Transcript
Landform Regions of Canada
The movement of the earth’s plates, and the resulting folding, faulting, and volcanic activity, have combined with the forces of erosion and weathering to create a
variety of landscapes that affect the way we live.
A Landform Region is an area of the Earth with a unique set of
physical features.
Canada can be Divided into 8 Landform
Regions: 1.Western Cordillera 2.Interior Plains 3.Canadian Shield4.Great Lakes-St.Lawrence
Lowlands5.Appalachian6.Hudson Bay Lowlands 7.Arctic Lowlands 8.Innuitian Mountains
Landform Regions of Canada
Western Cordillera• Physical Features:
– high mountains running north to south
• Plants/ Animals:– Lichens and shrubs higher up– coniferous forest and grasslands
lower down– deer, elk, bears lower down.
• Resources:– Lightly populated, travel is difficult– Lots of minerals, timber, and
sources of hydro electricity
Landform Regions of Canada
Interior Plains• Physical Features:
– Very flat, with deep, fertile soil– Cold winters, hot summers
• Plants:– South -mostly treeless, with
grasses– North - trees called the boreal
forest• Resources:
– Farming wheat and cattle– Known as Canada’s “Bread
Basket”– Rock has rich mineral, coal, oil
and gas deposits
Landform Regions of Canada
Canadian Shield• Physical Features:
– Mostly flat with rounded hills and small lakes
• Plants / Animals:– South - forest – North - tundra (mainly no trees,
short summer, cold) – Moose, caribou, otters, beaver,
bears – Resources:– Sparsely populated, not good for
farming - the soil is too thin– Minerals such as lead, gold,
nickel, copper and zinc– Ideal for recreation due to
waterfalls, lakes, and forests
Landform Regions of Canada
Great Lakes-St.Lawrence Lowlands
• Physical Description:– flat plains with small hills and
deep river valleys– The great lakes are located
in basins gouged out by the glaciers
• Plants:– Before heavy farming and
cities this area was forests • Resources:
– 50% of Canada’s population and 70% of manufacturing industries is here
– Good for farming - excellent soils and warm climate
Landform Regions of Canada
Appalachian Mountains• Physical Description:
– Rolling mountains and hills
• Plants/ Animals:– Large, deciduous trees. – Squirrels, rabbits and deer– Resources:– Long ocean bays provide deep
harbours for ocean freighters– Coal, iron and zinc
Landform Regions of Canada
Hudson Bay Lowlands• Physical Features:
– Flat low area with bogs, ponds, lakes and streams
• Plants / Animals:– Wetlands– Polar bears– Caribou migrate to the
area in summer– In summer -snow
geese, Canada geese and swans
• Resources:– Oil, natural gas
Landform Regions of Canada
Arctic Lowlands• Physical Description:
– Low-lying, barren islands with coastlines ranging from lowlands to cliffs.
– Summer is short - cold and frozen in the winter
– Dark all day in the winter and light all day in the summer
• Plants:– Sparsely vegetated (very few
plants) • Resources:
– Mostly permafrost so construction is difficult and farming impossible
Landform Regions of Canada
Innuitian Mountains• Physical Description:
– Very high mountains– Plants:– The mountains are too
high for plants to grow
• Resources:– Largely unexplored, due
to the hostile climate.
top related