Labrador ( / ˈ l æ b r ə d ɔːr / LAB -rə-dor ) is a geographic and cultural region within the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador . It is the primarily continental portion of the province and constitutes 71% of the province's area but is home to only 6% of its population. It is separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle . It is the largest and northernmost geographical region in the four Atlantic provinces .
80-587: Labrador City is a town in western Labrador (part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador ), near the Quebec border. With a population of 7,412 as of 2021, it is the second-largest population centre in Labrador, behind Happy Valley-Goose Bay . Neighbouring Labrador City is Wabush , a smaller town with a population of approximately 1,964 as of 2021. Together, the "twin towns" are known as Labrador West . In
160-435: A continental subarctic climate ( Köppen : Dfc ), with mild summers and severely cold winters. Precipitation is heavy year round (although higher in summer) due to the strong Icelandic Low to the east driving cold, moist and unstable air onto the region. Snowfall, as is typical for the province, is very heavy for seven months each year and depths can reach as high as 218 centimetres (85.83 in). Despite its latitude around
240-506: A humid continental (Dfb) microclimate. Summers are typically cool to mild across Labrador and very rainy, and usually last from late June to the end of August. Autumn is generally short, lasting only a couple of weeks and is typically cool and cloudy. Winters are long, cold, and extremely snowy, due to the Icelandic Low . Springtime most years does not arrive until late April, with the last snow fall usually falling during early June. Labrador
320-549: A land claim for portions of Labradorian land in 1977. In 1988, the Labrador Inuit Association, the government of the province of Newfoundland, and the government of Canada began negotiations based on the land claim. An agreement-in-principle was achieved in 2001, and on May 26, 2004, the agreement was ratified by over 75% of eligible voters subject to the land claim. On January 22, 2005, the Inuit of Nunatsiavut signed
400-561: A 1999 resolution of the Assembly of First Nations claimed Labrador as a homeland for the Innu and demanded recognition in any further constitutional negotiations regarding the region. Labrador's Innu became status Indians under the Indian Act in 2002. Natuashish became a federal Indian reserve in 2003. Sheshatshiu became a federal reserve in 2006. The Labrador Inuit Association had filed
480-708: A Portuguese explorer who sailed along the coasts of the Labrador Peninsula in 1498–99. Labrador's name in the Inuttitut / Inuktitut language (spoken in Nunatsiavut ) is Nunatsuak ( ᓄᓇᑦᓱᐊᒃ ), meaning "the big land" (a common English nickname for Labrador ). Labrador has a roughly triangular shape that encompasses the easternmost section of the Canadian Shield , a sweeping geographical region of thin soil and abundant mineral resources. Its western border with Quebec
560-595: A dry winter, are found in parts of East Asia, like China, where the Siberian High makes the winters colder than places like Scandinavia or Alaska interior but extremely dry (typically with around 5 millimeters (0.20 in) of rainfall equivalent per month), meaning that winter snow cover is very limited. The Dwc climate can be found in: In the Southern Hemisphere, small pockets of the Lesotho Highlands and
640-534: A larger trail network across the region and is home to the Cain's Quest Snowmobile Endurance Race . The main shopping mall in the town, the 22,940-square-metre (246,923 sq ft) Labrador Mall, includes a Walmart , Canadian Tire & Mark's . The mall opened in 1978 and is the largest shopping mall in Labrador; it is also the only enclosed mall. There is a Masonic lodge in Labrador City, Lodge Anik No 1707 of
720-748: A project with Memorial University of Newfoundland to better understand their past through the Community-University Research Association (CURA). Following research by CURA, the "Labrador Metis" were understood to be a continuation of the Inuit of southern Labrador. In 2010, the Labrador Metis Association changed its name to reflect their newly discovered heritage, and became the NunatuKavut Community Council . The Southern Inuit of NunatuKavut , who are also seeking self-government, have their land claim before
800-465: A subarctic climate, receives an average rain-equivalent of 101.91 inches (2,588.5 mm) of precipitation per year. Coastal areas of Khabarovsk Krai also have much higher precipitation in summer due to orographic influences (up to 175 millimetres (6.9 in) in July in some areas), whilst the mountainous Kamchatka peninsula and Sakhalin island are even wetter, since orographic moisture isn't confined to
880-534: Is Nain . Nunatsiavut is an Inuit self-government region in Labrador created on June 23, 2005. The settlement area comprises the majority of Labrador's North Coast, while the land-use area also includes land farther to the interior and in Central Labrador. Nain is the administrative centre. Central Labrador extends from the shores of Lake Melville into the interior. It contains the Churchill River ,
