View source for Geography of New Brunswick

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{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
[[Image:New Brunswick, Canada.svg|thumb|New Brunswick, Canada]]
[[Image:New Brunswick road map.png|thumb|Road map of New Brunswick]]
[[New Brunswick]] ({{langx|fr|Nouveau-Brunswick}}) is one of Canada's three [[Maritimes|Maritime provinces]]. While New Brunswick is one of Canada's [[The Maritimes|Maritime Provinces]], it differs from its neighbours both ethnoculturally and physiographically. Both [[Nova Scotia]] and [[Prince Edward Island]] are either wholly or nearly surrounded by water and the ocean, therefore, tends to define their climate, economy and culture. New Brunswick, on the other hand, although having a significant seacoast, is sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean proper and has a large interior that is removed from oceanic effects. New Brunswick, therefore, tends to be defined by its rivers rather than its seacoast.

==Physical geography==
[[File:Sealcove.jpg|thumb|220px|Low tide at Seal Cove, [[Grand Manan Island]], on the Bay of Fundy.]]

===Boundaries===
New Brunswick is bounded on the north by [[Quebec]]'s [[Gaspé Peninsula]] and [[Bay of Chaleur]] and on the east by the [[Gulf of Saint Lawrence]] and [[Northumberland Strait]]. In the southeast, the [[Isthmus of Chignecto]] connects it to [[Nova Scotia]]. On its west, the province borders the [[United States|American]] state of [[Maine]].

The total land and water area of the province is 72,908 square kilometres.

[[File:Vue de Saint-Simon.jpg|thumb|220px|left|Underlain by sandstone bedrock, coastal areas of eastern New Brunswick are typically flat to undulating and are often deeply indented by tidal inlets.]]
The major river systems in the province include the [[Saint John River (Bay of Fundy)|Saint John River]], [[Petitcodiac River]], [[Miramichi River]], [[Saint Croix River (Maine – New Brunswick)|St. Croix River]] and the [[Restigouche River]]. The Saint John River is thought to be the second-longest river on the North American eastern seaboard between the [[St. Lawrence River]] and the [[Mississippi River]].

[[File:Kenthillswindfarm.png|thumb|left|220px|The [[Kent Hills Wind Farm]] sits atop an extension of the Appalachian Mountain range in southeastern New Brunswick.]]
The northern seacoast, along [[Miramichi Bay]], the [[Gulf of St. Lawrence]] and the [[Bay of Chaleur]] is called the [[North Shore, New Brunswick|North Shore]], a region predominately Francophone, but with sizable English-speaking communities

===Topography===
New Brunswick lies entirely within the [[Appalachian Mountains|Appalachian Mountain]] range, a chain of ancient, eroded mountains which have created river valleys and low, gently rolling hills throughout large parts of the province. Zones of the province include:<ref name="hydro">{{Cite journal |last1=Burrel |first1=Brian C |last2=Anderson |first2=James E |date=1991 |journal=  Canadian Water Resources Journal|volume=16 |issue=4 |pages=317–330 |doi=10.4296/cwrj1604317 |title=Regional Hydrology of New Brunswick |doi-access=free |bibcode=1991CaWRJ..16..317B }}</ref>
* The Chaleur Uplands, extending from Maine to the north of the province and drained by the [[Saint John River (Bay of Fundy)|Saint John]] and [[Restigouche River|Restigouche]] rivers.
* The [[Notre Dame Mountains]] in the northwest corner, where elevation varies from 150 to 610m, there are many small lakes and steep slopes.
* The New Brunswick Highlands, which includes the Caledonia, St. Croix, and Miramichi Highlands.
* The Lowlands in the central and eastern parts. This low-lying area is mostly under 100m above sea level, and altitudes rarely exceed 180m.

===Hydrology===
{{See also|List of bodies of water of New Brunswick}}
[[File:Grand Falls Raging Waterfall.jpg|thumb|220px|[[Grand Falls, New Brunswick]]. Besides contributing energy for hydroelectric plants, the 673 km (418 mi) Saint John River nourishes thousands of hectares of prime agricultural land in western New Brunswick.]]The majority of western New Brunswick is drained by the [[Saint John River (New Brunswick)|Saint John River]] system. The river, which rises in northern Maine, empties into the [[Bay of Fundy]] in Saint John. Notable tributaries within the province include the [[Madawaska River (Saint John)|Madawaska River]], [[Tobique River]], [[Meduxnekeag River]], [[Nashwaak River]], [[Oromocto River]], [[Nerepis River]] and [[Kennebecasis River]]. Other water bodies within the Saint John River system are [[Grand Lake (New Brunswick)|Grand Lake]] (which itself is fed by the [[Salmon River (New Brunswick)|Salmon River]]), [[Washademoak Lake]] (fed by the [[Canaan River]]), and [[Belleisle Bay]]. The high tides of the Bay of Fundy often cause the Saint John River to flow upstream, an effect most pronounced at the [[Reversing Falls]] in Saint John.

The [[Petitcodiac River]], [[Shepody River]], [[Tantramar River]], and [[Memramcook River]] empty into [[Chignecto Bay]] at the head of the Bay of Fundy. Like the Saint John River, the Bay of Fundy tides causes another upstream phenomenon, known as a [[tidal bore]]. The construction of a [[causeway]] on the river at [[Moncton]], approximately 50 kilometres upstream, has lessened the tidal bore's effect and changed the river's ecosystem.

