geography newfoundland newfoundland easternmost province canada separates province geographical divisions island newfoundland province includes seven thousand small islands easternmost canadian shield vast area ancient rock comprising northeastern north_america plates shaped geology newfoundland reputation outstanding example work designated newfoundland west coast extension fauna typical similar areas north_america island newfoundland considerably fewer mammals native amphibians north south extent province prevalent westerly winds cold ocean currents local factors mountains coastline combine create climates province classified polar climate southern considered climate newfoundland considered cool summer humid continental climate provincial capital located extreme eastern edge island peninsula half province economy based abundant natural resources notably petroleum minerals forestry fishery physical geography newfoundland roughly triangular approximately kilometers having area square kilometers newfoundland associated small islands total area square kilometers newfoundland extends latitudes irregular shape western border quebec drainage divide lands drained rivers flow atlantic_ocean rest belongs quebec extreme northern tip shares short border area including associated small islands square kilometers newfoundland canada area island newfoundland separated kilometres long kilometres wide addition island newfoundland province larger islands total area square kilometres smaller islands total area square kilometres geology large island newfoundland extension system major bays river systems mountain ranges typically oriented southwest northeast parallel eastern island peninsula folded rocks rock southwestern europe million years ago oldest rocks small remnants rocks occur coast conception bay good example gently sloping rock plateau averages metres sea level rest island composed great variety rocks origin west coast lie formed elongated block earth crust rises metres sea level island eastern margin continental north_america island highest points located mountain range east depression kilometers wide occupied grand lake main plateau central island sea ancient heavily eroded water ice steep solitary rock called newfoundland known metres generally flat terrain remnants higher landscape level glaciers helped shape left evidence newfoundland large blocks stone called glacial left scattered landscape long narrow lakes west coast notably resulted glacial erosion lack good soil parts island result effect glaciers recent ice age newfoundland nickname rock partially result ice ages noteworthy aspects newfoundland geology result constant movement plates approximately million years ago action plates forced parts oceanic crust beneath eastern margin north american plate sections oceanic crust continental crust known designated best places world effects plate places rocks formed crust upper mantle earth seen notable geology site mistaken point rocks containing probably oldest fossils north_america ancient deep water marine fossils world found preserved layers volcanic ash easternmost canadian shield composed ancient rocks interior averages metres sea level cut large east flowing rivers tributaries northern coast largely mountainous mountains dominate area highest peak metres created preserve area subdivided distinct geographical regions called newfoundland divided southern newfoundland typical lacks plant animal life characteristic ice age island newfoundland completely covered glaciers swept clean life species able island glaciers retreated years ago considered native similarly freshwater fish capable surviving swam island native mammals newfoundland home snakes large woodland found barren interior regions island animals resident newfoundland declared extinct great newfoundland wolf subspecies gray wolf duck believed north american bird species recorded extinct rare plants insects occur island west coast island supports plant species rare species long endemic newfoundland small perennial herbs family found narrow strip land extending approximately kilometers extreme western portion great northern peninsula habitat population low habitat loss gravel researchers found populations long populations researchers focused types disturbances affect long term viability populations province newfoundland partners studying rare plant flora island newfoundland announced recovery plan species plants animals introduced newfoundland chance deliberately hare american red eastern masked brought island specific wildlife introduced dominant island unusual experiment conducted involved relocating small herd animals thought died rats mice unintentionally introduced escaped fur farms recent addition fauna newfoundland got island debated wildlife officials probable crossed ice 1980s newfoundland native amphibians frogs introduced island 1860s century later marine waters province considered sub arctic nature great deal coastline rock allowing extensive variety plant animal life thrive leading plants shoreline large brown winged sugar number red green present common animals region include common blue sea sea sea rock crabs deeper waters home variety fish atlantic sharks marine mammals seen newfoundland include pilot fin seals usually found spring giving birth young coastal ice zone long cold winters short warm summers precipitation low soil meter ground deeper permanently frozen allow water drain easily soil collects shallow pools trees shrubs roots grow low shrubs small plants found instead common mammals barren ground arctic wolf arctic fox arctic hare occasional sightings near northerly point polar bear dominant occasional visitor coastal newfoundland especially spring birds migrate spring lay eggs raise young returning south winter including common duck common american permanent home characterized low winter temperatures longer growing season precipitation soils typically lacking important nutrients nitrogen dominated coniferous trees notably fir black spruce deciduous white birch mountain ash present common animals american black bear canada red fox pine short tailed american river thrive rivers streams wetlands willow common raven inhabit forests southern golden eagles rough legged hawks nest steep cliffs climate province divided seven climate types broader terms newfoundland considered cool summer humid continental climate greatly influenced sea island kilometers ocean classified polar climate southern considered climate monthly average temperatures rainfall snowfall communities shown attached john represents east coast interior island west coast island interior detailed information information communities province available government website data making average taken thirty years error bars temperature indicate range daytime highs night time lows snowfall total