QUEBEC, a province of the Dominion of Canada, formerly called Canada East; bounded on the N. by Labrador and Hudson Bay; on the E. by Labrador and the Gulf of St. Lawrence; on the S. by New Brunswick, Chaleurs Bay, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York; on the S. W. and W. by the prov ince of Ontario; gross area, 706,834 square miles; pop. about 2,500,000; cap ital, Quebec. The surface of the prov ince is varied, being diversified by moun tains, rivers, lakes, and extensive forests. The chief mountains are the Notre Dame or Shickshock Mountains, with peaks rising to the height of 4,000 feet; and the Laurentian Mountains, or Lauren tides, The chief river is the St. Law rence, which flows through the entire length of the province. Next to it in importance is its chief tributary, the Ottawa. over 700 miles in length. There are many beautiful lakes, the chief be ing Grand Lake, Temiscamangue, and Lake St. John.
Minerals.—Copper is mined in Brome and Megantic counties; gold in Beauce; iron ore in St. Maurice; and nickel in Pontiac. The other mineral productions include asbestos, apatite, plumbago, mica, slate-stone, etc.
Fisheries.—The total value of fish sold in 1917 was almost $3,000,000. The catch consisted principally of cod, mack erel, lobsters, salmon, and herring.
Agriculture.—About half of the pop ulation of Quebec is engaged in agricul ture. The chief products include maize, buckwheat, tobacco, peas, turnips, barley, wheat, oats, potatoes, and hay. Spruce and pine are exported and the other for est products include ash, cedar, cherry, oak, elm, maple, birch, and beech. Cat
tle, horses, swine, and sheep are the principal domestic animals.
Goverxnient.—The affairs of the prov ince are administered by a Lieutenant General, appointed by the Governor General of Canada, assisted by a respon sible executive council. There are two Chambers, the Legislative Council, com posed of 24 members who hold their ap pointments for life, and a Legislative Assembly, which has 81 members, elected by the people for five years.
Education.—The school system of Quebec provides for compulsory attend ance between the ages of 5 and 16. There are three universities: McGill, Lennoxville, and Laval, and over 8,000 elementary and other schools. There is a total enrollment of about 500,000 pupils.
History.—Quebec was the earliest set tled part of Canada. In 1534 Jacques Cartier explored Gaspe Peninsula and the Bay of Chaleurs, and in the follow ing year he explored the St. Lawrence river as far as Montreal. The city of Quebec was founded by Champlain in 1608, who later established trading sta tions and forts at various places. The French governed Quebec till 1759, when General Wolfe won the battles of the Plains of Abraham, and the English gained control. Prior to 18-11 Quebec was called Lower Canada, but in that year it was united to Upper Canada. It was made a province of the Dominion of Canada (q. v.) in 1867 by the Act of Confederation.