Interior Plains

by Dianna, Ravneet, and Breena

Introduction

Did you ever wonder why people live where they live? The purpose of this report is to explain why people live where they live in Canada. In order to answer this question, we researched the various geographical regions of Canada to find this out. We examined the geography, climate, vegetation, wildlife, occupations, sport and recreation and the people of these regions. This report will focus on the Arctic region of Canada.

Geography

The Interior Plains region of Canada is located in between the Cordillera and the Canadian Shield. The region has many interesting landforms. Some of the landforms found in the region are hills, escarpment [cliffs], low mountains, forests, wide river valleys, sand dunes and prairie grass. The landscape of the Interior Plains region can be described as mainly flat with prairie grasslands.

Vegetation

The Interior Plains region of Canada was once covered with many different kinds of grasses. The vegetation today includes grasses with long roots like bluestems, June grass and porcupine grass as well as pine, spruce and fir trees. This vegetation grows here because lots of farmers grow oat, barley, wheat and more plants. The farmers want to live there because there is a lot of area for their big farms. They also like it because there is the perfect amount of water and sunlight for them.

Wildlife

A variety of wildlife can be found throughout the Interior Plains region. Some of the animals include mule deer, pronghorn antelopes, brown bears, wolves, and elks. These animals make this region their home because there is lots of space and food.

Occupations

There are many interesting occupations found in the Interior Plains region. Some of the major occupations are in farming, forestry, mining, and the oil and gas industries. These occupations provide the people with good paying jobs and good lifestyles.

Climate

The climate of the Interior Plains region varies throughout the year. Summers can be between 10ºC and 30ºC. Winters are cold. January can be between -10ºC and -30ºC. The climate in the Interior Plains region can be described as having more bright sunshine each year than any other region in Canada.

Sport and Recreation

The Interior Plains region offers a variety of sport and recreational activities. Sporting and recreational activities include cross country skiing, skating, swimming, hiking, fishing, jogging, hunting, hockey, and soccer. These are popular activities in this region because they have warm summers and cold winters.

People

Many of the people live in small communities and large cites in the Interior Plains. Three of the largest communities are Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg. Some of the larger cultural groups include Natives, Metis, and French. There are a wide variety of cultural groups that live in this region.

Conclusion

Why have people chosen to live in the Interior Plains region of Canada? There are many reasons why. Some of these reasons include jobs such as forestry and farming, sports such as cross country skiing and fishing, and the climate, which is dry and moderate. As you can see, the Interior Plains region has much to offer to the people who chose to live there.

Last modified: December 2003