The national map and five regions
Canada is the world’s second-largest country by area and touches the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans. Discover Canada groups the country into five regions: Atlantic Provinces, Central Canada, Prairie Provinces, West Coast and Northern Territories. Ottawa, chosen by Queen Victoria as capital in 1857, is in Ontario—not a separate federal territory.
Atlantic, Central, Prairie and West Coast
The Atlantic Provinces are Newfoundland and Labrador (St. John’s), Prince Edward Island (Charlottetown), Nova Scotia (Halifax) and New Brunswick (Fredericton). PEI is the smallest province and Charlottetown is associated with the conferences leading to Confederation. New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province, and the Bay of Fundy is known for exceptionally high tides.
The North, waterways and landmarks
Yukon’s capital is Whitehorse, the Northwest Territories’ is Yellowknife and Nunavut’s is Iqaluit. Nunavut means “our land” in Inuktitut and was created in 1999. The North is associated with the midnight sun, Inuit communities, mining and vast distances. Mount Logan, Canada’s highest mountain, is in Yukon.
Key facts to remember
- Atlantic: Newfoundland and Labrador—St. John’s; Prince Edward Island—Charlottetown; Nova Scotia—Halifax; New Brunswick—Fredericton.
- Central Canada: Quebec—Québec City; Ontario—Toronto. This is the country’s most populous and heavily industrialized region.
- Prairies: Manitoba—Winnipeg; Saskatchewan—Regina; Alberta—Edmonton. Agriculture, energy and mineral resources are major themes.
- West Coast: British Columbia—Victoria. Pacific trade, forestry, fishing, mining and a temperate coastal climate are prominent.
- North: Yukon—Whitehorse; Northwest Territories—Yellowknife; Nunavut—Iqaluit. The territories cover a vast area with small, widely dispersed populations.
- Canada borders the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans, shares the world’s longest undefended border with the United States, and is divided into five geographic regions in the guide.
Check yourself
- Can you name every province and territory with its capital?
- NL—St. John’s; PE—Charlottetown; NS—Halifax; NB—Fredericton; QC—Québec City; ON—Toronto; MB—Winnipeg; SK—Regina; AB—Edmonton; BC—Victoria; YT—Whitehorse; NT—Yellowknife; NU—Iqaluit.
- Which provinces make up the Atlantic and Prairie regions?
- Atlantic: Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Prairies: Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
- What geography and industries distinguish Central Canada, the West Coast and the North?
- Central Canada is populous and manufacturing-heavy; BC faces the Pacific and features forestry and trade; the North is vast, sparsely populated and associated with Arctic geography and mining.
Practice questions
Eight questions shaped like the official test: one right answer out of four, with the reason it is right. The timed twenty-question exams are in the app.
Which three oceans border Canada?
- Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic
- Atlantic, Indian and Arctic
- Pacific, Southern and Atlantic
- Arctic, Indian and Pacific
Answer: Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic. Canada reaches the Atlantic in the east, Pacific in the west and Arctic in the north.
Who selected Ottawa as Canada’s capital in 1857?
- Sir John A. Macdonald
- Queen Victoria
- Samuel de Champlain
- The Supreme Court
Answer: Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the capital in 1857.
Which set contains all four Atlantic provinces?
- Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan
- BC, Alberta, Yukon, Nunavut
- New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia
Answer: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, Newfoundland and Labrador. The Atlantic region is Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
What is the capital of Quebec?
- Montreal
- Québec City
- Ottawa
- Sherbrooke
Answer: Québec City. Québec City is the provincial capital; Montreal is the largest city.
What is the capital of Ontario?
- Ottawa
- Hamilton
- Toronto
- Kingston
Answer: Toronto. Toronto is Ontario’s capital; Ottawa, located in Ontario, is the national capital.
Which provinces make up the Prairie region?
- Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta
- Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba
- Alberta, BC and Yukon
- New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI
Answer: Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta are the three Prairie provinces.
What is the capital of British Columbia?
- Vancouver
- Victoria
- Kelowna
- Prince George
Answer: Victoria. Victoria is the provincial capital, while Vancouver is the largest city.
Which are Canada’s three northern territories?
- Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut
- Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba
- Nunavut, Labrador and Quebec
- Yukon, Alaska and Nunavut
Answer: Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. The northern territories are Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.