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#1732845279314960-510: Is a very cloudy place, with sunshine levels staying relatively low during spring and summer due to the amount of rain and clouds, before sharply dropping off during September as winter draws nearer. Labrador is home to a number of flora and fauna species. Most of the Upper Canadian and Lower Hudsonian mammalian species are found in Labrador. Notably the Polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) reaches
1040-733: Is also home to the Iron Ore Company of Canada , which operates a large iron ore mine in Labrador City . Together with the small community of Wabush , the two towns are known as "Labrador West". From Hamilton Inlet to Cape St. Charles / St. Lewis , NunatuKavut is the territory of the NunatuKavummiut or Central-Southern Labrador Inuit (formerly known as the Labrador Métis ). It includes portions of Central and Western Labrador, but more NunatuKavummiut reside in its South Coast portion: it
1120-564: Is also the location of four 16th-century Spanish galleons. The lighthouse at Point Amour is the second-largest lighthouse in Canada. MV Kamutik , a passenger ferry between the mainland and St. Barbe on the island of Newfoundland , is based in Blanc Sablon, Quebec , near the Labrador border. L'Anse-au-Loup is the largest town on the Labrador Straits. L'Anse-au-Clair is a small town on
1200-612: Is classified as subarctic . Labrador can be divided into four geographical regions: the North Coast, Central Labrador, Western Labrador, and the South Coast. Each of those regions is described below. From Cape Chidley to Hamilton Inlet , the long, thin, northern tip of Labrador holds the Torngat Mountains , named after an Inuit spirit believed to inhabit them. The mountains stretch along the coast from Port Manvers to Cape Chidley ,
1280-507: Is excessive. The frost-free season is very short, varying from about 45 to 100 days at most, and a freeze can occur anytime outside the summer months in many areas. The first D indicates continentality, with the coldest month below 0 °C (32 °F) (or −3 °C (27 °F)). The second letter denotes precipitation patterns: The third letter denotes temperature: Most subarctic climates have little precipitation, typically no more than 380 mm (15 in) over an entire year due to
1360-400: Is flanked by two caribou . Both snowy owls and caribou are native to the Labrador City area. Since a 2013 by-election, the federal riding of Labrador seat has been held by Yvonne Jones , a Liberal Party member, while New Democrat Jordan Brown has represented Labrador West in the provincial House of Assembly since 2019. Labrador City was built around the rich iron ore deposits of
1440-652: Is found in the following areas: Further north and east in Siberia, continentality increases so much that winters can be exceptionally severe, averaging below −38 °C (−36 °F), even though the hottest month still averages more than 10 °C (50 °F). This creates Dfd climates, which are mostly found in the Sakha Republic : In the Southern Hemisphere , the Dfc climate is found only in small, isolated pockets in
1520-558: Is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of an ocean, generally at latitudes from 50°N to 70°N, poleward of the humid continental climates . Like other Class D climates, they are rare in the Southern Hemisphere, only found at some isolated highland elevations. Subarctic or boreal climates are the source regions for the cold air that affects temperate latitudes to the south in winter. These climates represent Köppen climate classification Dfc , Dwc , Dsc , Dfd , Dwd and Dsd . This type of climate offers some of
1600-608: Is of an inferior alignment, and from there to 570 kilometres (350 mi), the provincial border, is an accident-prone section notorious for its poor surface and sharp curves. Quebec in April 2009 announced major upgrades to Route 389 to be carried out. Route 389 and the Trans-Labrador Highway were added to Canada's National Highway System in September 2005. Labrador constitutes a federal electoral district electing one member to
1680-566: Is peppered with tiny Inuit fishing communities, of which Cartwright is the largest. From Cape Charles to the Quebec/Labrador coastal border, the Straits is known for its Labrador sea grass (as is NunatuKavut) and the multitude of icebergs that pass by the coast via the Labrador Current . Red Bay is known as one of the best examples of a preserved 16th-century Basque whaling station. It
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#17328452793141760-532: Is the drainage divide of the Labrador Peninsula. Lands that drain into the Atlantic Ocean are part of Labrador, while lands that drain into Hudson Bay are part of Quebec. Labrador's extreme northern tip, at 60°22′N, shares a short border with Nunavut on Killiniq Island. Labrador also has a maritime border with Greenland. Northern Labrador's climate is classified as polar , while Southern Labrador's climate
