Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador is the eastern most province in Canada and consists of two separate regions: The mainland portion, Labrador, lies on Canada's northeastern coast and the triangular island of Newfoundland is eleven miles from the Labrador coast in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It was the last of the Canadian provinces to join the confederation in 1949. From 1949 until 2001, the province was known as Newfoundland, but a constitutional amendment changed the official name to Newfoundland and Labrador.

L'Anse aux Meadows on the island of Newfoundland was the site of the first known European settlement in the Americas. It was founded around 1,000 A.D. by Vikings led by Leif Erickson and is now a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Artifacts and remnants of the settlement can still be seen in the area.

Fast Facts

1. Capital: St John's
2. Population: 506,275 (2007)¹
3. Area: 156,453 square miles
4. Major language: English
5. Temperature range: -25°C to 20°C
6. Lies between the 46th and 61st parallels
7. Official emblems: Atlantic Puffin (bird), Black Spruce (tree), Pitcher Plant (flower)
8. Provincial motto: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God"¹
9. Nicknamed the Rock²
10. One of the best whale viewing locations in the world³

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