View source for Geography of Quebec

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[[File:Map of Quebec.png|right|300px|thumb|The Quebec territory.]]
[[File:Ecoregions quebec map.svg|right|300px|thumb|Approximate areas of [[ecoregion]]s {{legend|#93ACA7|1. Middle Arctic Tundra}}
{{legend|#536C67|2. Low Arctic Tundra}}
{{legend|#00D4AA|3. Torngat Mountain Tundra}}
{{legend|#004455|4. Eastern Canadian Shield Taiga}}
{{legend|#89A02C|5. Southern Hudson Bay Taiga}}
{{legend|#2D5016|6. Central Canadian Shield Forests}}
{{legend|#504416|7. Eastern Canadian Forests}}
{{legend|#55FF99|8. Eastern Forest/Boreal Transition}}
{{legend|#C8AB37|9. Eastern Great Lakes Lowland Forests}}
{{legend|#7137C8|10. New England/Acadian Forests}}
{{legend|#99FF55|11. Gulf of St. Lawrence Lowland Forests}}]]

Located in the [[Eastern Canada|eastern part]] of Canada, and (from a historical and political perspective) part of [[Central Canada]], [[Quebec]] occupies a territory nearly three times the size of [[France]] or [[Texas]]. It is much closer to the size of [[Alaska]]. As is the case with Alaska, most of the land in Quebec is very sparsely populated.<ref>{{cite web|author=Institut de la statistique du Québec |title=Comparaison entre la superficie du Québec et celle de divers pays |trans-title=Comparison between the area of Quebec and various countries|url=http://www.stat.gouv.qc.ca/jeunesse/territoire/compa_superf_pays.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110808030517/http://www.stat.gouv.qc.ca/jeunesse/territoire/compa_superf_pays.htm|archive-date=August 8, 2011|access-date=July 4, 2011|publisher=Government of Quebec|language=fr}}</ref> Its [[topography]] is very different from one region to another due to the varying composition of the ground, the climate (latitude and altitude), and the proximity to water. The [[Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands]] and the [[Appalachian Mountains|Appalachians]] are the two main topographic regions in southern Quebec, while the [[Canadian Shield]] occupies most of central and northern Quebec.<ref name="Elson2">{{cite encyclopedia|title=St Lawrence Lowland|encyclopedia=Canadian Encyclopedia|publisher=Historica Foundation|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/st-lawrence-lowland|access-date=April 28, 2008|last=Elson|first=J. A.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026003655/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0007093|archive-date=October 26, 2007|url-status=live}}</ref>

With an area of {{cvt|1,542,056|km2}}, it is the  [[List of Canadian provinces and territories by area|largest of Canada's provinces and territories]] and the [[List of country subdivisions by area|tenth largest country subdivision in the world]].{{cn|date=September 2021}} More than 90% of Quebec's area lies within the [[Canadian Shield]], and includes the greater part of the [[Labrador Peninsula]]. Quebec's highest mountain is [[Mount Caubvick|Mont D'Iberville]], which is located on the border with [[Newfoundland and Labrador]] in the northeastern part of the province in the [[Torngat Mountains]]. The addition of parts of the vast and scarcely populated [[District of Ungava]] of the [[Northwest Territories]] between 1898 and 1912 gave the province its current form.

The territory of Quebec is extremely rich in resources in its [[conifer]]ous forests, lakes, and rivers&mdash;[[Wood pulp|pulp]] and paper, lumber, and [[hydroelectricity]] are still some of the province's most important industries.{{cn|date=September 2021}} The far north of the province, [[Nunavik]], is [[subarctic]] or [[Arctic]] and is mostly inhabited by [[Inuit]].

The most populous region is the [[Saint Lawrence River]] valley in the south, where the capital, [[Quebec City]], and the largest city, [[Montreal]], are situated. North of Montreal are the [[Laurentian Mountains]], a range of ancient mountains, and to the east are the [[Appalachian Mountains]] which extends into the [[Eastern Townships]] and [[Gaspésie]] regions. The [[Gaspé Peninsula]] juts into the [[Gulf of Saint Lawrence]] to the East. The Saint Lawrence River Valley is a fertile agricultural region, producing dairy products, fruit, vegetables, [[maple sugar]] (Quebec is the world's largest producer of [[maple syrup]]<ref name="bbc17">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39375257|first1=Robin |last1=Levinson-King |first2= Jessica |last2=Murphy|title=Quebec's maple syrup producers seeking global domination|work=BBC News |date=April 9, 2017|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606145949/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39375257|archivedate=June 6, 2017}}</ref>), and [[livestock]].

==Borders==
Quebec is bordered by the province of [[Ontario]], [[James Bay]] and [[Hudson Bay]] (including the circular [[Nastapoka arc]]) to the west, the provinces of [[New Brunswick]] and [[Newfoundland and Labrador]] to the east and [[Hudson Strait]] and [[Ungava Bay]] to the north. Its northernmost point is [[Cape Wolstenholme]]. Quebec also shares a land border with four northeast states of the United States ([[Maine]], [[New Hampshire]], [[New York (state)|New York]] and [[Vermont]]) to the south.<ref name="qcborders" /> 

