Did you know that 80 per cent of Canada is uninhabited? Learn more about Canada’s geography (2024)

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Did you know that 80 per cent of Canada is uninhabited? Learn more about Canada’s geography? ›

This is due to its geography and climate that gets inhospitable to humans as you go further up north. A bulk of the population lives in large cities near the US border, Canada's only neighbouring nation. As you will notice in the map below, Canada's most liveable areas span west to east.

Canada features black-blue lakes, numerous rivers, majestic western mountains, rolling central plains, and forested eastern valleys. The Canadian Shield, a hilly region of lakes and swamps, stretches across northern Canada and has some of the oldest rocks on Earth.

But what might come as a surprise to many northerners is that 90% of Canada is uninhabited, according to Big 7 Travel. Apparently, a lot of Canada's wilderness is very unpopulated and possibly not even habitable for humans.

Only about 23 per cent of Canada's land habitats are still wild, and the oceans are even worse off – with only 13 per cent untouched by humans. That makes for about seven million square kilometres of wild land and another two million square kilometres of untouched ocean.

All of Canada is mapped, but not all of it is explored. How can this be? As recently as 1916, the Geological Survey of Canada estimated that Canada still contained over 900,000 square miles (almost one and a half million square kilometres) of unexplored territory that appeared as blank spots on the map.

Canada is the second-biggest country on earth, yet over 80 per cent of its land is uninhabited, and most Canadians live clustered in a handful of large cities close to the U.S. border. This reality stems from Canada's unique geography, which is, all things considered, rather unfriendly to humans.

Its four largest provinces by area (Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta) are also its most populous; together they account for 86.5 percent of the country's population.

Despite being the second-largest country by total area (fourth-largest by land area), the vast majority of the country is sparsely inhabited, with most of its population south of the 55th parallel north. Just over 60 percent of Canadians live in just two provinces: Ontario and Quebec.

90% of Canadians live within 100 miles (160 km) of the U.S. border. More than 70% of Canadians live below the 49th parallel.

The land area of Canada is 3, 855, 103 square miles compared to America's 3, 794, 083, making Canada 1.6% larger that the States.

How much land is untouched? ›

Why it matters: The new study finds that just 5% of the Earth's land surface is currently unaffected by humans, far lower than a previous estimate of 19%. 95% of the Earth's land surface has some indication of human modification, while 84% has multiple human impacts, the study found.

Yes, it is legal. However, you must follow certain limits when embracing an off-grid life.

Land is owned in Canada by governments, Indigenous groups, corporations, and individuals.

Average Canadian Has Lived In or Visited 5 Other Countries

While 15% of Canadians say they've never left Canada, 20% have been to 1 other country, 39% have been to 2-5 other countries, 9% have been to 6-9 countries, and 17% are certified globe-trotters, having been to at least 10 other countries.

Studies predict that, if we stay the course on population, our GDP growth will be only 1.6% in 2100 at 53.7 million people. But with 100 million people, we could reach a healthier 2.6%. A bigger population would give us a dynamic and robust domestic market, with more global talent to drive innovation and fill new jobs.

Some examples of unexplored or lesser-known areas include: Remote wilderness areas: Despite about 50 years of satellite mapping, the US is home to vast wilderness areas in Alaska, the 100 Mile Wilderness in Maine, and side canyons of the Grand Canyon, where rugged terrain and extreme weather conditions have limi.

Canada has abundant natural resources for its population. The Canadian Shield is an area of rock and forest that covers much of central Canada around the Hudson Bay. This region, and the area to the east and west of it, provide timber and minerals for Canadian industries and export.

Geography is the study of Earth's landscapes, peoples, places, and environments. Eratosthenes is considered the father of geography. Geography is usually broken down into two main categories: physical and cultural. Physical geography studies the natural world.

Canada occupies most of the northern part of North America. The country is bounded by the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, the North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north. It borders Alaska (USA) in the west, and twelve US states of the continental part of the United States in the south.

Canada can be divided into six physiographic regions: the Canadian Shield, the interior plains, the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence lowlands, the Appalachian region, the Western Cordillera, and the Arctic Archipelago.