Geography of Nova Scotia

Joggins Cliffs as seen from space

Nova Scotiais a province located inEastern Canadafronting theAtlantic Ocean.One of theMaritime Provinces,Nova Scotia's geographyis complex, despite its relatively small size in comparison to other Canadian provinces.

Physical geography

Map of Nova Scotia

See also:Nova Scotia peninsulaandCape Breton Island § Geography

The mainland portion of theNova Scotia peninsulais attached to North America through theIsthmus of Chignecto.Various offshore islands, the largest of which isCape Breton Island,form the bulk of the eastern part of the province.

Thegeologicalhistory of the province spans more than 1.2 billion years[1].Continental driftled to the southern half of the province's mainland portion, theMeguma terrane,once being attached toAfricawhereas theAvalon terranecomprising the northern half, including Cape Breton Island, was once attached toScandinaviaandScotland.The Meguma terrane became joined to the present North American landmass as part of theAppalachian orogeny.Composed largely of Cambrian to Ordovician sedimentary deposits, it is joined to the Avalon terrane along theMinas Fault Zone,which runs east–west fromChedabucto BaytoCobequid Bay.

Today's Nova Scotia is made of two geologicterranes.

Nova Scotia has a great variety of coastal landforms. Most of the land in Nova Scotia is bedrock. As a result of erosion and transportation of unconsolidated material, landforms such as beaches and marshes are being formed. These deposits are also being eroded and/or flooded by the rising sea level.

Glaciationduring theQuaternary Periodhad an overwhelming effect upon the landscape. Glaciers abraded and plucked at the bedrock during their advances across the country, creating various deposits that vary in thickness and form; in some places, they are up to 300 meters thick.

Nova Scotia's numerous hills, several low mountain ranges (the entire province is located within theAppalachian Mountains), lush river valleys, lakes and forests, windswept barrens, and a varied sea coast ranging from extremely rugged to broad sandy beaches, can be attributed to these forces.

Drumlins, or little hills formed by glacial action, are a key feature in this and other communities in Lunenburg County. Here on the left is the "James Hirtle Hill" and on the right is the "Michael Wile Hill". The image is being taken from the "Bolivar Hill."

Nova Scotia forms part of the southern shores of theGulf of St. Lawrenceand its sub-basin, theNorthumberland Strait.TheCabot Straitlies north and east of Cape Breton Island. The main part of theBay of Fundylies off its northwestern shore, and large sub-basins including theCumberland Basin,theMinas BasinandCobequid Baycreate major indentations into its coastline. TheGulf of Maine(of which the Bay of Fundy is a component) lies off the western shore. TheSouth ShoreandEastern Shore,as well as the southern and eastern parts of Cape Breton Island constitute apelagic coast,fronting the open Atlantic Ocean.

The Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia has numerous offshorefishing bankswhich are submerged sections of thecontinental shelf.Rising sea levels since glaciation have inundated many parts of the coastline, including these areas on the continental shelf, providing rich habitat for marine life, as well as defining other unique features such as various coastal islands, bays, harbours and theBras d'Or Lake– an 1,100 square kilometres (420 sq mi)estuarythat defines the central portion of Cape Breton Island.

Cultural geography

History of Nova Scotia

Main article:History of Nova Scotia

Replica ofPierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons's habitation at thePort-Royal National Historic Site.

Initially, settlement patterns in Nova Scotia were defined by water transportation routes for the Maritime Archaic Indian civilization, followed by their descendants, theMi'kmaq Nation,who used coastal waters for seasonal marine fishing and rivers and lakes for freshwater fishing.

European discovery resulted in settlements in protected natural harbours and along shorelines where convenient trade routes for sailing ships provided reliable transportation to markets inEurope,New Englandand theCaribbean.European settlers brought industrial fishing technologies and introduced large-scale forestry to sustain settlement construction and shipbuilding activities.

Wars between European military powers, notablyBritainandFrance,resulted in various territorial claims and numerous defence works established along Nova Scotia's coastal settlements and inland trade routes. The largest of these defensive installations was a French military fortified port atLouisbourg Harbouron Cape Breton Island. The fortified military port ofHalifaxonHalifax Harbourwas similarly founded to counter Louisbourg's presence. A French settlement atPort-Royalis currently the second longest continuously occupied European settlement in North America (afterSt. Augustine, Florida).

Originally part ofAcadia,the territory fluctuated for several decades through competing claims fromScotland(underSir William Alexander,who gave the territory the name "Nova Scotia" in honour of his homeland) andEngland.France relinquished Acadia in 1713 under theTreaty of Utrecht.However, the boundaries were not delineated, and Britain only gained control of present-day peninsular Nova Scotia. Britain's colonial capital was established atAnnapolis Royal,while France maintained control of Cape Breton Island (which they called Île Royale). The French territory of Acadia and New France finally fell permanently to Britain at the end of theSeven Years' Warin 1763. The colonial capital was transferred from Annapolis Royal toHalifaxin 1749 upon the establishment of that community.