In 1927, the border between the Province of Quebec and the [[Dominion of Newfoundland]] was delineated by the British [[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council]]. The government of Quebec does not officially recognize the [[Newfoundland and Labrador–Quebec border]]. A [[Labrador#Boundary dispute|border dispute]] remains regarding the ownership of [[Labrador]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vigile.net/1927-le-Quebec-est-ampute-du |title=Labrador is no longer part of Quebec, Explanations on the situation |author=VAILLANCOURT, Jacques|publisher=Vigile.net |date=May 6, 2009 |access-date=June 25, 2011|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saic.gouv.qc.ca/centre_de_presse/communiques/2001/saic_com20011031.htm |title=The Minister of Natural Resources of Quebec and Minister for Canadian Intergovernmental Affairs express Quebec's position in relation to the constitutional changes in the designation of Newfoundland |author=Canadian Intergovernmental Affairs Secretariat |publisher=Government of Quebec |date=October 31, 2001 |access-date=December 10, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050428091824/http://www.saic.gouv.qc.ca/centre_de_presse/communiques/2001/saic_com20011031.htm |archive-date=April 28, 2005 }}</ref> A maritime boundary also exists with the territories of [[Nunavut]], [[Prince Edward Island]] and [[Nova Scotia]]. Quebec has officially more than {{cvt|12000|km}} of borders of all types. Half of these are land limits, 12% river limits and 38% marine limits.<ref name="qcborders">{{cite web|author=Ressources Naturelles et Faune - Québec |title=Québec's Borders |url=http://www.mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/english/territory/portrait/portrait-borders.jsp |work=Highlights on the territory - Québec's Borders |publisher=Government of Quebec |access-date=June 21, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827040944/http://www.mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/english/territory/portrait/portrait-borders.jsp |archive-date=August 27, 2011 }}</ref>

==Topography==
{{Main|Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands|Canadian Shield|Appalachian Mountains}}
[[File:Monteregian Hills from space.jpg|left|thumb|Satellite view of three [[Monteregian Hills]] ([[Mont-Saint-Hilaire|Saint Hilaire]], [[Rougemont, Quebec|Rougemont]], and [[Mont Yamaska|Yamaska]]) in [[Saint Lawrence Lowlands]]]][[File:Scotora2_PJC.jpg|thumb|[[Jacques-Cartier River]]]]
Quebec's highest point at {{cvt|1652|m}} is Mont d'Iberville, known in English as [[Mount Caubvick]], located on the border with [[Newfoundland and Labrador]] in the northeastern part of the province, in the [[Torngat Mountains]].<ref>{{cite web|date=November 1, 2004|title=Mont D'Iberville, Québec/Newfoundland|url=http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=5968|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807070459/http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=5968|archive-date=August 7, 2011|access-date=July 14, 2011|publisher=PeakBagger}}</ref> The most populous [[Physical geography|physiographic]] region is the [[Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands]]. It extends northeastward from the southwestern portion of the province along the shores of the Saint Lawrence River to the Quebec City region, limited to the North by the [[Laurentian Mountains]] and to the South by the [[Appalachian Mountains|Appalachians]]. It mainly covers the areas of the [[Centre-du-Québec]], [[Laval (Québec)|Laval]], [[Montérégie]] and [[Urban agglomeration of Montreal|Montreal]], the southern regions of the [[Capitale-Nationale]], [[Lanaudière]], [[Laurentides]], [[Mauricie]]. It includes [[Anticosti Island]], the [[Mingan Archipelago]],<ref>{{cite web|author=Parks Canada|date=May 2, 2008|title=Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada|url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/qc/mingan/index_e.asp|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071120041636/http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/qc/mingan/index_e.asp|archive-date=November 20, 2007|access-date=May 15, 2008|publisher=Government of Canada}}</ref> and other small islands of the [[Gulf of St. Lawrence lowland forests]] [[ecoregion]].<ref name="NAC2">{{cite web|author=Natural Resources Canada|date=October 25, 2006|title=Borderlands / St. Lawrence Lowlands|url=http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environment/land/st_lawrence_lowlands.