Québec

Québec Province in e Canada; the second-largest province in area and in population; the capital is Québec and the largest city is Montréal. Most of the province, however, is on the Canadian Shield and is relatively uninhabited. In 1535, Jacques Cartier landed on the Gaspé Peninsula of e Canada, and in 1536 he sailed up the St Lawrence River. In 1608, Samuel de Champlain established the first settlement on the present-day site of Québec City. It served as headquarters for the fur-traders' exploration of the interior. Following the French and Indian Wars (1754–63), Britain gained French Canada in the Treaty of Paris (1763). Québec retained its distinctive French culture. The Constitution Act of 1791 separated off the area w of the Ottawa River as the colony of Upper Canada (now Ontario). Québec became the British colony of Lower Canada. The revolt (1837) led by Louis Papineau saw the appointment of the Earl of Durham. With the establishment of the Dominion of Canada in 1867, Québec became a province. In the late 20th century, the French-speaking inhabitants of the province intensified their demands for recognition of their cultural heritage, including complete independence. In a 1995 referendum, a small majority of the population voted against independence. The lowlands by the St Lawrence River are the centre of industry and agriculture; the province's small farms provide vegetables, tobacco and dairy produce. Québec produces much hydroelectric power and timber. Copper, iron, zinc, asbestos and gold are mined. Area: 1,540,687sq km (594,860sq mi). Pop. (2001) 7,237,479.

http://www.gouv.qc.ca