Manitoba, Canada

The Canadian province of Manitoba is situated in the middle of the country, in the region known as the Manitoba Plains. As of 2021, its population was estimated at 1,342,153, making it Canada's fifth-most populous province. In the north, you'll find arctic tundra and the Hudson Bay coast, while in the middle and southern regions; you'll find dense boreal forest, huge freshwater lakes, and prairie grasslands.

For millennia, indigenous peoples have lived on the land that is now Manitoba. Settlements were established in the region by British and French fur traders in the early 17th century. The Hudson's Bay Company took control of Rupert's Land in 1673 after the English gained control of the area. As Rupert's Land expanded from 1673 to 1869 to include all of modern-day Manitoba, indigenous and Métis communities in Red River Colony played an important role in the expansion and development of that region. Efforts to form the province of Manitoba began in 1869 with the Canadian government. Negotiations between the Métis and the Canadian government led to an armed rebellion by the Métis known as the Red River Rebellion. On July 15, 1870, the Canadian Parliament passed the Manitoba Act, which resulted in Manitoba becoming the fifth province to join the Canadian Confederation.

City of Winnipeg is Canada's seventh-largest municipality, making it the most populous in Manitoba. Winnipeg, Manitoba's capital city, is home to both the Provincial Court and the Legislative Assembly. Four of Manitoba's five universities, all four of the province's professional sports teams, and the majority of the province's cultural offerings can be found in Winnipeg (including Festival du Voyageur and Folklorama). Aside from the international airport, which serves as the regional headquarters of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NAADC), Winnipeg also has train and bus stations.

Geographical description of  Manitoba

East and west are Ontario and Saskatchewan; north is Nunavut; south is North Dakota and Minnesota. The province of Manitoba is located in central Canada. Water from the Hudson Bay drainage basin flows into Lake Winnipeg and then into Hudson Bay via the Nelson River in Manitoba, which is located in the middle of this basin. This basin's rivers flow west into the mountains, south into the United States, and east into Ontario. Significant waterways include the Red, Assiniboine, Nelson, Winnipeg, Hayes, Whiteshell, and Churchill. On the ancient bed of Glacial Lake Agassiz, much of Manitoba's southern region has grown into a densely populated area. While the Red River Valley is flat and fertile, glaciers have retreated, leaving behind hilly and rocky areas in the province.

More than 110,000 lakes dot the province's 101,593 square kilometers (39,225 square miles) of land, including the saltwater shoreline of Hudson Bay. They include Lake Manitoba, Lake Winnipeg, and the tenth-largest freshwater lake on Earth, known as Lake Winnipeg. UNESCO officially recognized Pimachiowin Aki, a 29,000-square-kilometer (11,000-square-mile) area on the east side of Lake Winnipeg containing traditional First Nations lands and boreal forest, as a World Heritage Site in 2018.

With an elevation of 832 meters (2,740 ft), Baldy Mountain is the province's highest point, while the Hudson Bay coast lies at the province's lowest point. Riding Mountain, the Pembina Hills, Sandilands Provincial Forest, and the Canadian Shield are all examples of upland regions. This province's three provincial parks are located on the Canadian Shield in its sparsely populated northern and eastern regions, on the irregular granite Canadian Shield.

Aside from in the Carrot Valley, where grain is farmed, only the province's southern regions are dominated by agriculture (near The Pas). About 11 percent of the country's farmland is located in the province of Manitoba.

Economy of Manitoba

Despite its relatively robust economy, Manitoba's economy is heavily dependent on its natural resources. It had a GDP of $50,834 billion in 2008. For the third year, the province's economy grew at an annual rate of 2.4% in 2008. In 2006, Manitoba's average individual income was C$25,100 (compared to C$26,500 nationally), placing the province in fifth place among provinces. In Manitoba, the unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in October 2009.

This province relies heavily on its agricultural and tourism industries as well as its oil and mining industries. Wheat farming can be found up to The Pas, but most agricultural activity is concentrated in southern Ontario. Following cattle ranching as the most common form of agricultural production, a wide range of grains and oilseeds are next in line. It's no surprise that Manitoba is the country's largest producer of sunflower seeds and dried beans, as well as a major supplier of potatoes. The city of Portage la Prairie is a major hub for the processing of potatoes. The city is also home to Richardson International, one of the largest oat mills in the world.

The largest employers in Manitoba are government and government-funded institutions, such as crown corporations and public services like hospitals and universities. Large private sector employers include Great-West Life Assurance Company, Cargill Ltd., and Richardson International. Manufacturing and tourism are also strong industries in Manitoba. Polar bear and beluga whale watchers flock to Churchill because of its abundance of Arctic wildlife. Manitoba is home to Churchill, the Arctic's only deep-water port. Churchill is located in Manitoba.

Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) reported in January 2018 that Manitoba had made the greatest progress in reducing bureaucracy.