Under British control, Acadian farming settlements that had been abandoned under theGreat Upheavalwere populated by decommissioned soldiers and settlers brought from New England.Foreign Protestantswere actively recruited to settle Nova Scotia (which at that time included present-dayNew Brunswick) as the Empire's "Fourteenth Colony" in America. The presence of theRoyal Navyand British Army in the colony largely contributed to stability that saw the colony remain loyal during theAmerican Revolutionary War.In 1784, Britain created the colony of New Brunswick to accommodateUnited Empire Loyalistrefugees from the seceding American colonies. Cape Breton Island was also created as a separate colony, leaving Nova Scotia to its mainland peninsula once again. In 1820, the colony of Cape Breton Island was permanently folded back into Nova Scotia, resulting in the present-day provincial territory.

Transportation networks in the form of canals (theShubenacadie Canal) and later railways (theNova Scotia Railway,followed by theIntercolonial Railway,theDominion Atlantic Railway,theHalifax and Southwestern Railwayand theSydney and Louisburg Railway), contributed to a growing trend toward urbanization in the years leading up to the entry intoConfederationin 1867. The settlement was concentrated around major industrial towns and port communities.

Motor vehicle usage in the 20th century led to highway development and suburban sprawl around larger centres.

Economic geography

Traditionally, Nova Scotia's economy has been defined by natural resources in the primary sector.

Resources available for mining includecoal,gypsum,iron ore,gold,saltandbarite.Offshore deposits of oil and natural gas have begun being exploited.

The fishing fleet operates on the continental shelf, especially on theGrand Banks.Years of overfishing have led to setbacks in production.Lobster,scallops,andhaddockare currently the biggest catches.

Inland, forests yield spruce lumber and the province's industries produce much pulp and paper. In the northwest, dairy farming is an important sector of the economy. TheAnnapolis ValleyandKings Countyhave orchards. There also are significant grain, hay, fruit, and vegetable crops. The bay lowlands, which were reclaimed by dikes in the 17th century, are very productive for agriculture.

The economy has been undergoing a slow transition to a post-industrial service-oriented structure in recent decades. Manufacturing is becoming the largest sector of Nova Scotia's economy.Ironandsteelare produced inSydney.Also, there is food processing (especially of fish), and manufacturing of automobiles, tires, sugar, and construction materials. Halifax is a railroad terminus and a year-round port. There are hydroelectric and tidal power-generating plants. Coast, countryside, and historical sites attract tourists.

Geography by region

Cape Breton Island

Dominion Coal Company,Cape Breton Island, circa 1900.

Cape Breton Island is notable for its mining industry.When explorers and settlers arrived here in the 17th and 18th centuries, they were focused on the coal, which was discovered in rocks and cliffs. Coal was used to heat houses and factories, used by blacksmiths to mold iron, and for the steam engines of trains.Coal was extracted principally in the Sydney–Glace Bay area of Cape Breton Island until the mines were closed in 2001. Many mines have shut down as coal becomes a less popular fuel.Despite this, Nova Scotia still gets most of its electricity from coal, most of which is now imported. Some of Cape Breton's mines have been turned into tourist attractions and museums, and retired miners take people on tours of old mines.

Central and Northern

Northumberland Strait,between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, is 320 kilometres (200 mi) long and approximately 14 to 50 kilometres (8.7 to 31.1 mi) wide. The shoreline varies from sandstone and sandy beaches in the west to granite rocky beaches in the east. The strait'sfishing industryis currently in a decline, butlobsterremains a commonly sought species.

The areas north of theMinas Basincontain extensive coal seams, with numerous mines in production since 1758. There have been several disasters resulting in coal miners being injured or killed, the most famous being theSpringhill Mining Disaster(1958) and the most recent being theWestray Mine Disaster(1992).

The Cobequid Bay, the innermost part of the Bay of Fundy, experiences the world's highest tides, averaging up 49.5 feet (15.1 m) atBurntcoat Head.Parrsboro'sFundy Geological Museumhouses the world's most complete collection of fossils from the Coal Age (approximately 300 million years ago) and theJoggins Fossil Cliffshave been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many exceptional finds of dinosaurs and plant life have been found in the cliffs along the Bay of Fundy.

