Geography of Manitoba

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Map of Manitoba Manitoba generalmap.png
Map of Manitoba

The geography of Manitoba addresses the easternmost of the three prairie Canadian provinces, located in the longitudinal centre of Canada. Manitoba 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. Although the border with Saskatchewan appears straight on large-scale maps, it actually has many right-angle corners that give the appearance of a slanted line. In elevation, Manitoba ranges from sea level on Hudson Bay to 2727 ft (831 m) on top of Baldy Mountain.[ citation needed ] The northern sixty percent of the province is on the Canadian Shield. The northernmost regions of Manitoba lie permafrost (permanently frozen subsoil), and a section of tundra bordering Hudson Bay.

Contents

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 is the sixth largest Canadian province, and the eighth largest Canadian province by percentage of fresh water.[ citation needed ] The capital and largest city of the province is Winnipeg; the province lies in the time zone UTC −6.

Environmental geography

Manitoba has an extreme climate, but southern latitudes allow 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 portion of southern Manitoba was either flood plain or swamp. An extensive system for drainage ditches was required throughout south-central Manitoba to make the region suitable for cultivation.

Boreal forests of the southern part of the province have extensive black spruce and white spruce forests. The tundra region of northern Manitoba exhibits more sparse black spruce forests whose tree heights are limited by the thin soils, permafrost underlayer and generally cold climate. In this region polar bears are found, denning in the Wapusk National Park and migrating to hunt for seals when pack ice forms on Hudson Bay. [1]

Ecozones and ecoregions

The following ecozones and ecoregions are found in Manitoba. [2]

Historical geography

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

Manitoba was the first Canadian 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 when shipping through the home port of Churchill.

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 European settlement of the Canadian west. Explorers 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. The settlement was not easy, and colonization slowed down for several years around 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 19th, early 20th century when government promoted settlement by European immigrants.

Mountain ranges of Manitoba

Relief of Manitoba Manitoba-Relief.png
Relief of Manitoba

Manitoba has two mountain/hill ranges, which are both escarpments formed by prehistoric Lake Agassiz: the Pembina Escarpment and the Manitoba Escarpment.

The highest point in Manitoba is Baldy Mountain, which reaches 2,727 feet (832 m) and is located in the Duck Mountains. [4] Hart Mountain, which is located in the Porcupine Mountains, rises to 2,700 feet and is not far behind.

Geology

In central Manitoba lies the Flin Flon greenstone belt, which is one of the largest Paleoproterozoic volcanic-hosted massive sulphide districts in the world, containing 27 copper-zinc-(gold) deposits from which more than 183 million tonnes of sulphide have been mined. [5]

Climate

Deep Lake at Riding Mountain National Park Deep Lake - Riding Mountain National Park.JPG
Deep Lake at Riding Mountain National Park

Manitoba has an extreme continental climate. Temperatures and precipitation generally decrease from south to north and increase from east to west. [6] Manitoba is far from the moderating influences of mountain ranges or large bodies of water. Because of the generally flat landscape, it is exposed to cold Arctic high-pressure air masses from the northwest during January and February. In the summer, air masses sometimes come out of the Southern United States, as warm humid air is drawn northward from the Gulf of Mexico. [7] Temperatures exceed 30 °C (86 °F) numerous times each summer, and the combination of heat and humidity can bring the humidex value to the mid-40s. [8] Carman, Manitoba, recorded the second-highest humidex ever in Canada in 2007, with 53.0. [9] According to Environment Canada, Manitoba ranked first for clearest skies year round and ranked second for clearest skies in the summer and for the sunniest province in the winter and spring. [10]

Southern Manitoba (including the city of Winnipeg), falls into the humid continental climate zone (Köppen Dfb). This area is cold and windy in the winter and often has blizzards because of the open landscape. Summers are warm with a moderate length. This region is the most humid area in the prairie provinces, with moderate precipitation. Southwestern Manitoba, though under the same climate classification as the rest of Southern Manitoba, is closer to the semi-arid interior of Palliser's Triangle. The area is drier and more prone to droughts than other parts of southern Manitoba. [11] This area is cold and windy in the winter and has frequent blizzards due to the openness of the Canadian Prairie landscape. [11] Summers are generally warm to hot, with low to moderate humidity. [11]