Other rivers that empty into the Bay of Fundy include the [[St. Croix River (Maine-New Brunswick)|St. Croix River]], [[Digdeguash River]], [[Magaguadavic River]], [[Lepreau River]], [[Musquash River (New Brunswick)|Musquash River]], and [[Big Salmon River (New Brunswick)|Big Salmon River]].

[[File:DGJ 8532 - Miramichi Bridge.jpg|thumb|220px|left|Bridge across the Miramichi River in northeastern New Brunswick.]]The system of the [[Miramichi River]], which flows into [[Miramichi Bay]] at the city of [[Miramichi, New Brunswick|Miramichi]], drains a large portion of central New Brunswick. There are two main branches, the [[Southwest Miramichi River]] and [[Northwest Miramichi River]], with several smaller tributaries such as the [[Dungarvon River]], [[Renous River]], [[Bartholomew River]] and [[Cains River]]. The Miramichi River system is noted for its [[salmon]] pools and parks.

The [[Restigouche River]] system drains a large portion of northwestern and north-central New Brunswick. The river flows into the [[Bay of Chaleur]] at its head near [[Dalhousie, New Brunswick|Dalhousie]], and like the Miramichi, is renowned for its salmon fishing. Notable tributaries are the [[Kedgwick River]], [[Patapedia River]], and [[Upsalquitch River]].

The [[Nepisiguit River]] is another notable river feeding the Bay of Chaleur. Smaller rivers into the bay include the [[Caraquet River]], [[Tetagouche River]] and [[Jacquet River]].

The [[Northumberland Strait]] is fed by the [[Kouchibouguac River|Kouchibouguac]], [[Kouchibouguacis River|Kouchibouguacis]], [[Richibucto River|Richibucto]], [[Bouctouche River|Bouctouche]], [[Cocagne River|Cocagne]] and [[Shediac River (New Brunswick)|Shediac]] Rivers; while the [[Gulf of St. Lawrence]] is fed by the [[Tabusintac River|Tabusintac]], [[Big Tracadie River|Big Tracadie]] and [[Pokemouche River|Pokemouche]] Rivers.

==Climate==
[[File:New Brunswick Köppen.svg|thumb|[[Köppen climate classification|Köppen climate types]] of New Brunswick]]

New Brunswick has a [[humid continental climate]] all over the province, with slightly milder winters on the Gulf of St. Lawrence coastline. The far north of the province is just above [[subarctic climate|subarctic]] with very cold winters. Winters are colder than those being found in [[Nova Scotia]] all over the province due to the greater continental influence. Summers are often warm, sometimes hot.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto;"
|+Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected locations in New Brunswick<ref name="Canadian Climate Normals 1981-2010">{{cite web|url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/index_e.html?#1981|title=National Climate Data and Information Archive|publisher=Environment Canada|access-date=October 24, 2015}}</ref>
|-
!Location
!July (°C)
!July (°F)
!January (°C)
!January (°F)
|-
|[[Fredericton, New Brunswick|Fredericton]] || 25/13 || 78/55 || −4/−15 || 25/5
|-
|[[Moncton, New Brunswick|Moncton]] || 24/13 || 76/55 || −3/−14 || 25/7
|-
|[[Saint John, New Brunswick|Saint John]] || 22/11 || 72/53 || −2/−13 || 27/8
|-
|[[Miramichi, New Brunswick|Miramichi]] || 25/13 || 77/54 || −5/−16 || 23/2
|-
|[[Edmundston, New Brunswick|Edmundston]] || 24/11 || 76/52 || −7/−18 || 19/−1
|-
|[[Bathurst, New Brunswick|Bathurst]] ||  25/13 || 76/58 || −5/−16 || 22/3
|-
|[[Campbellton, New Brunswick|Campbellton]] || 23/10 || 74/51 || −9/−20 || 16 /−4
|}

==Settlement==
About 80% of the province is forested, with the other 20% consisting of agricultural land and urban areas. The major urban centres lie in the south of the province. The bulk of the arable land is found in the Upper [[Saint John River (Bay of Fundy)|Saint John River]] Valley, with lesser amounts of farmland found in the southeast of the province.

Nearly half of the Province's residents live in rural areas (as defined by the type of services available and boundaries of local government units). However, as population growth occurs around the periphery of major cities, these "urban adjacent" areas begin to be more urban in character, describing a departure from a rural community population base.

Many communities owe their existence to a relationship with or dependence on navigable water because of the access to land and resources it provides.

== See also ==
{{Portal|Canada|Geography}}
* [[List of communities in New Brunswick|Communities in New Brunswick]]
* [[List of New Brunswick counties|Counties in New Brunswick]]
* [[List of schools in New Brunswick|Schools in New Brunswick]]
* [[List of protected areas of New Brunswick]]
* [[List of historic places in New Brunswick]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* [http://www.gnb.ca/ Official site of the Government of New Brunswick]

{{New Brunswick}}
{{Subdivisions of New Brunswick}}
{{Canada Geography}}

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