World Geography Chapter 7 Review

How much of Canada's GDP comes from service industries? What are some of Canada's important service industries?

60% of GDP comes from service industries. Canada's important service industries include finance, utilities, trade, transportation, tourism, communications, insurance, and real estate.

Where do 75% of the French Canadians reside? What is the reason for reserves?

75% of the French Canadians reside in Quebec. Many of Canada's native peoples are found on the country's 2,300 reserves, or public land set aside for them by the government.

How was Canada settled? Who are the Inuit?

About A.D. 1000, Erik's son Leif led an expedition that landed off the Atlantic coast of North America on what is now Newfoundland. Leif called the area Vinland and the Vikings built a settlement there but later abandoned it. Migrants from Asia began moving into North America across an Arctic land bridge that connected the two continents. Some early peoples remained in what are now the Canadian Arctic and Alaska. These were the ancestors of the Inuit, or Eskimos.

What is the Dominion of Canada and why did the British government create it? Define confederation.

By the late 1830s, there were serious political and ethnic disputes in both Upper and Lower Canada. The British government decided that major reform was needed. In 1867, it passed the British North America Act creating the Dominion of Canada. The Dominion was to be a loose confederation, or political union, of Ontario (Upper Canada), Quebec (Lower Canada), and two British Colonies on the Atlantic coast which are Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The Dominion had self-government but remained part of the British Empire.

When did Canada gain independence from Britain? How is Canada's government similar to Britain's?

Canada gained independence from Britain in 1931. Like Great Britain, Canada has a parliamentary government, which is a system in which legislative and executive functions are combined in a legislature called a parliament. Although Canada is independent, its symbolic head of state remains the British monarch.

What are the official languages of Canada? What are the predominant religions of Canada?

Canada has a English-speaking majority and a French-speaking minority and Quebec is the only place where French speakers are in the majority. The English were largely Protestant, and the French were Roman Catholic. Today, these two religions continue to dominate Canadian society, through Muslims, Jews, and other religious groups are represented in ever-increasing numbers.

Define parliamentary system, parliament, and prime minister.

Canada has a parliamentary government, which is a system in which legislative and executive functions are combined in a legislature called a parliament. A parliament is a legislature that combines legislative and executive functions. The majority party's leader in Parliament becomes prime minister, or head of the government.

What are Canada's Core Provinces? What cultures are dominant there?

Canada's Core Provinces are Quebec and Ontario. Each province is the core of one of Canada's two major cultures. A large number of Canada's English-speaking majority live in Ontario. For most French-speaking Canadians, Quebec is home.

What are some of Canada's industries? Where is most manufacturing done?

Canada's primary industries are farming, logging, mining, and fishing. Most manufacturing is done in the Canadian heartland, which reaches from Quebec City, Quebec, to Windsor, Ontario.

When and why did European settlers come to Canada? Why was the French and Indian War fought?

During the 16th and 17th centuries, European settlers came to Canada because coastal fisheries and the inland fur trade were important. The French and Indian War was fought because the French and British challenged each other's territorial claims. Britain defeated France in the French and Indian War (1754-1763), forcing France to surrender its territory. But French settlers remained.

Name the Atlantic Provinces. What percent of Canada's population lives there? What factors have kept the population small in this subregion?

Eastern Canada is the location of the four Atlantic Provinces which are Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. 8% of Canada's population lives in the Atlantic Provinces. The factors that have kept the population small in this subregion are the rugged terrain and severe weather.

What is NAFTA? How has this agreement benefitted Canada?

In 1994, Canada, the United States, and Mexico signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This pact made trade between them easier than before. At the turn of the 21st century, about 85% of Canada's exports went to the United States, and about 75% of Canada's imports came from its neighbor to the south.

Who makes up the majority of Canada's workforce? Within which industry sector do most Canadians work?

In 1998, Canada's labor force was evenly split between men and women. Men made up about 55% of the workforce and women made up about 45% of the workforce. Most Canadians work in service industries and Canada's service industries employ more than 75% of the workforce. Manufacturing comes in second with 15% of Canadian workers.

Who are the metis?

Interaction between the French and native peoples gave rise to another culture, the metis, who are people who have a mixed French and native heritage.

Why are the Prairie Provinces considered diverse? Which province is home to the Metis?

Manitoba has large numbers of Socts-Irish, Germans, Scandinavians, Ukrainians, and Poles. The population of Saskatchewan includes immigrants from South and East Asia and is home to the metis. Alberta is perhaps the most diverse of all. In addition to European immigrants, this province also has a significant Indian, Japanese, Lebanese, and Vietnamese populations.

Near what natural landforms are the larger cities in these provinces located?

Most of the settlement in Quebec and Ontario is found along the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River.

Describe the geography of British Columbia. What are the two largest cities in this province? What industries are dominant there?

Nearly all of British Columbia lies within the Rocky Mountain range. As a result, three-fourths of the province is 3,000 feet or more above sea level. More than half of the land is densely forested, and nearly one-third is frozen tundra, snowfields, and glaciers. The two largest cities in British Columbia are Victoria and Vancouver. The economy is built on logging, mining, and hydroelectric-power production. Vancouver is Canada's largest port and has a prosperous shipping trade.

What industries are popular in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia?

New Brunswick's dense forests provide the province with its largest industry which is logging. This industry produces lumber, wood pulp, and paper products. Popular industries in Nova Scotia are logging, fishing, and shipbuilding.

Which part of the Northwest Territories became Nunavut? When was Nunavut created? How do the Inuit make their living in Nunavut?

Nunavut was carved out of the eastern half of the Northwest Territories in 1999. It is home to many of Canada's Inuit. Mining, fishing, and some logging are the principal industries, and these widely scattered activities explain why the settlement are so dispersed.

Which two cities did the 1st transcontinental railroad connect?

The 1st transcontinental railroad connected Montreal to Vancouver.

What Canadian provinces were once called "Upper Canada" and "Lower Canada"?

The Canadian province that was once called "Upper Canada" was Ontario, which is located near the Great Lakes. The Canadian province that was once called "Lower Canada" was Quebec, which is located along the St. Lawrence River.

Name the provinces & territories considered the Pacific Provinces & Territories?

The Pacific Provinces and Territories includes the province of British Columbia, Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.

Which are the Prairie Provinces? For what resources are these provinces known?

The Prairie Provinces are Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. These three provinces are the center of the nation's agricultural field. They account for 50% of Canada's agricultural production. A significant amount of Canada's mineral output comes from this region of the country. Alberta itself has the nation's largest known deposits of coal and oil and produces 90% of Canada's natural gas.

What factor was essential in the development of western Canada?

The factor that was essential in the development of western Canada was to have good transportation routes such as roads, canals, and railroads.

What were the First Nations? How did they help develop trade?

The fur trade was a major economic activity in early Canada. It began in the 16th century, when Canada's Native American peoples, now known as the First Nations, started trading with European fishermen along the northern Atlantic coast. A brisk trade soon developed, and trappers and traders poured into Canada.

Why are the territories not considered provinces?

The territories are not considered provinces because they are too sparsely populated to be provinces.

What two main factors defined the differences among Canadians by the end of the 18th century?

The two main factors that defined the differences among Canadians by the end of the 18th century were Roman Catholic French and Protestant English.