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Administrative division of Canada
Also known as Province de Terre-Neuve
Population: 568,474 (1991)
Total area: 405,720 square kilometres (156,649 square miles)
Newfoundland, one of the four Atlantic provinces of Canada, consisting of the island of Newfoundland and, on the mainland, a coastal portion of the Labrador region. The island of Newfoundland (108,860 sq km/42,031 sq mi) is situated off the eastern coast of North America between the Gulf of St Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean. The Labrador portion (296,860 sq km/114,618 sq mi) is separated from the island by the Strait of Belle Isle; it is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and on the south and west by Quebec.
Newfoundland
became part of Canada on March 31, 1949, as the tenth province. Until the
early 20th century, Newfoundland's economy was based almost completely
on fishing. By the early 1990s, although the manufacturing and service
sectors had expanded, the provincial economy was dominated by mining. The
name Newfoundland appears in British records as early as 1502 and originally
was applied to all newly discovered areas in the North Atlantic.
Land and Resources
Newfoundland,
with a total area of 405,720 sq km (156,649 sq mi), is the seventh largest
province in Canada; less than 1 per cent of the land is owned by the federal
government. The extreme dimensions of the island are 523 km (325 mi) from
north to south and 515 km (320 mi) from east to west; extreme dimensions
of the Labrador region are 1,046 km (650 mi) from north to south and 724
km (450 mi) from east to west. Elevations range from sea level to 1,622
m (5,322 ft) atop Mount Caubric (known as Mont D'Iberville in Quebec) in
the Torngat Mountains in northern Labrador. The deeply indented shoreline
totals 13,676 km (8,498 mi) for the island and 15,286 km (9,498 mi) for
Labrador.
Physical Geography
The island of Newfoundland forms the northern extremity of the Appalachian geological province of eastern North America. The island's four physiographic regions display a marked south-western to north-eastern alignment. The south-eastern part of the island belongs to the Atlantic Uplands region and is underlain by ancient erosion-resistant rocks. To the north is the Central Lowland, a region that has formed in the softer sedimentary rocks. To the west lies the Newfoundland Highlands, a region that comprises the Long Range Mountains. The flat summits of these mountains have an average elevation of about 600 m (1,970 ft). A narrow coastal plain on the western shore of the island is part of the St Lawrence Lowland region.
The Labrador
portion of Newfoundland lies entirely within the Canadian Shield. This
is a region of ancient erosion-resistant rocks. The interior is an uneven
plateau with elevations averaging about 305 m (1,000 ft). Elevations are
higher along the coast, rising to 1,622 m (5,322 ft) in the Torngat Mountains
of the extreme north. To the south-east of the island is a shallow area
of the Atlantic Ocean known as the Grand Banks, one of the world's richest
fishing grounds.
The longest
river is the Churchill in Labrador; with its tributaries it drains much
of the Labrador Plateau. At Churchill Falls, the river drops some 75 m
(245 ft); a large hydroelectric power project has appreciably diminished
the flow over the falls. The major rivers draining the island are the Exploits,
Gander, and Humber. The province's largest lake is the huge Smallwood Reservoir
formed on the Churchill River.
Climate
The climate
of Newfoundland varies greatly. In the interior of Labrador, the climate
is continental with very cold winters and brief, warm summers. In the eastern
part of the island of Newfoundland, the climate is moderated by marine
influences, and winters are much milder and summers are warmer and longer.
The average temperature ranges from about -1.1° C (30° F) in southern
Labrador to about 5° C (41° F) in south-eastern Newfoundland Island.
The annual average precipitation ranges from 432 mm (17 in) in northern
Labrador to 1,524 mm (60 in) in the southern part of the island.
Plants and Animals
About 60 per cent of Newfoundland is forested, although only about one-half the forest is of commercial value. The province lies in the boreal forest zone, or taiga, and the dominant trees are conifers, primarily black spruce and balsam fir. In Labrador the tree line extends along the coast; north of this line lies subarctic tundra.