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080105112126/http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environment/land/st_lawrence_lowlands.html|archive-date=January 5, 2008|access-date=April 28, 2008|work=The Atlas of Canada|publisher=Government of Canada}}</ref> Its landscape is low-lying and flat, except for isolated [[igneous]] outcrops near Montreal called the [[Monteregian Hills]], formerly covered by the waters of [[Lake Champlain]]. The Oka hills also rise from the plain. Geologically, the lowlands formed as a [[rift valley]] about 100&nbsp;million years ago and are prone to infrequent but significant earthquakes.<ref name="Elson2" /> The most recent [[sedimentary rock]] layerswere formed as the seabed of the ancient [[Champlain Sea]] at the end of the [[Wisconsin glaciation|last ice age]] about 14,000 years ago.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Champlain Sea|encyclopedia=The Canadian Encyclopedia|publisher=Historica Foundation|url=http://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/champlain-sea/|access-date=April 28, 2008|last=Lasalle|first=Pierre|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071209000806/http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0001507|archive-date=December 9, 2007|author2=Robert J. Rogerson|url-status=live}}</ref> The combination of rich and easily arable soils and Quebec's relatively warm climate makes this valley the most prolific agricultural area of Quebec province. [[Mixed Wood Plains Ecozone (CEC)|Mixed forests]] provide most of Canada's springtime [[maple syrup]] crop. The rural part of the landscape is divided into narrow rectangular tracts of land that extend from the river and date back to [[Seigneurial system of New France|settlement patterns in 17th century New France]].
[[File:Automne-manche_d'épée_592K_-2.jpg|alt=|left|thumb|Autumn landscape of [[Gaspé Peninsula|Haute-Gaspésie]]]]
More than 95% of Quebec's territory lies within the [[Canadian Shield]].<ref name="naturalhistory2">{{cite web|title=Natural History of Quebec|url=http://redpath-museum.mcgill.ca/Qbp/Natural%20History/nat_hist.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706185133/http://redpath-museum.mcgill.ca/Qbp/Natural%20History/nat_hist.html|archive-date=July 6, 2011|access-date=June 22, 2011|work=A description of the natural history of the province|publisher=McGill University}}</ref> It is generally a quite flat and exposed mountainous terrain interspersed with higher points such as the [[Laurentian Mountains]] in southern Quebec, the [[Otish Mountains]] in central Quebec and the [[Torngat Mountains]] near [[Ungava Bay]]. The topography of the Shield has been shaped by glaciers from the successive ice ages, which explains the glacial deposits of boulders, gravel and sand, and by sea water and post-glacial lakes that left behind thick deposits of clay in parts of the Shield. The Canadian Shield also has a complex hydrological network of perhaps a million lakes, bogs, streams and rivers. It is rich in the forestry, mineral and hydro-electric resources that are a mainstay of the Quebec economy. [[Primary sector of the economy|Primary industries]] sustain small cities in regions of [[Abitibi-Témiscamingue]], [[Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean]], and [[Côte-Nord]].
[[File:Mont_Tremblant_village.jpeg|alt=|thumb|[[Mont Tremblant Resort]], [[Laurentian Mountains]]]]
The [[Labrador Peninsula]] is covered by the Laurentian Plateau (or [[Canadian Shield]]), dotted with mountains such as [[Otish Mountains]]. The [[Ungava Peninsula]] is notably composed of D'Youville mountains, Puvirnituq mountains and Pingualuit crater. While low and medium altitude peak from western Quebec to the far north, high altitudes mountains emerge in the [[Capitale-Nationale]] region to the extreme east, along its longitude. In the [[Labrador Peninsula]] portion of the Shield, the far northern region of [[Nunavik]] includes the [[Ungava Peninsula]] and consists of flat [[Arctic]] [[tundra]] inhabited mostly by the [[Inuit]]. Further south lie the [[subarctic]] [[taiga]] of the [[Eastern Canadian Shield taiga]] ecoregion and the [[Taiga|boreal forest]] of the [[Central Canadian Shield forests]], where [[spruce]], [[fir]], and [[Populus|poplar]] trees provide raw materials for Quebec's [[Pulp and paper industry in Canada|pulp and paper]] and [[lumber]] industries. Although the area is inhabited principally by the [[Cree]], [[Naskapi]], and [[Innu people|Innu]] [[First Nations in Canada|First Nations]], thousands of temporary workers reside at [[Radisson, Quebec|Radisson]] to service the massive [[James Bay Project|James Bay Hydroelectric Project]] on the [[La Grande River|La Grande]] and [[Eastmain River|Eastmain]] rivers. The southern portion of the shield extends to the [[Laurentian Mountains|Laurentians]], a mountain range just north of the [[Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands]], that attracts local and international tourists to ski hills and lakeside resorts.