Southern parts of the province, just north of Tornado Alley, experience tornadoes, with 16 confirmed touchdowns in 2016. In 2007, on 22 and 23 June, numerous tornadoes touched down, the largest an F5 tornado that devastated parts of Elie (the strongest recorded tornado in Canada). [12]

Koppen climate types of Manitoba Manitoba Koppen.svg
Köppen climate types of Manitoba

The province's northern sections (including the city of Thompson) fall in the subarctic climate zone (Köppen climate classification Dfc). This region features long and extremely cold winters and brief, warm summers with little precipitation. [13] Overnight temperatures as low as −40 °C (−40 °F) occur on several days each winter. [13]

Climate data

Community Region July daily
maximum [14]
January daily
maximum [14]
Annual
precipitation [14]
Morden Pembina Valley 26 °C (79 °F)−10 °C (14 °F)541 mm (21 in)
Winnipeg Winnipeg 26 °C (79 °F)−11 °C (12 °F)521 mm (21 in)
Pierson Westman Region 27 °C (81 °F)−9 °C (16 °F)457 mm (18 in)
Dauphin Parkland 25 °C (77 °F)−10 °C (14 °F)482 mm (19 in)
Steinbach Eastman 25 °C (77 °F)−11 °C (12 °F)581 mm (23 in)
Portage la Prairie Central Plains 26 °C (79 °F)−9 °C (16 °F)532 mm (21 in)
Brandon Westman 25 °C (77 °F)−11 °C (12 °F)474 mm (19 in)
The Pas Northern 24 °C (75 °F)−14 °C (7 °F)450 mm (18 in)
Thompson Northern 23 °C (73 °F)−18 °C (0 °F)474 mm (19 in)
Churchill Northern 18 °C (64 °F)−22 °C (−8 °F)453 mm (18 in)

Statistics

Hydroelectrical complex on Churchill and Nelson rivers Complexe-Nelson.PNG
Hydroelectrical complex on Churchill and Nelson rivers

Location and boundary

Population

See also

Line note references

  1. C. Michael Hogan (2008) Polar Bear: Ursus maritimus, globalTwitcher.com, ed. Nicklas Stromberg Archived December 24, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  2. Smith, R.E.; Veldhuis, H.; Mills, G.F.; Eilers, R.G.; Fraser, W.R.; Lelyk, G.W. (1998). "Terrestrial Ecozones, Ecoregions, and Ecodistricts of Manitoba An Ecological Stratification of Manitoba's Natural Landscapes" (Technical Bulletin 98-9E). Winnipeg, Manitoba: Land Resource Unit, Brandon Research Centre, Research Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: 170. Retrieved 6 October 2017.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. "Manitoba Historical Geography" . Retrieved 23 September 2006.
  4. "Mountain ranges" . Retrieved 23 September 2006.
  5. Norris, Jessica (2007). "Report on the 2007 Diamond Drilling Program McClarty Lake Project, Manitoba" (PDF). Aurora Geosciences Ltd. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 May 2008. Retrieved 22 February 2008.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. Ritchie, JC (2004). Post-Glacial Vegetation of Canada. Cambridge University Press. p. 25. ISBN   978-0-521-54409-2.
  7. Vickers, Glenn; Buzza, Sandra; Schmidt, Dave; Mullock, John (2001). The Weather of the Canadian Prairies (PDF). Navigation Canada. pp. 48, 51, 53–64. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2011. Archived 22 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  8. "Mean Max Temp History at The Forks, Manitoba". Climate Data Online. Environment Canada. Archived from the original on 28 October 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2007.
  9. "Canada's Top Ten Weather Stories for 2007". Environment Canada. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  10. "Manitoba Weather Honours". Environment Canada. Archived from the original on 11 December 2008. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  11. 1 2 3 Ritter, Michael E (2006). "Midlatitude Steppe Climate". The Physical Environment. Archived from the original on 22 August 2007.
  12. "Elie Tornado Upgraded to Highest Level on Damage Scale Canada's First Official F5 Tornado". Environment Canada. 18 September 2007. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011.
  13. 1 2 Ritter, Michael E (2006). "Subarctic Climate". The Physical Environment. Archived from the original on 25 May 2008.
  14. 1 2 3 "Canadian Climate Normals". Environment Canada. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
Location of Manitoba in Canada MB-Canada-province.png
Location of Manitoba in Canada

Further reading