Wildlife
is diverse, and large mammals are plentiful. Caribou, moose, and black
bear are common in all areas, and polar bears are found in the north. Among
the many small animals are muskrat, beaver, red fox, lynx, otter, and hare.
Porcupine, wolf, and squirrel are also found in the Labrador region. Sea
fowl nest in great numbers on some of the province's headlands and nearshore
islands; the most common are murre, gannet, and kittiwake. Salmon, lobster,
crab, squid, herring, mackerel, and capelin are numerous in most of the
bays of Newfoundland. Cod, halibut, flounder, redfish, and turbot are plentiful
in the Grand Banks and some coastal waters.
Products and Industries
Because of the nearness of the Grand Banks, one of the world's richest fishing grounds, Newfoundland's economy has historically been dominated by the fishing industry. Since the end of the 19th century, however, the forestry industry and, later, the mining industry have grown in importance. Today minerals are by far the most valuable commodity produced in the province. Huge iron-ore deposits are found in western Labrador and at Bell Island in Conception Bay, accounting for more than 90 per cent of the value of the province's mineral output. Other minerals include copper, lead, and zinc, as well as asbestos, gypsum, flourite, and talc. Uranium is found in eastern Labrador. Oil has been discovered off the coast of Labrador.
Less than 1 per cent of the province's land is classified as farmland. Leading crops include vegetables, greenhouse products, berries, and potatoes. Principal agricultural products are livestock, dairy, and poultry products. The province supplies the major portion of its lumber needs. The province's large forest resources are used mainly in the production of newsprint. Cod is the traditional staple of the fishing economy. Shrimp, lobster, crab, turdot, flounder, and sole are much smaller catches.
The most
important industries are those that manufacture fish products and pulp
and paper products. Chemical and non-metallic minerals industries are also
significant.
Population
According
to the 1991 census, Newfoundland had 568,474 inhabitants, virtually the
same as in 1986. The overall population density in 1991 was about 1.4 per
sq km (3.6 per sq mi). The entire area of Labrador had less than 1 person
for every 2.6 sq km (less than 1 per sq mi). English was the first language
of more than 98 per cent of the population; less than 1 per cent had French
as their only mother tongue. About 4,700 Native Americans, 4,100 Inuit,
and 1,400 Métis lived in the province in the late 1980s.
Education and Cultural Institutions
The province's first school was established at Bonavista in 1726, and the present public education system dates from 1874. Historically, education in Newfoundland has been under church administration, and today most schools are denominational, although publicly supported. In the early 1990s Newfoundland had 507 elementary and secondary schools, with a combined annual enrolment of 123,000 pupils. Newfoundland's only university is Memorial University of Newfoundland, in St John's; founded in 1925, it has about 13,000 students. The province also has 12 community colleges with a combined enrolment of more than 4,000 students.
Most of
the province's cultural institutions are located in St John's. Among the
most important of these are the Newfoundland Museum, which contains historical
exhibits and artefacts of Beothuk people, the original inhabitants of the
area, and the Memorial University Art Gallery. The Newfoundland Symphony
Orchestra is based in St John's.
Places of Interest
Newfoundland
has several landmarks commemorating early inhabitants. Port au Choix contains
a Native American burial ground approximately 4,000 years old, and L'Anse-aux-Meadows
is the site of a Viking village from about AD 1000. Cabot Tower, erected
in 1897 to commemorate the first voyage of John Cabot to the region in
1497, stands in the Signal Hill National Historic Site at the entrance
to St John's Harbour.
Sports and Recreation
Trout and
salmon fishing in Newfoundland are excellent, and hunting is also popular.
Government and Politics
Newfoundland
has a parliamentary form of government. The formal head of Newfoundland
is the lieutenant-governor, who is appointed by the Canadian governor-general
in council for five years and who represents the Crown. The actual chief
executive is the premier, usually the leader of the majority party in the
provincial assembly. Newfoundland has a unicameral legislature called the
house of Assembly. This body has 52 members who are elected for a maximum
term of five years. Newfoundland is represented in the Canadian Parliament
by six senators appointed for life by the federal government, and seven
elected members of the house of Commons.