The [[Chaudière-Appalaches|Appalachian]] region of Quebec has a narrow strip of ancient mountains along the southeastern border of Quebec. The [[Appalachian Mountains|Appalachians]] are actually a huge chain that extends from [[Alabama]] to [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]]. In between, it covers in Quebec near {{cvt|800|km}}, from the Montérégie hills to the Gaspé Peninsula. In western Quebec, the average altitude is about {{cvt|500|m}}, while in the Gaspé Peninsula, the Appalachian peaks (especially the Chic-Choc) are among the highest in Quebec, exceeding {{cvt|1000|m}}.

==Hydrography==
{{Main|List of rivers of Quebec|List of lakes of Quebec}}
Quebec has several notable islands, namely the numerous islands of the [[Hochelaga Archipelago]] that includes the [[Island of Montreal]] and [[Îles Laval]] which make up full or parts of the major cities of [[Montreal]] and [[Laval, Quebec|Laval]]. [[Île d'Orléans]] near [[Quebec City]], the sparsely populated [[Anticosti Island]] in the outlet of the Saint Lawrence River, and the [[Magdalen Islands]] archipelago in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence are other noteworthy islands.

Quebec has one of the world's largest reserves of [[fresh water]],{{sfn|Ministry of Environment of Quebec|2002|p=5}} occupying 12% of its surface.{{sfn|Babin|1986|p=39}} It has 3% of the world's [[Renewable freshwater resources|renewable fresh water]], whereas it has only 0.1% of its population.<ref>{{cite news|last=Boyer |first=Marcel|date=January 12, 2008|title=11 idées pour changer le Québec|language=fr|newspaper=Le Journal de Montréal|url=http://www.iedm.org/main/show_editorials_fr.php?editorials_id=604|url-status=dead|access-date=July 11, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325020028/http://www.iedm.org/fr/node/2904|archive-date=March 25, 2012}}</ref> More than half a million lakes,{{sfn|Ministry of Environment of Quebec|2002|p=5}} including 30 with an area greater than {{cvt|250|km2}}, and 4,500 rivers{{sfn|Ministry of Environment of Quebec|2002|p=5}} drain into the [[Atlantic Ocean]], through the [[Gulf of Saint Lawrence]] and the [[Arctic Ocean]], by [[James Bay|James]], [[Hudson Bay|Hudson]], and [[Ungava Bay|Ungava]] bays. The largest inland body of water is the [[Caniapiscau Reservoir]], created in the realization of the [[James Bay Project]] to produce [[Hydroelectricity|hydroelectric power]]. [[Lake Mistassini]] is the largest natural lake in Quebec.<ref name="CTQ-resC2">{{cite web|author=Commission de toponymie du Québec|title=Réservoir de Caniapiscau|url=http://www.toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/fiche.aspx?no_seq=150506|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920115448/http://www.toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/fiche.aspx?no_seq=150506|archive-date=September 20, 2011|access-date=July 10, 2010|publisher=Government of Quebec|language=fr}}</ref>
[[File:Chutes_à_Michel.jpg|left|thumb|Michel's falls on [[Ashuapmushuan River]] in [[Saint-Félicien, Québec|Saint-Félicien]], [[Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean]]]]
The [[Saint Lawrence River]] has some of the world's largest sustaining inland Atlantic ports at [[Montreal]] (the province's largest city), [[Trois-Rivières]], and [[Quebec City]] (the capital). Its access to the Atlantic Ocean and the interior of North America made it the base of early [[French colonization of the Americas|French exploration and settlement]] in the 17th and 18th centuries. Since 1959, the [[Saint Lawrence Seaway]] has provided a navigable link between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes. Northeast of Quebec City, the river broadens into the world's largest [[estuary]], the feeding site of numerous species of whales, fish, and seabirds.<ref>{{cite web|title=Saguenay-St. Lawrence National Park|url=http://www.greatcanadianparks.com/quebec/saguenp/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711123512/http://www.greatcanadianparks.com/quebec/saguenp/index.htm|archive-date=July 11, 2011|access-date=July 11, 2011|publisher=Digital Wizards (Ontario) Inc.}}</ref> The river empties into the [[Gulf of Saint Lawrence]]. This marine environment sustains fisheries and smaller ports in the [[Bas-Saint-Laurent|Lower Saint Lawrence]] (''Bas-Saint-Laurent''), [[Côte-Nord|Lower North Shore]] (''Côte-Nord''), and [[Gaspé Peninsula|Gaspé]] (''Gaspésie'') regions of the province. The [[Saint Lawrence River]] with its [[Gulf of Saint Lawrence|estuary]] forms the basis of Quebec's development through the centuries. Other notable rivers include the [[Ashuapmushuan River|Ashuapmushuan]], [[Chaudière River|Chaudière]], [[Gatineau River|Gatineau]], [[Manicouagan River|Manicouagan]], [[Ottawa River|Ottawa]], [[Richelieu River|Richelieu]], [[Rupert River|Rupert]], [[Saguenay River|Saguenay]], [[Saint-François River|Saint-François]], and [[Saint-Maurice River|Saint-Maurice]].

==Climate==
[[File:Quebec_Köppen.svg|thumb|[[Köppen climate classification|Köppen climate types]] of Quebec]]
In general, the climate of Quebec is cold and humid.<ref name="climat2">{{cite web|title=Climat au Québec|url=http://www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/climat/normales/climat-qc.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212211615/http://www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/climat/normales/climat-qc.htm|archive-date=December 12, 2019|access-date=December 12, 2019|publisher=Government of Quebec|language=fr}}</ref> The climate of the province is largely determined by its latitude, maritime and elevation influences.<ref name="climat2" /> According to the [[Köppen climate classification]], Quebec has three main climate regions.<ref name="climat2" /> Southern and western Quebec, including most of the major population centres and areas south of 51<sup>o</sup>N, have a [[humid continental climate]] (Köppen climate classification ''Dfb'') with four distinct seasons having warm to occasionally hot and humid summers and often very cold and snowy winters.<ref name="climat2" /><ref>{{cite web|author=Johnabbott Faculty|title=Köppen Climate world map|url=http://www2.johnabbott.qc.ca/~geoscience/intro/Bryce/GoodesClimateMap22Ed%20_1_.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930152830/http://www2.johnabbott.qc.ca/~geoscience/intro/Bryce/GoodesClimateMap22Ed%20_1_.pdf|archive-date=September 30, 2011|access-date=July 13, 2011|publisher=johnabbott.qc.ca}}</ref> 

