Newfoundland (island)

Geography and Location

Newfoundland is a large island in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It sits off the eastern coast of the North American mainland, just south of Labrador. The island makes up 29% of the province's land but holds over 90% of its people, many living on the small southeastern Avalon Peninsula.

Newfoundland is separated from the Labrador Peninsula by the Strait of Belle Isle and from Cape Breton Island by the Cabot Strait. It blocks the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River, forming the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, the world's largest estuary. The closest neighbor is the French overseas collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, only 19 kilometers away.

With an area of 108,860 square kilometers, Newfoundland is the world's 16th-largest island, Canada's fourth-largest island, and the largest Canadian island outside the North. The capital, St. John's, lies on the southeastern coast, and Cape Spear is the easternmost point of North America, not counting Greenland. Many also think of nearby islands like New World, Twillingate, Fogo, and Bell Island as part of Newfoundland.

History

Main article: History of Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland has been home to indigenous peoples for thousands of years. The first known groups were the Dorset culture and later the Beothuk people.

Plaque commemorating Gilbert's founding of the British Empire

The island was explored by Norse settlers around the year 1000, who built a temporary base at L'Anse aux Meadows. This is the only confirmed evidence of Europeans in North America before later explorations.

In 1497, the explorer John Cabot, working for England, landed on Newfoundland. Later, European fishermen from Portugal, Spain, France, and England began visiting the island's rich fishing grounds. In 1583, Humphrey Gilbert claimed Newfoundland for England, making it England's first overseas colony.

Over time, settlers from England, France, Ireland, and Scotland arrived, creating a unique society focused on fishing and adapted to the island's rugged coastline.

Flags of Newfoundland

Points of interest

Cod, the traditional mainstay of Newfoundland fisheries

Newfoundland is one of the first places in the New World where Europeans settled. St. John's is the oldest city in Canada and the oldest place where English speakers have lived in North America. Near St. John's, you can find towns like Mount Pearl, Conception Bay South, and Paradise. On the west coast is Corner Brook by the Bay of Islands.

The island has many beautiful natural places. Gros Morne National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with amazing views. Terra Nova National Park has rough coastlines and old sites. L’Anse aux Meadows is a special place where people believe the Viking explorer Leif Ericson landed around the year 1003. Visitors can enjoy hiking trails like the East Coast Trail and explore historic towns and universities such as Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Communities

Newfoundland has many towns and cities. The biggest one is St. John's. Other large places include Conception Bay South, Mount Pearl, and Paradise. These towns are where most people on the island live.

Here are some of the largest municipalities on Newfoundland:

Geography

Main article: Geography of Newfoundland and Labrador

Main article: Geography of Newfoundland and Labrador § Geology

Newfoundland is a large, triangular island. Each side is about 500 kilometers long. It covers an area of 108,860 square kilometers. If you include small nearby islands, the total area is 111,390 square kilometers. The island is between latitudes 46°36'N and 51°38'N.

The island has a subarctic or humid continental climate. Some southeastern areas have a subpolar oceanic climate because of the sea nearby. Newfoundland has many bays and islands, including Baccalieu Island, Barasway Bay, Barred Bay, and others. The start of the Cambrian Period in geological time is named after Newfoundland, called Terre Neuve in French.

Fauna and flora

Main article: Geography of Newfoundland and Labrador § Biosphere

Newfoundland has many different plants and animals. The forests have trees such as spruce and fir. The shores are home to many sea birds. Mammals like moose, deer, and small rodents also live on the island, making it a rich and varied natural home.

Newfoundlanders

Main category: People from Newfoundland (island)

Newfoundland is home to many people called Newfoundlanders. They mostly live on the southeastern part of the island, named the Avalon Peninsula. This area holds most of the people in the whole province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Even though Newfoundland covers only about 29% of the land, it has over 90% of the province's people.