Among the longest rivers in Nova Scotia is theShubenacadie,which runs 78 kilometres (48 mi) from the Bay of Fundy intoGrand Lakein Enfield. This river is one of few worldwide which experience atidal bore,a visible rush of seawater twice daily during the incoming tide, caused by the funnel shape of the Bay of Fundy and the high tides which are experienced in the region.

Gypsummining is an industry in central Nova Scotia south of the Minas Basin. The world's largest gypsum mine is located atMilford.Gypsum is a component indrywallproduction, which is used as a construction material. It can be used as asoil conditionerto improve drainage and fertility of the soil.

Eastern Shore

Main article:Eastern Shore (Nova Scotia)

Population

The area betweenDartmouthand Cape Breton is sparsely populated.

The decline in the fishing industry has meant an outflow of people to larger urban areas and to other fishing villages in the province.Sheet Harbour&Cansowith populations of 885 & 820 respectively, are the largest communities. There are more than 300 communities along the Eastern Shore, which vary in size.

Tourism

See main article:Tourism on the Eastern Shore (Nova Scotia)

Tourism is becoming an increasingly active industry along the Eastern Shore.

There is a Fisherman's Life Museum inJeddore Oyster Ponds.There is trout fishing & Atlantic salmon serves as a sport in rivers along the coast. AtEastern Passagethere is a Fishermen's Village tourist attraction with a few stores.

The largest beaches on the Eastern Shore are Lawrencetown Beach, inLawrencetown,Martinique Beach, nearMusquodoboit Harbour&Taylor Head Beach,located inSpry Bay,within the boundaries ofTaylor Head Provincial Park.

Geography/Industry

There are many, many lakes along the Eastern Shore, the largest of which arePorter's Lake,Lake Charlotte&Tangier Grand Lake.

Several major rivers flow into the harbours & coastal indents along the Eastern Shore, including:

• TheMusquodoboit River,which flows into theMusquodoboit Harbour.
• The Tangier River, which flows fromTangier Grand Laketo immediately west of the community ofTangier
• West River-Sheet Harbour & East River Sheet Harbour, which flow into the Northwest & Northeast Arms of Sheet Harbour respectively.
• TheSaint Mary's Riverflows into theAtlantic Ocean,passing through the community ofSherbrooke.

In the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia, the forests grow close to the water. A sawmill was constructed inSheet Harbouraround the year 1921, at the head of the Northwest Arm. In 1971, the sawmill was destroyed byHurricane Beth.It was never rebuilt.

South Shore

Lunenburg County's population is about 48,000, of which about 6000 people are Acadian. Many others are related to the first German settlers. It is known for its shipbuilding industry.It is also becoming a tourist destination. TheBluenosewas built here - the boat that appears on theCanadian dime.Highliner Foodshas a production facility in Lunenburg.

Mahone Bayhas three churches – Trinity United, St. John Lutheran and St. James Anglican– which have stood by the head of the harbour for over one hundred years. The word "Mahone" derives fromMahone,the French word for the private ships that sailed by the shore of the Mahone Bay.

Oak Island,also in Mahone, is believed to have treasures buried in it.

Peggys Coveis a small community known for its rocky shore and lighthouses, one of which serves as aCanada Postoffice during the summer. It is also the location of theSwissair Flight 111memorial and a sculpture by the residentWilliam E. deGarthewhich serves as a monument to Nova Scotian fishermen.

Nova Scotia's provincial berry and flower

On January 11, 1996, the House of Assembly declared the wild blueberry the Provincial Berry of Nova Scotia. The blueberry mainly grows in northeastern North America.

Forests cover all of Nova Scotia.In these woodlands, often nearly hidden with fallen leaves, grows the mayflower, also known as the trailing arbutus (Epigaea repens). In 1901 the mayflower was declared to be the Provincial Flower of Nova Scotia by the provincial legislature.

Climate

Main article:Climate of Nova Scotia

Located on the east coast of Canada, Nova Scotia is almost entirely surrounded by the sea, which heavily influences the climate due to oncoming Atlantic storms.Due to the ocean's moderating effect Nova Scotia has cool summers as opposed to other cities in Canada around the same latitude. Nova Scotia's maritime climate is influenced by the cold air masses passing from the centre of Canada and the warm air masses from the Atlantic Ocean. Winters can be very severe, blizzards occur several times each winter. Winters are cold compared with other coastal cities on the same latitude because the direction of the Atlantic currents is going east to Europe.

Because it juts out into the Atlantic, Nova Scotia is prone to tropical storms and hurricanes in the summer and autumn.

See also

• List of highest points of Canadian provinces and territories
• List of areas disputed by the United States and Canada
• Extreme communities of Canada
• Canadian Geographic

External links

• T2.1 Introduction to the Geological History of Nova Scotia(in English)