History
It is likely that indigenous peoples lived in Newfoundland and Labrador thousands of years before the arrival of the Europeans. Norse explorers first discovered the area about AD 1000. (Remains of a settlement at L'Anse-aux-Meadows were uncovered in 1963.) The area was visited in 1497 by the Italian-born explorer John Cabot, sailing under the English flag, and by the Portuguese navigator Gaspar Corte-Real in 1500. The French explorer Jacques Cartier visited the island in 1534.
Following Cabot's landfall, England made no attempt at colonization, but during the 16th century the coastal waters of the island attracted increasing numbers of French, English, and Spanish fishing boats. In 1583 Sir Humphrey Gilbert took formal possession of Newfoundland in the name of England. A colony, which became St John's, was established in 1610 on the Avalon Peninsula. During the 17th century France also acquired a foothold on the island, establishing a base of operations on the shores of Placentia Bay. French forces sacked and burned most of the English settlements on the island at one time or another and for a while seemed to have the upper hand.
In 1713, however, British sovereignty over Newfoundland was recognized by the Peace of Utrecht. France retained only the islands of St Pierre and Miquelon, off the south coast, and cod fisheries on the west coast. Labrador became a British possession in 1763 under the terms of the Treaty of Paris, but was transferred to Quebec in 1774. It became part of Newfoundland in 1809, but the boundary with Quebec remained a matter of dispute until it was settled in 1927. Colonization of Labrador was not undertaken until the 19th century.
The population of Newfoundland increased considerably during the 19th century as labourers from various parts of the British Isles were brought to work in the fisheries. With this influx of settlers and the growth of towns, the people of Newfoundland began to resent the colonization restrictions of the British government, directed at keeping the island merely a fishing station. This situation led to a demand for self-government. In 1832 Great Britain granted Newfoundland the right of representative government, and in 1855 complete self-government, or responsible government, was established, including a legislature of two houses, a cabinet, and a governor. Exploitation of the abundant mineral resources began in 1864.
The financial condition of Newfoundland was continually precarious, and the adverse effects of the Great Depression of the 1930s resulted in virtual bankruptcy. In 1934 the British Parliament suspended self-government, and executive authority was vested in the governor, three Newfoundlanders, and three British commissioners, all subject to parliamentary control. The commission worked to develop agriculture, employment opportunities, and the educational and social welfare facilities of Newfoundland. As a result, economic conditions improved considerably. In 1941 the island became one of the eight British possessions in the western hemisphere on which sites for air bases were leased to the United States. The presence of American soldiers and the construction of US air bases gave an additional boost to the economic recovery of the island.
On July
22, 1948, Newfoundland chose to unite itself with Canada by a vote of 78,323
to 71,334. On March 31, 1949, Newfoundland became the tenth Canadian province.
The Liberal party, under Premier Joseph R. Smallwood, held power in the
province for 23 years. In 1972 the Liberal party lost control, and a new
government under Premier Frank Duff Moores was formed by the Progressive
Conservative party, the first such administration in the history of the
province.
The Smallwood
regime had embarked on numerous projects intended to spur the growth of
modern industry in Newfoundland. One of the more successful was the hydroelectric
power development at Churchill Falls, Labrador, which began operating in
1971. By the mid-1970s the project was generating about 78 per cent of
the hydroelectricity produced in the province. Most of the power from the
Churchill Falls project was exported from Newfoundland under an agreement
with Hydro Quebec.
Despite a degree of economic growth, Newfoundland continues to depend heavily on the government in Ottawa for subsidies. In the 1970s and 1980s many Newfoundlanders migrated to other parts of Canada. The Moores government was more conservative in economic matters than its predecessor, concerning itself with the preservation of the province's fishing industry and other natural resources. When Moores resigned, in 1979, he was succeeded by A. Brian Peckford, another Progressive Conservative, who later that year won his own mandate; he was re-elected in 1983 and 1985. Continued economic troubles in Newfoundland bred discontent, however, and in the 1989 election a new Liberal leader, Clyde K. Wells, became premier, ending Conservative rule in the province.