1840-652: The Skrælings . In 1499 and 1500, the Portuguese explorers João Fernandes Lavrador and Pero de Barcelos reached what was probably now Labrador, which is believed to be the origin of its name. Maggiolo's World Map , 1511, shows a solid Eurasian continent running from Scandinavia around the North Pole, including Asia's arctic coast, to Newfoundland-Labrador and Greenland. On the extreme northeast promontory of North America, Maggiolo place-names include Terra de los Ingres (Land of
1920-698: The British Empire , the matter was referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London). Their decision set the Labrador boundary mostly along the coastal watershed, with part being defined by the 52nd parallel north . One of Newfoundland's conditions for joining Confederation in 1949 was that this boundary be entrenched in the Canadian constitution. While this border has not been formally accepted by
2000-555: The Cold War . In October 1943, a German U-boat crew installed an automated weather station on the northern tip of Labrador near Cape Chidley, code-named Weather Station Kurt ; the installation of the equipment was the only-known armed German military operation on the North American mainland during the war. The station broadcast weather observations to the German navy for only a few days, but
2080-649: The French and Indian War . By the Treaty of Paris (1763) , which ended the war, New France (including Labrador, though excluding the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon southwest of Newfoundland) was transferred to the British, who administered the northern portion of it as the Province of Quebec until splitting it in two in 1791, with Labrador located in Lower Canada . However, in 1809,
2160-548: The Grenfell Mission (see Wilfred Grenfell ). Throughout the 20th century, coastal freighters and ferries operated initially by the Newfoundland Railway and later Canadian National Railway / CN Marine / Marine Atlantic became a critical lifeline for communities on the coast, which for the majority of that century did not have any road connection with the rest of North America. Labrador was part of New France until
2240-578: The House of Commons of Canada . Due to its size, distinct nature, and large Aboriginal population, Labrador has one seat despite having the smallest population of any electoral district in Canada. Formerly, Labrador was part of a riding that included part of the Island of Newfoundland. Labrador is divided into four provincial electoral districts in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly . In 1809, Labrador
2320-506: The Labrador Trough by the Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) in the 1960s. The Carol Project is the major iron ore mining operation for the area. In 2008, IOC and their parent company Rio Tinto announced they would spend $ 800 million to develop additional mines in the region. However, only a few months after announcing the second phase of their expansion, the project was shelved due to the economic recession and low demand for steel. With
2400-751: The Pacific Ocean , resulting in increased precipitation, especially during the winter months. This climate zone supports the presence of temperate rainforests, mostly on highest areas of the Valdivian rainforest in Chile and the subantarctic forest in Argentina. Climates classified as Dsc or Dsd , with a dry summer, are rare, occurring in very small areas at high elevation around the Mediterranean Basin , Iran , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan , Alaska and other parts of
2480-580: The Pinetree Line , Mid-Canada Line and DEW Line systems. Today, the remaining stations are automated as part of the North Warning System ; however, the military settlements during the early part of the Cold War surrounding these stations have largely continued as local Innu and Inuit populations have clustered near their port and airfield facilities. During the first half of the 20th century, some of
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2560-683: The Snowy Mountains of Australia , the Southern Alps of New Zealand , and the Lesotho Highlands . In South America , this climate occurs on the western slope of the central Andes in Chile and Argentina , where climatic conditions are notably more humid compared to the eastern slope. The presence of the Andes mountain range contributes to a wetter climate on the western slope by capturing moisture from
2640-716: The Torngat Mountains National Park in the northern area of the land claim. The agreement was ratified by the Labrador Inuit, the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador , and the Parliament of Canada , where it received Royal Assent on June 23, 2005, whereafter elections would be held for the Nunatsiavut Assembly and self-government would begin. In the late 1970s, the Labrador Metis Association
2720-619: The Trans-Labrador Highway was built in stages to connect various inland communities with the North American highway network at Mont Wright, Quebec (which in turn is connected by a highway running north from Baie-Comeau , Quebec). A southern extension of this highway has opened in stages during the early 2000s and is resulting in significant changes to the coastal ferry system in the Strait of Belle Isle and southeastern Labrador. These "highways" are so called only because of their importance to
