Natural Resources Canada
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Shield Physiographic Regions
Abstract
Canada’s landscape is very diversified and comprises several distinctive areas, called physiographic regions, each of which has its own topography and geology. This map shows the location of the Shield physiographic regions.
The physical geography of Canada comprises two great parts: the Shield and the Borderlands. The Shield consists of a core of old, massive, Precambrian crystalline rocks. The landscape of the Shield has been levelled by many long periods of erosion and presents an even, monotonous skyline interrupted by rounded or flat-topped summits and ranges of hills. The surface of the Shield is mainly the result of glaciation, and a great proportion of it is covered by water in the form of lakes, ponds and swamps. The most outstanding characteristic of the Shield is the similarity of the terrain, whether you are in Labrador, northern Quebec and Ontario, or the Northwest Territories.
The Shield is divided into five great regions:
Each of these five regions is divided by subareas, and each of these subareas has its own geological characteristics.
Other Maps in this Series:
- Land Cover Map | Read about this map
- Permafrost Map | Read about this map
- Plant Hardiness Zones Map | Read about this map
- Relief Map | Read about this map
- World Heritage Sites Map | Read about this map
- Surficial Materials Map | Read about this map
- Physiographic Regions Map | Read about this map
- Borderlands: Arctic Physiographic Regions Map | Read about this map
- Borderlands: Cordilleran Physiographic Region Map | Read about this map
- Borderlands: Interior Plains Physiographic Region Map | Read about this map
- Borderlands: Eastern Physiographic Regions Map | Read about this map
