Page 277 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Canada

Cans of local maple syrup on sale in Quebec Province

QUEBEC PROVINCE

Quebec is the largest of Canada’s provinces
and the biggest French-speaking territory
in the world, with many of its eight million
citizens holding firm to the language and
culture inherited from their French ancestors.
In the south, the rich hilly farmland of the
Appalachians and scarlet forests of maple trees
attract many visitors each year, while the stark
beauty of Nunavik’s icy northern coniferous forests
burst into a profusion of wildflowers in spring,
alongside the largest hydroelectric projects in
the world. The center of the region is Quebec’s
natural playground, the Laurentian Mountains,
a pristine lake-filled landscape offering fine skiing
on ancient mountains. Populated by indigenous
peoples until the Europeans arrived in the
16th century, the area was fought over by the
French and British until the British gained power
in 1759. Today French-speakers dominate.
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