2800-640: The northwestern United States ( Eastern Washington , Eastern Oregon , Southern Idaho , California's Eastern Sierra ), the Russian Far East , Akureyri, Iceland , Seneca, Oregon , and Atlin, British Columbia . Turkey and Afghanistan are exceptions; Dsc climates are common in Northeast Anatolia , in the Taurus and Köroğlu Mountains , and the Central Afghan highlands . In the Southern Hemisphere,
2880-416: The subpolar oceanic climate , as the sea is approached where winter temperatures average near or above freezing despite maintaining the short, cool summers. In China and Mongolia, as one moves southwestwards or towards lower elevations, temperatures increase but precipitation is so low that the subarctic climate grades into a cold semi-arid climate . The Dfc climate, by far the most common subarctic type,
2960-517: The 1949 terms of union would be amended to remove ferry service from Nova Scotia to Port aux Basques across the Cabot Strait . Although a highway link has, as of December 2009, been completed across Labrador, this route is somewhat longer than a proposed Quebec North Shore highway that presently does not exist. Part of the "highway", Route 389 , starting approximately 212 kilometres (132 mi) from Baie-Comeau to 482 kilometres (300 mi),
3040-449: The 1960s, Labrador City was founded to accommodate employees of the Iron Ore Company of Canada , and iron ore mining continues to be the primary industry in the town. The Labrador City town motto is Kamistiatusset , a Naskapi word meaning "land of the hard-working people." The Labrador City town crest is that of a snowy owl holding a scroll atop a black spade on a mound of red earth. The symbol represents iron ore mining. The spade
3120-595: The British Imperial government detached Labrador from Lower Canada for transfer to the separate, self-governing Newfoundland Colony . As part of Newfoundland since 1809, Labrador was still being disputed by Quebec until the British Privy Council resolved their border in 1927 . In 1949, Newfoundland entered into confederation , becoming part of Canada (see above articles for full information). Labrador played strategic roles during both World War II and
3200-589: The District Grand Lodge of Newfoundland and Labrador of the Grand Lodge of Scotland . In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Labrador City had a population of 7,412 living in 3,070 of its 3,368 total private dwellings, a change of 2.7% from its 2016 population of 7,220 . With a land area of 34.11 km (13.17 sq mi), it had a population density of 217.3/km (562.8/sq mi) in 2021. Wabush and Labrador City have
3280-801: The Dsc climate is present in South America as a subarctic climate influenced by Mediterranean characteristics, often considered a high-altitude variant of the Mediterranean climate. It is located on the eastern slopes of the central Argentine Andes and in some sections on the Chilean side. While there are no major settlements exhibiting this climate, several localities in the vicinity experience it, such as San Carlos de Bariloche , Villa La Angostura , San Martín de los Andes , Balmaceda , Punta de Vacas , and Termas del Flaco . Climates classified as Dwc or Dwd , with
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3360-399: The English), and Terra de Lavorador de rey de portugall (Land of Lavrador of the King of Portugal). Further south are the phrases Terra de corte real e de rey de portugall (Land of the Royal Court and of the King of Portugal) and Terra de pescaria (Land for Fishing). In the 1532 Wolfenbüttel map, believed to be the work of Diogo Ribeiro , along the coast of Greenland, the following legend
3440-403: The Government of Canada. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador refuses to recognise or negotiate with the Inuit of NunatuKavut until their claim has been accepted by the Government of Canada. The Labrador region, with its 26,655 population, is lower than any of the Northern Canada territories, Yukon , Northwest Territories and Nunavut . Newfoundland Island contains the majority of
3520-593: The Labrador Inuit Lands Claims Agreement with the federal and provincial governments covering 72,520 km (28,000 sq mi) of land, including the entire northern salient of Labrador north of Nain as well as a portion of the Atlantic coast south of there. The agreement also includes 44,030 km (17,000 sq mi) of sea rights. Although the Inuit will not own the whole area, they were granted special rights related to traditional land use, and they will own 15,800 km (6,100 sq mi) designated Labrador Inuit Lands. The agreement also establishes
3600-455: The Labrador side of the border. Most of Labrador (from Cartwright north and west) uses Atlantic Time (UTC−4 in winter, UTC−3 in summer). The south eastern tip nearest Newfoundland uses Newfoundland Time (UTC−3:30 in winter, UTC−2:30 in summer) to stay co-ordinated with the more populous part of the province. Most of Labrador has a subarctic climate ( Dfc ), but northern Labrador has a tundra climate (ET) and Happy Valley - Goose Bay has
