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.