Hudson Bay Lowlands
Encyclopedia
The Hudson Bay Lowlands is a large, poorly drained piece of wetland
s wedged between the Canadian Shield
and southern shores of Hudson Bay
and James Bay
. Many wide and slow-moving rivers flow through this area toward the salt water of Hudson Bay. Mosquitoes and black flies thrive here. This is a sparsely populated region. There are a few small First Nations
settlements on the southern shore of Hudson Bay at places like Moose Factory, Moosonee, and Fort Severn
. The Lowlands also make up a portion of Canada's oil and natural gas production.
and Cree
most likely came into contact with the region but did not populate the region due to the harsh, undesirable conditions and poor drainage patterns of the area. When Europeans arrived in the area, The Hudson's Bay Company set up trading posts such as Rankin Inlet, some of which remain populated until today. However, these never grew into sizable towns, again because of the poor living conditions and climate. To this day, not all of the lowlands have been properly explored.
. The region is located in the extreme north of Ontario, on the border with Nunavut
and covers around 25 percent of Ontario's total land area (approximately 227,400 km²). The climate of the region depends largely on the water surface of the bay, which heats rapidly in the summer, breaking ice and bringing rains to the lowlands which let the sparse forested areas flourish and cause floods in the swampy wetlands, which form the majority of the region. In the winter the bay freezes over again, bringing freezing temperatures and winds which make the lowlands such an undesirable place to live.
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s wedged between the Canadian Shield
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield, also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien , is a vast geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton. It is an area mostly composed of igneous rock which relates to its long volcanic history...
and southern shores of Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
and James Bay
James Bay
James Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean. James Bay borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bay are part of Nunavut...
. Many wide and slow-moving rivers flow through this area toward the salt water of Hudson Bay. Mosquitoes and black flies thrive here. This is a sparsely populated region. There are a few small First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
settlements on the southern shore of Hudson Bay at places like Moose Factory, Moosonee, and Fort Severn
Fort Severn, Ontario
Fort Severn First Nation is located on Hudson Bay and is the most northern community in Ontario, Canada.As of 2001, the population was 401, consisting of 90 families in an area of 40 square kilometres...
. The Lowlands also make up a portion of Canada's oil and natural gas production.
Early discovery and exploration
The local OjibwaOjibwa
The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...
and Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
most likely came into contact with the region but did not populate the region due to the harsh, undesirable conditions and poor drainage patterns of the area. When Europeans arrived in the area, The Hudson's Bay Company set up trading posts such as Rankin Inlet, some of which remain populated until today. However, these never grew into sizable towns, again because of the poor living conditions and climate. To this day, not all of the lowlands have been properly explored.
Naming and geography
The region is named after the nearby bay, Hudson Bay, the second largest in the world. The entire area drains into the bay through rivers such as the Kazan, Dubawnt and ChurchillChurchill River (Hudson Bay)
The Churchill River is a major river in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada. From the head of the Churchill Lake it is 1,609 km long. It was named after John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough and governor of the Hudson's Bay Company from 1685 to 1691...
. The region is located in the extreme north of Ontario, on the border with Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
and covers around 25 percent of Ontario's total land area (approximately 227,400 km²). The climate of the region depends largely on the water surface of the bay, which heats rapidly in the summer, breaking ice and bringing rains to the lowlands which let the sparse forested areas flourish and cause floods in the swampy wetlands, which form the majority of the region. In the winter the bay freezes over again, bringing freezing temperatures and winds which make the lowlands such an undesirable place to live.