I.

Introduction

Québec (city), capital of the province of Québec, Canada, in Québec County, located at the confluence of the St. Lawrence and Saint Charles rivers in the southern part of the province. Québec is dominated by a dramatic promontory, Cap Diamant (Cape Diamond), situated 98 m (320 ft) above a narrowing of the St. Lawrence River; the city’s name is from an Algonquian word meaning “where the river narrows.” It is the only fortified city in North America north of Mexico and was chosen as a world heritage site by the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Québec has long, cold winters and short, mild summers. The average daily temperature range is -17°C (1°F) to -8°C (18°F) in January and 13°C (56°F) to 25°C (77°F) in July.