Geography of Manitoba

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The Geography of Manitoba is the easternmost of the three prairie provinces, and is located in the longitudinal center of Canada. It borders on Saskatchewan to the west, Ontario to the east, Nunavut to the north, and the American states of North Dakota and Minnesota to the south. On comparative level, Manitoba ranges from 490 ft (150 m) to 980 ft (300 m) above sea level.^[1] Baldy Mountain, which is its highest point, is at 2727 ft (831 m). The northern 3/5 of the province is on the Canadian Shield. The northernmost regions of Manitoba lie in tundra and permafrost (permanently frozen subsoil).

All waters in the province flow into Hudson Bay, due to its coastal area. Lake Winnipegosis and Lake Winnipeg are two of its largest lakes. Important rivers are the Red River, Assiniboine River, Nelson River, and Churchill River.

Manitoba has an extreme climate, but southern latitudes allow extensive growth for agriculture. The northern area of the region ranges from coniferous forests to muskeg to tundra in the far north. Before settlement had occurred, a vast potion of southern Manitoba was either flood plain or swamp.^[2]. An extensive system for drainage ditches was required for construction throughout south central Manitoba to make the region suitable for cultivation.

Contents 1 Historical geography 2 Mountain ranges of Manitoba 2.1 Duck Mountain 2.2 Pembina Mountains 2.3 Porcupine Mountains 3 Landscape past and present 4 Establishment of Strathclair 5 Other facts 5.1 Location and Boundary 5.2 Miscellaneous 5.3 Area 5.4 Population 6 References 6.1 Notes 7 See also 8 External links

[edit] Historical geography

It is bordered on the east by Ontario, and south by North Dakota and Minnesota, on the west by Saskatchewan, and north to Nunavat. Northeast Manitoba follows the Hudson Bay shoreline. Churchill, on the Hudson Bay is the only port for itself and the remaining prairie provinces. The harbour serves as an open market for grain.

Manitoba was the first province to be involved in the wheat industry. There are only three ice-free months a year that allow for the shipments to be sent.

The Canadian Shield limits the amount of farming in the north, but there are some forestry and mining operations. The majority of the grain production is found in farms in the south.

Central and southern Manitoba is covered by lakes and rivers. Most of the population is centred in the southern third of the province.^[3]

Manitoba played a significant role in the population of the Canadian west. Explores arrived in Manitoba by the Hudson Bay, in search of a passage to China. As the fur trade boomed, settlements rose up in the province to trading posts for the Natives and the Voyageurs (trappers). The settlement was not easy, and colonization slowed down for several years (1816). In 1870, the Hudson's Bay Company sold its huge domain to the confederation of Canada.

Settlement inflated in Manitoba when the railway was built in the province and again in late 18th, early 19th century when government promoted settlement by European immigrants.

[edit] Mountain ranges of Manitoba

The three dominant mountain ranges in Manitoba consist of Duck Mountain, the Pembina Mountains, and the Porcupine Mountains. They encompass natural beauty, tourist attractions, resorts, provincial parks, and many recreational activities.

[edit] Duck Mountain

The Duck mountain range is located in western Manitoba and stretches along the north-south Saskatchewan border. The highest point is Baldy Mountain, which reaches 2, 727 feet. Duck Mountain Provincial park is located within the range and includes vivid scenery, tranquil Madge Lake, aspen forests, beaches, campgrounds, and fishing.^[4]

[edit] Pembina Mountains

The Pembina Mountains are located in southern Manitoba and extends over to Assiniboine River and the North Dakota border. Its highest point is 2, 000 feet.

[edit] Porcupine Mountains

The Porcupine Mountains range is located in west-central Manitoba and extending along the Saskatchewan border. The highest point, which is Hart Mountain near Swan River, rises to 2,700 feet. The area is for divers habitats, ranging from prairies to glacier valleys to plateaus and well-known for its dense forest.

[edit] Landscape past and present

Early activity in the region which would eventually become into the Strathclair district, was centred on the Little Saskatchewan River and its valley about midway between Riding Mountain and the Assiniboine River. The river, a meandering tributary of Assiniboine, flows out south of Lake Audy and the Clear Lake in current Riding Mountain National Park (RMNP) and follows a generally southeastward course through a fertile, deeply entrenched, heavily tread valley. Members of at least the two early explorer expeditions, those who were led by Dickinson and Hind, recognized the valley as one of the best in the northwest in terms of vividity and settlement potential.^[5] Along the deep alluvial soils contained an abundance of good water, wood, pasture, and forest deposits, as well as offered relatively east transportation route for water cargo. It is the location of where the river turns southeast at 36-17-22 that the first settlement took place. The location also gives the settlement its name The Bend.

The area of the North Bend was marked with sloughs and lakes interspersed with stands of poplar, spruce, and birch. It eventually became the Riding Mountain Timber Reserve (and then RMNP) and the Keeseekoowenin Indian Reserve. With skilled hunting, trapping, and fishing there was raised for the Hudson Bay's company Trading post upstream near the present site of Elphinstone. The rolling hills and hills of the south of the bend starked contrast to woodland in the north. Unobstructed prevailing western westerlies fanned prairie fires in the summer and whipped up blizzards in the winter. Indian tribes for a while encouraged fire to enhance grassland for buffalo grazing and an early settler, Lord Elphinstone, found out that the grazing grounds lent themselves to thriving ranching enterprises. Wood for fuel and buildings were hauled from the river valley or from farther north, though immediately as the land was broken, bluffs of poplars took root and spread out from the low-lying potholes or sloughs.