fell month accumulated ground distinction particularly important heavy snowfall followed rain snow remains ground surface water temperatures atlantic reaches summer average offshore winter lows offshore sea temperatures west coast warmer atlantic approximately sea keeps winter temperatures slightly higher summer temperatures little lower coast places inland maritime climate produces variable weather ample precipitation variety forms greater humidity lower visibility clouds sunshine higher winds continental climate effects seen climate differs island north interior effects ocean weather systems affecting newfoundland usually originate west mainland canada southwest east coast united_states cyclonic storms consist area low atmospheric pressure characterized inward winds rotate counter clockwise northern hemisphere storms passing south island bring strong northeasterly winds sweeping open storms referred responsible worst newfoundland weather high winds sweeping large surface ocean build large waves frequency severity storms greatest november march occur time year storms independence hurricane struck eastern newfoundland september sailors british isles reported drowned violent storm february drilling rig capsized sank kilometers east entire man crew perished making worst canadian marine disaster decades newfoundland strongest winds provinces places having average annual wind speeds kilometers hour mph freezing rain common newfoundland known silver freezing freezing rain occurs average hours winter commonly march storm struck april lasted days ice centimeters thick disrupted electrical power people peninsula days newfoundland receives hours sunshine year lower canadian average hours summer months average hours sun december average hours newfoundland known fog occurs spring early summer contrast sea air temperatures days fog year fog newfoundland frequently accompanied strong onshore winds usually winds disperse fog fog widespread occur weather extremes major canadian cities days halifax centimeters centimeters millimeters halifax millimeters mph average speed regina mph hours sunshine hours winters canada city victoria vancouver freezing rain days major canadian city fresh water shallow soil bedrock deeply scored glaciers responsible numerous lakes ponds short swift flowing rivers scattered newfoundland area freshwater newfoundland square kilometers covering total surface area province accounting freshwater area canada ocean west coast newfoundland borders coasts face atlantic_ocean coast borders atlantic_ocean isle connects channel separating newfoundland mainland canada separates newfoundland nova scotia continental shelf newfoundland known cold current warm meet making area richest fishing grounds world areas area significant petroleum production white rose nova oil fields located pack ice approximately north_atlantic come producing glaciers greenland coast detached glaciers transported southward approximately medium large annually greenland glaciers depending wind air water temperature far south north latitude commonly seen waters newfoundland spring early summer despite size newfoundland average kilometers day average mass area thousand tonnes represent significant threat shipping shore oil platforms hazard aggravated dense fog area half year waters newfoundland covered sea ice pack ice composed fresh water pack ice frozen sea water severity ice varies considerably depending strength direction wind air temperature pack ice newfoundland northern eastern shores originates pack ice west coast comes sea originates beginning january pack ice begins advance south borne usually april rate melting rate advance ice northward leading edge pack ice known important annual seal hunt newfoundland north coast time zones newfoundland located unique time zone north_america half hour ahead half hours ahead hours ahead west coast country operates coast norman bay newfoundland time natural resources currency canadian dollars exploitation natural resources major economic geography newfoundland gross domestic product newfoundland approximately fourteen billion dollars service industries accounted billion resource based activities mining oil production fishery forest based industries paper mills accounted remainder minerals petroleum mines iron ore new bay produced total billion worth ore new duck pond kilometers south closed started producing copper silver gold new ore bodies continues mining accounted provincial province produces canada total iron ore producing dimension stone slate granite account million worth material year oil production offshore oil platforms white rose nova oil fields grand banks million barrels contributed provinces total production field million barrels estimated value billion remaining reserves estimated billion barrels december exploration new reserves ongoing fishing fishing industry remains important provincial economy employing contributing million combined harvest fish herring tonnes tons valued million crab shrimp accounted tonnes tons value million year value products seal hunt million new industry province produced tonnes atlantic salmon worth million forestry produced paper mill capacity tonnes tons year march second located economic crisis mill shut value exports varies greatly year year depending global market price lumber produced numerous mills newfoundland agriculture agriculture newfoundland limited areas south near soil unsuitable farming potatoes known locally grown local consumption wild harvested commercially jams wine making human geography newfoundland population estimate population density km2 provincial capital population located extreme eastern edge island peninsula cities human newfoundland traced years people maritime archaic tradition gradually displaced people finally island oldest known european contact thousand years ago briefly settled meadows years later european explorers fishermen england portugal france spain remains stations found red bay newfoundland began exploration exploitation area early european primarily england ireland france settlement newfoundland confined coast rich fishery grand banks shore island primary reason settlements rugged shoreline provided small isolated conduct fishery populous island best developed system early roads trails transportation communities parts coast especially south coast port exclusively boat communities accessible roads provincial road system defunct built 19th century development lead copper paper mill early 20th century marked beginning settlement interior island despite developments majority population found coast settlement followed similar pattern interior settled 20th century development iron ore mines hydroelectric generation military base bay peoples include newfoundland group extinct early 19th century
Geography of Newfoundland and Labrador