3680-423: The Province of Newfoundland. Muskrat Falls is 45 km (30 miles) west of Happy Valley-Goose Bay on the Grand River (Newfoundland name: Churchill River). A transmission line began construction in October 2014 and was completed in 2016 that delivers power down to the southern tip of Labrador and underwater across the Strait of Belle Isle to the Province of Newfoundland in 2018. From the 1970s to early 2000s,
3760-754: The Quebec government, the Henri Dorion Commission ( Commission d'étude sur l'intégrité du territoire du Québec ) concluded in the early 1970s that Quebec no longer has a legal claim to Labrador. In 2001, Parti Québécois cabinet ministers Jacques Brassard and Joseph Facal reasserted that Quebec has never recognized the 1927 border: Les ministres rappellent qu'aucun gouvernement québécois n'a reconnu formellement le tracé de la frontière entre le Québec et Terre-Neuve dans la péninsule du Labrador selon l'avis rendu par le comité judiciaire du Conseil privé de Londres en 1927. Pour le Québec, cette frontière n'a donc jamais été définitivement arrêtée. [The ministers reiterate that no Quebec government has ever formally recognised
3840-438: The Second World War and the Cold War, the base was also home to American, British, and later German, Dutch, and Italian detachments. Today, Serco, the company contracted to operate CFB Goose Bay is one of the largest employers for the community of Happy Valley-Goose Bay . Additionally, both the Royal Canadian Air Force and United States Air Force built and operated a number of radar stations along coastal Labrador as part of
3920-421: The Smallwood Reservoir after Joey Smallwood , the first premier of Newfoundland. The flooding of the reservoir destroyed large areas of habitat for the threatened Woodland Caribou. A hydroelectric generating station was built in Labrador as well as a transmission line to the neighbouring province of Quebec. Construction of a large hydroelectric dam project at Muskrat Falls began in 2012 by Nalcor Energy and
4000-432: The area's population comprises people from all groups and regions of Labrador. Central Labrador is also home to Happy Valley-Goose Bay . Once a refuelling point for plane convoys to Europe during World War II , CFB Goose Bay is now operated as a NATO tactical flight training site. It was an alternate landing zone for the United States' Space Shuttle . Other major communities in the area are North West River and
4080-547: The bay, which they called Butus and is now named Red Bay after the red terracotta roof tiles they brought with them. A whaling ship, the San Juan , sank there in 1565 and was raised in 1978. The Moravian Brethren of Herrnhut , Saxony , first came to the Labrador Coast in 1760 to minister to the migratory Inuit tribes there. They founded Nain, Okak, Hebron, Hopedale and Makkovik. Quite poor, both European and First Nations settlements along coastal Labrador came to benefit from cargo and relief vessels that were operated as part of
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#17328452793144160-430: The coldest month should average below 0 °C (32 °F) (or −3 °C (27 °F)). Record low temperatures can approach −70 °C (−94 °F). With 5–7 consecutive months when the average temperature is below freezing, all moisture in the soil and subsoil freezes solidly to depths of many feet. Summer warmth is insufficient to thaw more than a few surface feet, so permafrost prevails under most areas not near
4240-448: The drawing of the border between Quebec and Newfoundland in the Labrador peninsula according to the opinion rendered by the London Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in 1927. For Quebec, this border has thus never been definitively defined.] A Royal Commission in 2002 determined that there is some public pressure from Labradorians to break from Newfoundland and become a separate province or territory. After decades of negotiation with
4320-418: The eastern part of the Labrador Peninsula . It is bordered to the west and south by the province of Quebec . Labrador also shares a small land border with the territory of Nunavut on Killiniq Island . The indigenous peoples of Labrador include the Northern Inuit of Nunatsiavut , the Southern Métis of NunatuKavut , and the Innu of Nitassinan . Labrador is named after João Fernandes Lavrador ,
4400-404: The land of the labourer. European settlement was largely concentrated in coastal communities, particularly those south of St. Lewis and Cape Charles, and are among Canada's oldest European settlements. In 1542, Basque mariners came ashore at a natural harbour on the northeast coast of the Strait of Belle Isle. They gave this "new land" its Latin name Terranova . A whaling station was set up around
4480-422: The large Innu reserve known as Sheshatshiu . The highlands above the Churchill Falls were once an ancient hunting ground for the Innu First Nations and settled trappers of Labrador. After the construction of the hydroelectric dam at Churchill Falls in 1970, the Smallwood Reservoir has flooded much of the old hunting land—submerging several grave sites and trapping cabins in the process. Western Labrador
