Climate: in the Saint-Lawrence valley: colder than Central Europe because of the Arctic air mass moving down from the north. Heavy precipitation throughout the year. Harsh winters (120 to 140 days below zero), warm, sometimes torrid summers due to the tropical air mass moving up from the south. Above the forest belt is the desolate region of the tundra, with long, severe winters (six months of temperatures below zero), short, cool summers (max. ten degrees). Fairly light precipitation.

Terrain: right bank of the Saint-Lawrence; Appalachian mountains. Plainland along the Saint-Lawrence. Canadian Shield to the north; rounded hills, lakes and marshland. Ill-suited to farming. Tundra to the north, and elsewhere coniferous forests and numerous lakes.

Farmland: 7.7%

Natural resources: wood, paper, food products, gold, copper, zinc, silver, iron, asbestos, nickel, platinum, uranium, methane, lead.

Agriculture: fruits, vegetables, tobacco, potatoes, sugar beet, oil-producing seeds, cereals, livestock rearing, beef.

Agriculture: fruits, vegetables, tobacco, potatoes, sugar beet, oil-producing seeds, cereals, livestock rearing, beef.

Vegetation: 4 types of vegetation, from the north to the south.

• Tundra - lichen heath and moss; no trees or shrubs.
• Taiga - forested in sheltered areas; stunted trees; 95% black spruce.
• Boreal forest - conifers: black spruce, white spruce, larch (or red spruce), jack pine, balsam fir, and hardwoods (mainly birch). Toward the south, in Laurentian Park and the area of the Chic-Choc Mountains, in the Gaspé, balsam fir predominates.
• Mixed forest - hardwoods: maple (the most prevalent), yellow birch, beech, ash, basswood, elm. Conifers: balsam fir, cedar and larch on sandy soil.