The main climatic influences are from western and northern Canada and move eastward, and from the southern and central United States that move northward. Because of the influence of both storm systems from the core of North America and the Atlantic Ocean, precipitation is abundant throughout the year, with most areas receiving more than {{cvt|1000|mm}} of precipitation, including over {{cvt|300|cm}} of snow in many areas.<ref>{{cite web|author=Climat-Québec|title=Climate Normals, tabular, year|url=http://www.climat-quebec.qc.ca/home.php?id=norm_entab&mpn=stati_clim&slt_nomStations=34&slt_idStations=7016294&slt_variable=10&slt_periode=2&sub=Afficher|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827223813/http://www.climat-quebec.qc.ca/home.php?id=norm_entab&mpn=stati_clim&slt_nomStations=34&slt_idStations=7016294&slt_variable=10&slt_periode=2&sub=Afficher|archive-date=August 27, 2011|access-date=July 13, 2011|publisher=Government of Canada}}</ref> During the summer, severe weather patterns (such as [[tornado]]es and severe [[thunderstorm]]s) occur occasionally.<ref>{{cite web|author=Climat-Québec|title=Tornadoes|url=http://www.climat-quebec.qc.ca/home.php?id=p23&mpn=ev_mto_sig|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827224256/http://www.climat-quebec.qc.ca/home.php?id=p23&mpn=ev_mto_sig|archive-date=August 27, 2011|access-date=July 13, 2011|publisher=Government of Canada}}</ref> Most of central Quebec, ranging from 51 to 58 degrees North has a [[subarctic climate]] (Köppen ''Dfc'').<ref name="climat2" /> Winters are long, very cold, and snowy, and among the coldest in eastern Canada, while summers are warm but very short due to the higher latitude and the greater influence of Arctic air masses. Precipitation is also somewhat less than farther south, except at some of the higher elevations. The northern regions of Quebec have an [[Climate of the Arctic|arctic climate]] (Köppen ''ET''), with very cold winters and short, much cooler summers.<ref name="climat2" /> The primary influences in this region are the Arctic Ocean currents (such as the [[Labrador Current]]) and continental air masses from the High Arctic.
[[File:Baie-Saint-Paul.jpg|alt=|thumb|[[Baie-Saint-Paul]] during winter]]
The four calendar seasons in Quebec are spring, summer, autumn and winter, with conditions differing by region. They are then differentiated according to the [[insolation]], temperature, and precipitation of snow and rain.<ref>{{cite web|author=Climat-Québec|title=Climate Normals, tabular, season|url=http://www.climat-quebec.qc.ca/home.php?id=norm_entab&mpn=stati_clim&slt_nomStations=34&slt_idStations=7011982&slt_variable=10&slt_periode=1&sub=Afficher|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827224014/http://www.climat-quebec.qc.ca/home.php?id=norm_entab&mpn=stati_clim&slt_nomStations=34&slt_idStations=7011982&slt_variable=10&slt_periode=1&sub=Afficher|archive-date=August 27, 2011|access-date=July 13, 2011|publisher=Government of Canada}}</ref> In Quebec City, the length of the daily sunshine varies from 8:37&nbsp;hrs in December to 15:50&nbsp;hrs in June; the annual variation is much greater (from 4:54 to 19:29&nbsp;hrs) at the northern tip of the province.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sunrise, Sunset, Length of Daytime|url=http://time.unitarium.com/sunrise/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160614225009/http://time.unitarium.com/sunrise/|archive-date=June 14, 2016|website=time.unitarium.com}}</ref> From temperate zones to the northern territories of the Far North, the brightness varies with latitude, as well as the [[Aurora|Northern Lights]] and [[midnight sun]].

Quebec is divided into four climatic zones: arctic, subarctic, humid continental and East maritime. From south to north, average temperatures range in summer between {{cvt|25|and|5|C}} and, in winter, between {{cvt|-10|and|-25|C}}.<ref>{{cite web|author=Quebec Portal|date=October 12, 2006|title=Zones climatiques du Québec|url=http://www.gouv.qc.ca/portail/quebec/pgs/commun/portrait/geographie/climat/zonesclimatiques/?lang=fr|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806094342/http://www.gouv.qc.ca/portail/quebec/pgs/commun/portrait/geographie/climat/zonesclimatiques/?lang=fr|archive-date=August 6, 2011|access-date=January 23, 2010|publisher=Government of Quebec}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Immigration Québec|title=Moyenne mensuelle des températures de Québec (ville) et Montréal|url=http://www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/fr/avantages/territoire/climat/moyenne-temperatures.html|url-status=live|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20140325110816/http://www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/fr/avantages/territoire/climat/moyenne-temperatures.html|archive-date=March 25, 2014|access-date=June 2, 2011|publisher=Government of Quebec}}</ref> In periods of intense heat and cold, temperatures can reach {{cvt|35|C}} in the summer<ref name="climatetabular2">{{cite web|author=Climat-Québec|date=August 30, 2010|title=Climate Normals, Tabular|url=http://www.climat-quebec.qc.ca/home.php?id=norm_entab&mpn=stati_clim&slt_nomStations=34&slt_idStations=7016294&slt_variable=0&slt_periode=0&sub=Afficher|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827223341/http://www.climat-quebec.qc.ca/home.php?id=norm_entab&mpn=stati_clim&slt_nomStations=34&slt_idStations=7016294&slt_variable=0&slt_periode=0&sub=Afficher|archive-date=August 27, 2011|access-date=July 12, 2011|publisher=Government of Canada}}</ref> and {{cvt|-40|C}} during the Quebec winter,<ref name="climatetabular2" /> They may vary depending on the [[Humidex]] or [[Wind chill]]. The all time record high was {{cvt|40.0|C}} and the all time record low was {{cvt|-51.0|C}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Normales climatiques du Québec 1981-2010|url=http://www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/climat/normales/index.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212211601/http://www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/climat/normales/index.asp|archive-date=December 12, 2019|access-date=December 12, 2019|publisher=Government of Quebec|language=fr}}</ref>

