CANADA’S GEOGRAPHY
[1] With a total area of 3,849,670 square miles, Canada is the second largest country in the world. It is
slightly more than half the size of Russia. From east to west it is 3,200 miles across and has 6 time zones.
From north to south it stretches a distance of 12,800 miles. The large size of the country creates a variety
of natural characteristics across the nation.
[2] The east has mostly hills and the Appalachian Mountains. The highest peak rises only 4,160 feet above
sea level. There are also the Laurentian Mountains that are just above 3,500 feet in elevation. The west is
the highest and most rugged part of Canada. The region consists of the Rocky Mountains and the Coast
Mountains and the peaks reach elevations of more than 10,000 feet. Mount Logan, Canada's highest peak,
towers 19,524 feet above sea level in the Yukon Territory. The land between the Rockies and Appalachian
Mountains make up the largest area of flat land in Canada. In the southern part you find the prairies, most
of which are part of the Great Plains of North America. In the far north there are hundreds of islands, most
of them above the Arctic Circle. Ice permanently covers much of the northernmost islands and the
mountains reach elevations of more than 8,500 feet.
[3] Canada's many rivers and lakes have a combined area of more than 292,000 square miles. They are an
important resource for hydroelectric power, fish, and transportation. The Arctic is dominated by the
Mackenzie River. It is Canada’s longest river and has a length of 2,635 miles. Canada shares four of the
Great Lakes (Superior, Huron, Erie, and Ontario) with the United States. (The fifth, Lake Michigan, is entirely
within the United States.) Together with the St. Lawrence River, they are Canada's most important bodies
of water. With their canals, they form a transportation route that goes far inland and serves the most
populated part of the country.
[4] Most of Canada has a polar climate. This type of climate is mostly in the northern and central parts of
the country. Winters here are long and bitterly cold, with average January temperatures ranging from
negative 10° to negative 35° F. Summers are short and sometimes warm. July temperatures average
between 40° and 60° F. Precipitation is mainly snow. The Pacific coast has the mildest climate in Canada.
It is protected from the Arctic cold by high mountains and the mild ocean water. Summers are cool to
warm, with average July readings near 60° F. Winters are mild with average temperatures above freezing.
The region receives more than 100 inches a year in rainfall. A type of continental climate is located
throughout the prairies of southern Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, where winters are severe.
January temperatures average about 0° to 10° F. Summers are warm throughout the prairies, July
averaging near 70°. Precipitation is relatively dry and averages between 10 and 20 inches a year. The
southern parts of Ontario and Quebec have a humid continental type of climate. Winters are long and cold,
January averaging about 5° to 15° F. Summers are warm and somewhat longer. Precipitation is about 30 to
40 inches a year and snowfall is heavy.
[5] Most of Canada is tundra, forestland, or grassland. The tundra lies mainly in the far north, where the
ground is frozen all year. It is a treeless region where mosses and other small plants grow during a brief
warm season. The forests are south of the tundra and cover about 45 percent of the country. This forest
consists mainly of coniferous trees like spruces, pines, firs, and hemlocks. Mixed forests, consisting of
coniferous and deciduous trees like maple, are in southeastern Canada. Grasslands, much like those of
the northern Great Plains of the United States, are found in the southern sections of the Prairie Provinces.
[6] With its vast wilderness and sparse population, Canada has abundant wildlife. There are about 185
known species of mammals. Among the large land mammals are grizzly, polar, brown, and black bears;
moose; elk; caribou; bison; mountain sheep; mountain goats; cougars; and wolves. Smaller animals
include the lynx, fox, mink, marten, wolverine, ferret, otter, skunk, badger, squirrel, chipmunk, beaver,
muskrat, porcupine, and wood-chuck. Most of these are of the weasel or rodent family, and many are
valued for their fur. Seals and walruses inhabit the cold coastal waters.
[7] Conclusion:
http://geography.howstuffworks.com/canada
Canada’s Geography
Reading Questions – Level WHITE
1. Identify what is the main topic for each of the following paragraphs:
Paragraph 3 ->
Paragraph 6 ->
2. What should be added to the title: Canada’s Human Geography or Canada’s Physical Geography?
Explain why.
3. In paragraph 5, what would be one similarity and one difference when you compare our natural
surroundings with certain locations in Canada?
4. Identify the most surprising or interesting fact you read about Canada. Identify the paragraph
number of where it is found in the article.
5. Write a 2-sentence summary (what would be a paragraph 7) for the article.
Canada’s Geography
Reading Questions – Level RED
1. Identify what is the main topic for each of the following paragraphs:
Paragraph 2 ->
Paragraph 5 ->
2. Does the article focus more on Canada’s physical or human geography? Support your answer
with two reasons.
3. What are two similarities when you compare our natural surroundings with certain environments
in Canada?
4. Identify the most surprising or interesting fact you read about Canada. Identify the paragraph
number of where it is found in the article.
5. Write a 3-sentence summary (what would be a paragraph 7) for the article.