11) – CGC 1D1 NOTES: Canada’s Landform Regions

· - are made from oceans, lakes, glaciation, folding, faulting, erosion, and the deposition of soils and rocks.

· The oldest Landform Region in Canada – The_____________________is 4 Billion years old.

LANDFORMS:

- are theor natural features, of the land's surface.

is an area's landforms and its cover of vegetation, water, ice and rock

Topography may be described in the following terms:

Elevation

Relief

Gradient

Geology

General Appearance

Canada is so large that geographers divide it into regions to make it easier to study. Geographers classify landforms based on a combination of characteristics:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Questions to answer for each Landform Region:

When was it formed?

What is the geology of the area?

What does it look like?

How was it created?

Why is it important?

CANADIAN SHIELD: PAGES

The core (geologically speaking) of the country is the (or ) Shield. This is the ancient hard rock (4 billion years old) and it is what all the other areas were created from.

- and make up the Shield and because it is so old it is relatively flat
compared to other regions. It is often called the of Canada's metallic
minerals (many deposits of lead, gold, nickel, copper
and zinc).

The area has been subjected to a number of major or . The scraping and gouging action of the ice has left depressions in the bedrock which have filled with water to form hundreds of thousands of lakes.

The soil is not good for but is ideal for with its scenic rivers and vast forests. The industry is very important for regions in the Southern parts of the Shield with ,, and .

The is impervious – water does not pass through it. The sand and gravels deposited by the (from the scraping and gouging) have forced the rivers to flow in
many different directions – resulting in a very
disorganized pattern of winding rivers, lakes
and swamps.

SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Candian Shield also known as -

When was it formed?

What is the geology of the area?

What does it look like?

How was it created?

Why is it important?

INTERIOR PLAINS: Pages -

Many people think of the as flat, but for the most part they are composed of rolling
 hills and deep, wide valleys. Overall, the land from west to east.

This is due to , since harder and denser rocks erode more slowly than the softer rocks and soil deposits.

The area was once covered by glacial seas ( ) . After the sediments they formed
 Rock () creating oil deposits, as well as potash and natural gas.

As the lakes from the glaciers receded they left behind
, that now make up very 
 -_and soil. This region is excellent for growing and and is often know as: "".

SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Interior Plains

When was it formed?

What is the geology of the area?

What does it look like?

How was it created?

Why is it important?

The GREAT LAKES/St. LAWRENCE LOWLANDS: Pages-

Made up of two parts: separated by thin wedge of that jets across the St. Lawrence River (near Kingston)

Made up of rock (from the era) - many areas of
 differential erosion
(Niagara Escarpment &
Niagara Falls.)

Great Lakes portion - formed from gouging out the landscape leaving a rolling landscape with flat plains, glacial hills ( & ) and deep river valleys.

St. Lawrence Lowland portion - is a created when the land between dropped or sank down ()

Due to , filled soils and - The area is great for agriculture.

Very land - excellent for (% of Canada's population lives in the Great Lakes-
St. Lawrence Lowlands, which only makes up % of Canada's total land area)

Could be considered Canada'sand heartland

SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Lowlands

When was it formed?

What is the geology of the area?

What does it look like?

How was it created?

Why is it important?

1, HUDSON BAY/2, ARCTIC LOWLANDS: Pages-

1, Hudson Bay area is very flat, low area covered by . The region has layers of rock overtop of the ancient .

In this region the swampy areas are called – the water is often stagnant (never moving). Several rivers meander through the area. The vegetation is mostly and isolated .

2, The Arctic Lowlands includes a group of Northern Islands 
with a gently rolling landscape.

Very harsh does not permit (ground is frozen for most of year) - .

Sedimentary rock
formed in era does contain some (a poor quality of coal), oil and natural gas deposits.

SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Hudson Bay/Arctic Lowlands

When was it formed?

What is the geology of the area?

What does it look like?

How was it created?

Why is it important?

HIGHLANDS:

Canada is surrounded by a rim, also made up of, in part sediments from the

Shield. Unlike the lowland areas, the rocks have been uplifted by forces.

The highlands include:

: the and the lowest Mountains
 due to longer erosion

: of the very far north

: the , and highest. This is actually a series of several different ranges dominated by the famous .

APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS: Pages-

highland region in North America formed at the end of era (300 million years ago).

These mountains are made of mainly rock (rich in deposits of non-metallic minerals [i.e. coal])

Though there are areas where activity and have created igneous and metamorphic(plateaus which consist of metallic minerals [i.e. Iron and zinc]).

Millions of years ofhave reduced the once peaks to mountains and hills. More recent glaciations have added to the
leveling of these mountains. As the land sank (due to the ) long bays were created and now they
provide deep for ocean and
 have become the sites for major cities.

SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Appalachians

When was it formed?

What is the geology of the area?

What does it look like?

How was it created?

Why is it important?

INNUITIAN MOUNTAINS: Pages-

Formed in of the era when the North American plate moved northward.

Mainly composed ofrock.

than Appalachians, so they have not have been worn down as much.

landscape, covered by and snow.

resources have not been explored as the region is too, it would cost too much
to .

SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Innuitian Mountains

When was it formed?

What is the geology of the area?

What does it look like?

How was it created?

Why is it important?

WESTERN CORDILLERA: Pages-

Consists of a range of along the separated by plateaus and valleys.

Created when plate under the plate, causing a great deal of folding, faulting and volcanic activity.

Great and appearance means they are geologically young ( Era). Many people use the term ‘‘ to describe the Western Cordillera - but, in truth, the are just a small part of the Western Cordillera. SEE FIG.

The mountains run in a -direction This creates a PROBLEM, all travel routes run in an - direction so there are only a few or gaps to allow travel through the region. This makes the region lightly.

Most people live in or towns
located in river valleys (__________ and ).

Many created as glaciers scraped out, and when the glaciers melted the sea the valleys. With this and the beautiful mountains the region thrives on .

SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Western Cordillera

When was it formed?

What is the geology of the area?

What does it look like?

How was it created?

Why is it important?

Many geological events occurring over hundreds of millions of years have created Canada's diverse landforms. Canada could be described as a "” surrounded by lowlands and then highlands on three sides.

Profile of Southern Canada's Landform Regions

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

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