The all-time record of the greatest precipitation in winter was established in winter 2007–2008, with more than five metres<ref>{{cite web|author=Environment Canada|date=December 29, 2008|title=Canada's Top Ten Weather Stories for 2008|url=http://www.ec.gc.ca/doc/smc-msc/2008/s3_eng.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807170704/http://www.ec.gc.ca/doc/smc-msc/2008/s3_eng.html|archive-date=August 7, 2011|access-date=July 13, 2011|publisher=Government of Canada}}</ref> of snow in the area of Quebec City, while the average amount received per winter is around three metres.<ref>{{cite web|author=Société Radio-Canada|title=Records de neige|url=http://ici.radio-canada.ca/jeunesse/explorateur/histoire/index.asp?no_contenu=7253|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140418223711/http://ici.radio-canada.ca/jeunesse/explorateur/histoire/index.asp?no_contenu=7253|archive-date=April 18, 2014|access-date=January 23, 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBC (Radio-Canada SRC)}}</ref> March 1971, however, saw the "[[Eastern Canadian Blizzard of March 1971|Century's Snowstorm]]" with more than {{cvt|40|cm}} in Montreal to {{cvt|80|cm}} in [[RCAF Station Mont Apica|Mont Apica]] of snow within 24 hours in many regions of southern Quebec. Also, the winter of 2010 was the warmest and driest recorded in more than 60 years.<ref>{{cite web|author=Radio-Canada avec Agence France Presse|date=March 19, 2010|title=Climat : L'hiver le plus chaud de l'histoire du pays|url=http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/National/2010/03/19/001-hiver-le-plus-chaud.shtml?ref=rss|url-status=live|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20100403053838/http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/National/2010/03/19/001-hiver-le-plus-chaud.shtml?ref=rss|archive-date=April 3, 2010|access-date=April 3, 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBC (Radio-Canada SRC)|language=fr}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected locations in Quebec<ref name="Canadian Climate Normals or Averages 1981–20102">{{cite web|title=National Climate Data and Information Archive|url=http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/Welcome_e.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130709023232/http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/Welcome_e.html|archive-date=July 9, 2013|access-date=October 24, 2015|publisher=Environment Canada}}</ref>
!Location
!July (°C)
!July (°F)
!January (°C)
!January (°F)
|-
|[[Montreal]]
|26/16
|79/61
|−5/−14
|22/7
|-
|[[Gatineau]]
|26/15
|79/60
|−6/−15
|21/5
|-
|[[Quebec City]]
|25/13
|77/56
|−8/−18
|17/0
|-
|[[Trois-Rivières]]
|25/14
|78/58
|−7/−17
|19/1
|-
|[[Sherbrooke]]
|24/11
|76/53
|−6/−18
|21/0
|-
|[[Saguenay, Quebec|Saguenay]]
|24/12
|75/54
|−10/−21
|14/−6
|-
|[[Matagami]]
|23/9
|73/48
|−13/−26
|8/−16
|-
|[[Kuujjuaq]]
|17/6
|63/43
|−20/−29
|−4/−20
|-
|[[Inukjuak]]
|13/5
|56/42
|−21/−28
|−6/−19
|}

===Climate tables===
{{Montréal–Trudeau weatherbox}}
{{Quebec City weatherbox}}
{{Trois-Rivières weatherbox}}
{{Baie-Comeau weatherbox}}
{{Sept-Îles weatherbox}}
{{La Grande Rivière weatherbox}}
{{Kuujjuaq weatherbox}}
{{reflist|group=note}}
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==Wildlife==
The province is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. The birdlife is diverse including wild turkey (''[[Meleagris gallopavo]]''),<ref>C. Michael Hogan. 2008. [http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=2199 Wild turkey: ''Meleagris gallopavo'', GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170725174654/http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=2199 |date=2017-07-25 }}</ref> yellow-bellied sapsucker (''[[Sphyrapicus varius]]'') and loggerhead shrike (''[[Lanius ludovicianus]]'').

The large land wildlife is mainly composed of the [[white-tailed deer]], the [[moose]], the [[muskox]], the [[Reindeer|caribou (reindeer)]], the [[American black bear]] and the [[polar bear]]. The medium-sized land wildlife includes the [[cougar]], the [[coyote]], the [[eastern wolf]], the [[bobcat]], the [[Arctic fox]], the fox, etc. The small animals seen most commonly include the [[eastern grey squirrel]], the [[snowshoe hare]], the [[groundhog]], the [[skunk]], the [[raccoon]], the [[chipmunk]] and the [[North American beaver|Canadian beaver]].

Biodiversity of the estuary and gulf of [[Saint Lawrence River]]<ref>{{cite web|author=Environnement Canada|title=La biodiversité du Saint-Laurent|url=http://www.qc.ec.gc.ca/faune/biodiv/fr/mammiferes/marins.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807111032/http://www.qc.ec.gc.ca/faune/biodiv/fr/mammiferes/marins.html|archive-date=August 7, 2011|access-date=July 12, 2011|publisher=Government of Canada|language=fr}}</ref> consists of an aquatic mammal wildlife, of which most goes upriver through the estuary and the [[Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park]] until the ''[[Île d'Orléans]]'' (French for Orleans Island), such as the [[blue whale]], the [[Beluga (whale)|beluga]], the [[minke whale]] and the [[harp seal]] (earless seal). Among the Nordic marine animals, there are two particularly important to cite: the [[walrus]] and the [[narwhal]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune|title=Espèces fauniques du Nunavik|url=http://www.mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/faune/especes/nunavik/index.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706201853/http://www.mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/faune/especes/nunavik/index.jsp|archive-date=July 6, 2011|access-date=July 12, 2011|publisher=Government of Quebec|language=fr}}</ref>