4560-399: The largest iron ore deposits in the world were discovered in the western part of Labrador and adjacent areas of Quebec. Deposits at Mont Wright , Schefferville , Labrador City, and Wabush drove industrial development and human settlement in the area during the second half of the 20th century. The present community of Labrador West is entirely a result of the iron ore mining activities in
4640-400: The largest river in Labrador and one of the largest in Canada. The hydroelectric dam at Churchill Falls is the second-largest underground power station in the world. Most of the supply is bought by Hydro-Québec under a long-term contract. The Lower Churchill Project will develop the remaining potential of the river and supply it to provincial consumers. Known as "the heart of the Big Land",
4720-406: The long summer days at such latitudes do permit some agriculture. In some areas, ice has scoured rock surfaces bare, entirely stripping off the overburden. Elsewhere, rock basins have been formed and stream courses dammed, creating countless lakes. Should one go northward or even toward a polar sea, one finds that the warmest month has an average temperature of less than 10 °C (50 °F), and
4800-423: The long winters and make use of the short summers. Trees are mostly limited to conifers , as few broadleaved trees are able to survive the very low temperatures in winter. This type of forest is also known as taiga , a term which is sometimes applied to the climate found therein as well. Even though the diversity may be low, the area and numbers are high, and the taiga (boreal) forest is the largest forest biome on
4880-425: The low temperatures and evapotranspiration . Away from the coasts, precipitation occurs mostly in the summer months, while in coastal areas with subarctic climates the heaviest precipitation is usually during the autumn months when the relative warmth of sea vis-à-vis land is greatest. Low precipitation, by the standards of more temperate regions with longer summers and warmer winters, is typically sufficient in view of
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#17328452793144960-418: The most extreme seasonal temperature variations found on the planet: in winter, temperatures can drop to below −50 °C (−58 °F) and in summer, the temperature may exceed 26 °C (79 °F). However, the summers are short; no more than three months of the year (but at least one month) must have a 24-hour average temperature of at least 10 °C (50 °F) to fall into this category of climate, and
5040-409: The northernmost point of Labrador. The Torngat Mountain range is also home to Mount Caubvick , the highest point in the province. This area is predominantly Inuit, with the exception of a small Innu community, Natuashish . The North Coast is the most isolated region of Labrador, with snowmobiles , boats, and planes being the only modern modes of transportation. The largest community in this region
5120-423: The only road connection to Labrador City, connecting it with the rest of Labrador as well as the neighbouring province of Quebec, becoming Quebec Route 389 at the border. The town contains many amenities found in larger locations thanks to investments by the mining companies who established the area including an ice arena, curling, downhill & cross country ski clubs. The White wolf snowmobile club connects with
5200-408: The planet, with most of the forests located in Russia and Canada . The process by which plants become acclimated to cold temperatures is called hardening . Agricultural potential is generally poor, due to the natural infertility of soils and the prevalence of swamps and lakes left by departing ice sheets , and short growing seasons prohibit all but the hardiest of crops. Despite the short season,
5280-441: The population of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador . The municipalities of Labrador are mainly under 1,000 in population. Census Division 10 (excludes Nunatsiavut-Nain) Census Division 11 (Nunatsiavut-Nain) Subarctic climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate , or boreal climate ) is a continental climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It
5360-448: The provincial and federal governments, the Nunatsiavut region of northern and northeastern Labrador was created in 2005 as an autonomous region with its own elected Assembly and executive drawn from members of the region's Assembly. Some of the Innu nation would have the entirety of Labrador become a homeland for them, much as Nunavut and Nunatsiavut is for the Inuit , as a good portion of Nitassinan falls within Labrador's borders;
5440-420: The region. The Iron Ore Company of Canada operates the Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway to transport ore concentrate 578 km (359 mi) south to the port of Sept-Îles, Quebec , for shipment to steel mills in North America and elsewhere. During the 1960s, the Churchill River (Labrador name: Grand River) was diverted at Churchill Falls , resulting in the flooding of an enormous area – today named
