: | Black Spruce |
| Lieutenant Governor: | Hon. John Crosbie |
| Premier: | Hon. Kathy Dunderdale |
| Political Party: | Conservative |
| Main Products: | Agricultural: Blueberries, potatoes, turnips, cabbage, eggs, dairy and beef cattle, pigs, chickens. Manufactured: Fresh and salted fish, lobster, shell fish, pulp and paper, particleboard, lumber, food and beverages, boats, doors and windows, handcrafts. Mined: Iron, asbestos, zinc, limestone, gypsum, clay, shale, natural gas, petroleum. |
Nestled into the northeast corner of North America, facing the North Atlantic, is Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada's most easterly province. Lying between the 46th and 61st parallels, the province consists of two distinct geographical entities: Newfoundland and Labrador.
The island of Newfoundland, which forms the southern and eastern portion of the province, is a large triangular-shape area of some 112,000 km˛. Located at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River, the island is about halfway between the centre of North America and the coast of western Europe.
The island of Newfoundland is separated from the Canadian mainland by the Strait of Belle Isle in the north and by the wider Cabot Strait in the south. The mainland, Labrador, is bordered by northeastern Quebec. Approximately two and a half times as large as the island, Labrador remains a vast, pristine wilderness, where the northern lights, or aurora borealis, flicker over the largest caribou herd in the world.
The province's coastline, stretching over more than 17,000 km, is varied and scenic with its bold headlands, deep fiords and countless small coves and offshore islands. The interiors of both Labrador and Newfoundland have a rolling, rugged topography, deeply etched by glacial activity and broken by lakes and swift-flowing rivers. Much of the island and southern and central Labrador is covered by a thick boreal forest of black spruce and balsam fir mixed with birch, tamarack and balsam poplar. Northern Labrador is largely devoid of forest and is marked by the spectacular Torngat Mountains, which rise abruptly from the sea to heights of up to 1,676 m.
Newfoundland's climate can best be described as moderate and maritime. The island enjoys winters that are sometimes surprisingly mild by Canadian standards, though with a high rate of precipitation. Labrador, by comparison, has the cold winters and brief summers characteristic of the Canadian mid-North.
(Text courtesy Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade)
Nunatsiavut
A land claims agreement to create Nunatsiavut - a vast area in Labrador that will be self-governed by Inuit - was formally signed on January 21, 2005.The Agreement provides for the establishment of the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area (LISA) totaling about 72,500 square kilometres (28,000 square miles) in northern Labrador and 48,690 square kilometres (18,800 square miles) of sea. Labrador Inuit will not own this land, but will have special rights related to traditional land use. Within the Settlement Area, Labrador Inuit will own 15,800 square kilometres (6,100 square miles) designated as Labrador Inuit Lands. The Agreement also provides for the establishment of the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve, consisting of about 9,600 square kilometres (3,700 square miles) of land within LISA.
The Inuit will have to hold their first election within two years after the treaty becomes law. An interim government has been selected for the meantime.
Click here to learn more about Nunatsiavut
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