[[File:Harfang_en_vol_1.jpg|left|thumb|The [[snowy owl]] is the official bird of Quebec]]
Inland waters are populated by small to large fresh water fish, such as the [[largemouth bass]], the [[American pickerel]], the [[walleye]], the ''[[Acipenser oxyrinchus]]'', the [[muskellunge]], the [[Atlantic cod]], the [[Arctic char]], the [[brook trout]], the ''[[Microgadus tomcod]]'' (tomcod), the [[Atlantic salmon]], the [[rainbow trout]], etc.<ref>{{cite web|author=Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune|title=Poissons du Québec|url=http://www.mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/faune/peche/poissons/index.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706201909/http://www.mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/faune/peche/poissons/index.jsp|archive-date=July 6, 2011|access-date=July 12, 2011|publisher=Government of Quebec|language=fr}}</ref>

Among the birds commonly seen in the southern inhabited part of Quebec, there are the [[American robin]], the [[house sparrow]], the [[red-winged blackbird]], the [[mallard]], the [[common grackle]], the [[blue jay]], the [[American crow]], the [[black-capped chickadee]], some [[New World warbler|warblers]] and [[swallow]]s, the [[common starling]] and the [[rock dove]], the latter two having been introduced in Quebec and are found mainly in urban areas.{{sfn |Brûlotte|2009}} Avian fauna includes birds of prey like the [[golden eagle]], the [[peregrine falcon]], the [[snowy owl]] and the [[bald eagle]]. Sea and semi-aquatic birds seen in Quebec are mostly the [[Canada goose]], the [[double-crested cormorant]], the [[northern gannet]], the [[American herring gull]], the [[great blue heron]], the [[sandhill crane]], the [[Atlantic puffin]] and the [[common loon]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Lepage, Denis|title=List of Quebec birds|url=http://www.oiseauxqc.org/listeannotee.jsp|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716032400/http://www.oiseauxqc.org/listeannotee.jsp|archive-date=July 16, 2011|access-date=June 24, 2011|publisher=Les Oiseaux du Québec|language=fr}}</ref> Many more species of land, maritime or avian wildlife are seen in Quebec, but most of the Quebec-specific species and the most commonly seen species are listed above.

Some livestock have the title of "Québec heritage breed", namely the [[Canadian horse]], the [[Chantecler (chicken)|Chantecler chicken]] and the [[Canadienne cattle|Canadian cow]].<ref name="loi2">{{cite web|author=Les Publications du Québec: Éditeur officiel du Québec|date=June 1, 2011|title=Loi sur les races animales du patrimoine agricole du Québec (L.R.Q., c. R-0.01)|url=http://www2.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/dynamicSearch/telecharge.php?type=2&file=/R_0_01/R0_01.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080423113501/http://www2.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/dynamicSearch/telecharge.php?type=2&file=%2FR_0_01%2FR0_01.html|archive-date=April 23, 2008|access-date=July 12, 2011|publisher=Government of Quebec|language=fr}}</ref> Moreover, in addition to food certified as "organic", Charlevoix lamb is the first local Quebec product whose [[geographical indication]] is protected.<ref>{{cite web|author=Conseil des appellations réservées et des termes valorisants|title=Register of Quebec Recognized Reserved Designations|url=http://cartv.gouv.qc.ca/en/register-quebec-recognized-reserved-designations|url-status=live|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20120130000000/http://cartv.gouv.qc.ca/en/register-quebec-recognized-reserved-designations|archive-date=January 30, 2012|access-date=July 14, 2011|publisher=Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec}}</ref> Livestock production also includes the pig breeds Landrace, Duroc and Yorkshire<ref>{{cite web|title=Animal Welfare|url=http://www.leporcduquebec.com/federation-en/production/portrait-of-production/animal-welfare.php|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125125514/http://www.leporcduquebec.com/federation-en/production/portrait-of-production/animal-welfare.php|archive-date=January 25, 2012|access-date=July 12, 2011|publisher=Fédération des producteurs de porcs du Québec}}</ref> and many breeds of sheep<ref>{{cite web|title=Fédération des producteurs d'agneaux et moutons du Québec|url=http://www.agneauduquebec.com/|url-status=live|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110223134907/http://www.agneauduquebec.com/|archive-date=February 23, 2011|access-date=June 25, 2011|publisher=Agneauduquebec.com}}</ref> and cattle.

The Wildlife Foundation of Quebec and the Data Centre on Natural Heritage of Quebec (CDPNQ) (French acronym)<ref>{{cite web|author=CDPNQ|date=September 23, 2010|title=Le Centre de données sur le patrimoine naturel du Québec (CDPNQ)|url=http://www.cdpnq.gouv.qc.ca/index-en.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110409235832/http://www.cdpnq.gouv.qc.ca/index-en.htm|archive-date=April 9, 2011|access-date=July 14, 2011|publisher=Government of Quebec}}</ref> are the main agencies working with officers for wildlife conservation in Quebec.

==Vegetation==
[[File:Gaspé_taiga.jpg|thumb|Taiga forest in Gaspé, Québec, Canada]]
Given the geology of the province and its different climates, there is an established number of large areas of vegetation in Quebec. These areas, listed in order from the northernmost to the southernmost are: the [[tundra]], the [[taiga]], the [[Boreal forest of Canada|Canadian boreal forest]] (coniferous), [[Temperate broadleaf and mixed forest|mixed forest]] and [[deciduous]] forest.<ref name="naturalhistory2" />

On the edge of the [[Ungava Bay]] and [[Hudson Strait]] is the [[tundra]], whose flora is limited to a low vegetation of [[lichen]] with only less than 50 growing days a year. The tundra vegetation survives an average annual temperature of {{cvt|-8|C}}. The tundra covers more than 24% of the area of Quebec.<ref name="naturalhistory2" /> Further south, the climate is conducive to the growth of the [[Boreal forest of Canada|Canadian boreal forest]], bounded on the north by the [[taiga]].