5520-456: The region; they would be better described as roads, and were not completely paved until July 2022. A study on a fixed link to Newfoundland, in 2004, recommended that a tunnel under the Strait of Belle Isle , being a single railway that would carry cars, buses and trucks, was technologically the best option for such a link. However, the study also concluded that a fixed link was not economically viable. Conceivably, if built with federal aid,
5600-427: The same as cities like Berlin , London , and Amsterdam , its annual mean temperature is 13 °C (23 °F) colder. Notable former residents of Labrador City include: [REDACTED] Media related to Labrador City at Wikimedia Commons 52°57′N 66°55′W / 52.950°N 66.917°W / 52.950; -66.917 ( Labrador City ) Labrador Labrador occupies most of
5680-438: The southeast of Labrador on its seasonal movements. Early settlement in Labrador was tied to the sea as demonstrated by the Innu (formerly called Montagnais) and Inuit, although these peoples also made significant forays throughout the interior. It is believed that the Norsemen were the first Europeans to sight Labrador around 1000 AD. The area was known as Markland in Greenlandic Norse and its inhabitants were known as
5760-449: The southern boundary of this climate zone. Seasonal thaw penetrates from 2 to 14 ft (0.6 to 4.3 m), depending on latitude, aspect, and type of ground. Some northern areas with subarctic climates located near oceans (southern Alaska , northern Norway , Sakhalin Oblast and Kamchatka Oblast ), have milder winters and no permafrost, and are more suited for farming unless precipitation
5840-403: The subarctic climate grades into a tundra climate not at all suitable for trees. Southward, this climate grades into the humid continental climates with longer summers (and usually less-severe winters) allowing broadleaf trees ; in a few locations close to a temperate sea (as in northern Norway and southern Alaska ), this climate can grade into a short-summer version of an oceanic climate ,
5920-428: The very low evapotranspiration to allow a water-logged terrain in many areas of subarctic climate and to permit snow cover during winter, which is generally persistent for an extended period. A notable exception to this pattern is that subarctic climates occurring at high elevations in otherwise temperate regions have extremely high precipitation due to orographic lift . Mount Washington , with temperatures typical of
6000-514: The warmer months and creates large glaciers in Kamchatka. Labrador , in eastern Canada, is similarly wet throughout the year due to the semi-permanent Icelandic Low and can receive up to 1,300 millimetres (51 in) of rainfall equivalent per year, creating a snow cover of up to 1.5 metres (59 in) that does not melt until June. Vegetation in regions with subarctic climates is generally of low diversity, as only hardy tree species can survive
6080-571: The world recovering from the economic crisis, it is believed that IOC will go ahead with their expansion in the near future. The town is serviced by the Wabush Airport , and the airlines flying out of the airport are Provincial Airlines , Air Inuit and Pascan Aviation . Additionally, the Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway provides freight rail transportation to and from Sept-Îles . The Trans-Labrador Highway ( Route 500 ) serves as
6160-567: Was added: As he who first sighted it was a farmer from the Azores Islands, this name remains attached to that country. This is believed to be João Fernandes. For the first seven decades or so of the sixteenth century, the name Labrador was sometimes also applied to what is now known as Greenland. Labrador ("lavrador" in Portuguese) means husbandman or farmer of a tract of land (from "labor" in Latin) –
6240-418: Was created by the inhabitants of Labrador's southern coast to gain recognition as a distinct ethnocultural group, as at the time despite a pre-existing treaty protected under the constitution, the "Inuit-Metis" were considered to be merely the descendants of Inuit who had joined Western society. Little was known about the history of the "Inuit-Metis" of the time. In 2006, the Labrador Metis Association initiated
6320-633: Was not discovered until 1977 when a historian, working with the Canadian Coast Guard , identified its location and mounted an expedition to recover it. The station is now exhibited in the Canadian War Museum . The Canadian government built a major air force base at Goose Bay , at the head of Lake Melville during the Second World War, a site selected because of its topography, access to the sea, defensible location, and minimal fog. During
6400-480: Was transferred from Lower Canada to the Newfoundland Colony, but the inland boundary of Labrador had never been precisely stated. Newfoundland argued it extended to the height of land, while Canada, stressing the historical use of the term "Coasts of Labrador", argued the boundary was 1 statute mile (1.6 km) inland from the high-tide mark. As Canada and Newfoundland were separate Dominions , but both within
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