Several settlement sprung up before the railway was made. Farther East were the Forks (33-15-21) at Carlton Trail continued on its western route to Fort Ellice in the upper Assiniboine while a branch broken northward to The Bend. It followed Lake Audy, continued to the Gilbert Plains, Great Daulphins, and Swan river valley. Many settlers travelling north took Strathclair-Dauphin Colonization Trail to find the firmest ground, and easiest camping.

The Bend, Riding Mountain HBC Post, Old Marney and The Forks were joined by the river, cart routes and Indian trails. By the mid seventies, a section town range grid was placed in for future house settlements. Waggon loads of adventurous Scots from the east began to arrive on rail to Winnipeg. The Bend was renamed Strathclair, a portmanteau of the Scottish word "strath" for valley and "clair" from the surveyor his name; it then came the Manitoba and North Western Railway (now a branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway), traversed the area midway between The Bend (Old Strathclair) and Old Marney. Before the end of the century, the for settlements had evolved into another location.

The event had a major effect on the development of Manitoba. It was modified to the technological and cultural changes bought by railway. In addition, the railroad company held the rights to the land in the direction, the town's mark stretched along the northeast side of the main street, that ran the parallel to the tracks in northwest-southeast direction, characteristic to many other prairie towns.

The land companies brought on extensive advertising campaigns to persuade new settlers, resulting in a flood of newcomers, and infusion into the area of a much more diverse ethnic mixture. In 1888, the Premier of Manitoba, John Norquay, had a summer in the north east coast of Salt Lake, a current popular picnic and resort spot. He had planned to erect the sanatorium there, when immediately he died, turning the century, Stratclair became a firm and successful farming society.

[edit] Establishment of Strathclair

The thrivation of Strathclair and many other characteristic prairie communities reached their zenith in mid-twentieth century or the '50s decade, by the spirit and excitement of the town. Following a Saturday evening supper hour, families would prepare to "go to town." The first cars to arrive got the best seats. It meant finding a diagonal parking spot among the north side of main street (North Railway Street) in the well-lit, high-traffic area from the pool room at Minnedosa Street to the modern 'self-serve' department store in Campbell Street. Between these termini, people of all ages enjoyed pinball machines, soda fountains, reading magazines, and themselves. Winter activities were skating, curling, and hockey. People went out to the theatres and children were welcome as well.

With the inception and growth of Strathclair typical for a Manitoban town, the changes the town and enclosing district experienced throughout the twentieth century were also the same. While agricultural farms waned, closer farms have expanded without increase in total farm land, resulting less farms and population. Farming becoming an competitive industry occurred by increased capitalization, merchantization, and the use of chemicals. Money, which once maintained labour force (also upon animals) is used for high-tech machines, devices, and chemicals. With different things in the fields, it is larger e.g. (less summer fallow, more trash cover, and a greater variety of crops). To divert the use of large machines, many sloughs have been installed; stone piles buried; road allowances and section lines fixed; traditional early twentieth century style barns, outhouses and granaries were torn down; and bluffs and old farmsteads annihilated. Some of which was removed through windward located, Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration supplied shelter belts, steel structures, and portable homes. The transportation consists of wider, higher roads apt for snow pile up, heavier vehicles, and spring runoff.

The Majority of farm services and Strathclair have experienced a steady decrease in the last half century. In contrary, of insufficient foresight, occasional political blundering, fluctuating economic, social, and geographic climate sensible changes inrole emphasis have brought a measure of success.

Today's links have evolved: fibre optics, cable lines, cellular telephones, computer networks, faxes, satellite communications, and high-speed land and air travel are common to the society. Highway traffic can be lured by roadside way stations, though such small inclination or incentive to drive through all small routes.

Strathclair, progeny of the interplay of traditional trails of the past, currently faces the difficult task of tapping the uncharted myriad trails leading to the new frontier of the twenty-first century to now.

[edit] Other facts

[edit] Location and Boundary

• Area: 250,946 miles / 649,950 km
• Land Surface: 211,721 miles / 548,360 km
• North to South: 761miles / 1225 km
• Width (South): 279 miles / 449 km
• North Boundary (Width): 260 miles / 418 km
• Coastline: 400 miles / 645 km
• Water surface: 39,225 miles / 101,593km
• Widest Point: 493 miles / 793 km

[edit] Miscellaneous

• Capital: Winnipeg
• Largest City: Winnipeg

[edit] Area

• Total
• % fresh water 8th largest
• (6th largest province)

[edit] Population

• Total (2001): Density Ranked 5th
• 1 150 000
• 1.78/km²

Time zone UTC: -6

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

• Manitoba Geography
• Manitoba
• Manitoba historical geography
• Mountain ranges
• Praire:Manitoba: Strathclair by John Welsted, John Everitt and Christoph Stadel of University of Manitoba Press

[edit] See also

• Geography of Canada
• List of highest points of Canadian provinces and territories

[edit] External links

• Manitoba Provincial Unit Study
• Manitoba Geology
• Answers.com for Manitoba