[[File:Ecoregions_quebec_map.svg|left|thumb|Different forest areas of Quebec]]
Not as arid as the [[tundra]], the [[taiga]] is associated with the sub-Arctic regions of the [[Canadian Shield]]<ref name="types veg2">{{cite web|title=Types de végétations du Québec|url=http://www.mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/forets/connaissances/connaissances-inventaire-zones.jsp|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827041242/http://www.mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/forets/connaissances/connaissances-inventaire-zones.jsp|archive-date=August 27, 2011|access-date=June 22, 2011|work=Types of vegetation and climatic zones of Quebec|publisher=Government of Quebec|language=fr}}</ref> and is characterized by a greater number of both plant (600) and animal (206) species, many of which live there all year. The taiga covers about 20% of the area of Quebec.<ref name="naturalhistory2" /> The [[Boreal forest of Canada|Canadian boreal forest]] is the northernmost and most abundant of the three forest areas in Quebec that straddle the [[Canadian Shield]] and the upper [[Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands|lowlands]] of the province. Given a warmer climate, the diversity of organisms is also higher, since there are about 850 plant species and 280 [[vertebrate]]s species. The [[Boreal forest of Canada|Canadian boreal forest]] covers 27% of the area of Quebec.<ref name="naturalhistory2" /> The [[mixed forest]] is a transition zone between the Canadian boreal and [[deciduous forest]]s. By virtue of its transient nature, this area contains a diversity of habitats resulting in large numbers of plant (1000) and [[vertebrate]] (350) species, despite relatively cool temperatures. The ecozone [[mixed forest]] covers 11.5% of Quebec and is characteristic of the [[Laurentides|Laurentians]], the [[Chaudière-Appalaches|Appalachians]] and the eastern [[Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands|lowlands]] forests.<ref name="types veg2" /> The third most northern forest area is characterized by [[deciduous forest]]s. Because of its climate (average annual temperature of {{cvt|7|C|disp=sqbr}}), it is in this area that one finds the greatest diversity of species, including more than 1600 [[vascular plants]] and 440 [[vertebrate]]s. Its relatively long growing season lasts almost 200 days and its fertile soils make it the centre of agricultural activity and therefore of urbanization of Quebec. Most of Quebec's population lives in this area of vegetation, almost entirely along the banks of the Saint Lawrence. Deciduous forests cover approximately 6.6% of Quebec.<ref name="naturalhistory2" />

The forest area of Quebec is estimated at {{cvt|750300|sqkm}}.<ref name="domaine_forestier2">{{cite web|author=Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune|title=Domaine forestier|url=http://www.mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/forets/quebec/quebec-milieu.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406114232/http://www.mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/forets/quebec/quebec-milieu.jsp|archive-date=April 6, 2012|access-date=August 19, 2007|publisher=Government of Quebec|language=fr}}</ref> From the [[Abitibi-Témiscamingue]] to the [[Côte-Nord|North Shore]], the forest is composed primarily of conifers such as the [[Abies balsamea|balsam fir]], the [[jack pine]], the [[Picea glauca|white spruce]], the [[Picea mariana|black spruce]] and the [[Larix laricina|tamarack]]. Some species of deciduous trees such as the [[Betula alleghaniensis|yellow birch]] appear when the river is approached in the south. The [[deciduous forest]] of the [[Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands]] is mostly composed of deciduous species such as the [[Acer saccharum|sugar maple]], the [[Acer rubrum|red maple]], the [[Fraxinus americana|white ash]], the [[Fagus grandifolia|American beech]], the [[Juglans cinerea|butternut (white walnut)]], the [[Ulmus americana|American elm]], the [[Tilia americana|basswood]], the [[Carya cordiformis|bitternut hickory]] and the [[Quercus rubra|northern red oak]] as well as some conifers such as the [[eastern white pine]] and the [[Thuja occidentalis|northern whitecedar]]. The distribution areas of the [[Betula papyrifera|paper birch]], the [[Populus tremuloides|trembling aspen]] and the [[Sorbus|mountain ash]] cover more than half of Quebec territory.<ref>{{cite web|author=Arboquebecium|title=L'Arboretum du Québec|url=http://www.arboquebecium.com/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707155005/http://www.arboquebecium.com/index.html|archive-date=July 7, 2011|access-date=June 25, 2011|publisher=Arboquebecium.com|language=fr}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Geography|Canada}}
* [[Ecological regions of Quebec]]
* [[Île Rouleau crater]]
* [[Manicouagan Reservoir|Manicouagan crater]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Works cited===
* {{cite book |last=Babin |first=Andrée |title=L'interatlas: Ressources du Québec et du Canada |publisher=Centre éducatif et culturel |year=1986 |isbn=978-2-7617-0317-8}}
* {{cite book |last=Brûlotte |first=Suzanne |title=Les oiseaux du Québec |publisher=Éditions Broquet |year=2009 |isbn=978-2-89654-075-4}}
* {{cite book |last=Ministry of Environment of Quebec |title=Water. Life. Future. National Policy on water |year=2002 |url=http://www.mddep.gouv.qc.ca/eau/politique/politique-integral.pdf |publisher=Government of Quebec |isbn=978-2-550-40074-5}}

{{Quebec topics}}
{{Canada Geography}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Geography Of Quebec}}
[[Category:Geography of Quebec| ]]