II.

Physical Geography

Prince Edward Island has an area of 5,660 sq km (2,185 sq mi). Apart from small ponds, there are virtually no inland bodies of fresh water. The province is about 230 km (about 140 mi) long and from 6 to 60 km (4 to 40 mi) wide. The shoreline is deeply indented by tidal inlets. Along the southern and eastern coasts, embayed river mouths offer excellent harbors, such as the harbor at Charlottetown. Few places on the island are further than 8 km (5 mi) from the sea or a tidal inlet. Along the northern coast, an almost continuous line of dunes and sandbars block the harbor entrances.

A.

Landforms

Prince Edward Island lies in a portion of the Gulf of St. Lawrence Plain, which is a subdivision of the Appalachian Region, a landform that dominates eastern North America. Structurally, the Gulf of St. Lawrence Plain is a low basin, and most of the island consists of gently rolling plains. Few areas on the island exceed 60 m (200 ft) in elevation. The highest point on the island, in the Bonshaw Hills, rises to 142 m (466 ft) above sea level. The northern side of the island has fine white beaches and is protected from the sea by dunes. The island’s southern side is bordered by low sandstone bluffs, averaging about 6 m (20 ft) high.

Long ago, Prince Edward Island was buried under a thick glacier, which left a deep mantle of sandy-red glacial debris. The soils that developed on this mantle, known as podzals, are moist, acidic, and comparatively low in plant nutrients. However, over large sections where they have been cared for and where organic material has been added, the soils support many types of agriculture.

B.

Climate

Its maritime location gives Prince Edward Island a milder climate than might ordinarily be expected at its northerly latitude. The climate is very humid. In Charlottetown average temperatures range from a high of 23°C (74°F) to a low of 14°C (57°F) in July, the warmest month. In January, the coldest month, temperatures range from a high of -3°C (26°F) to a low of -12°C (10°F). The average annual precipitation is 1,200 mm (47 in), and residents can expect an average of 3.4 m (11 ft) of snow each year. About 150 days each year are free of frost.

In winter ice covers Northumberland Strait and parts of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and icebreakers must be used to keep sea lanes open. Drift ice can be found in offshore waters as late as the end of May, making maritime travel difficult for the province’s fishers.

C.

Plant Life

Nearly 50 percent of Prince Edward Island is forested. There are few large wooded tracts, and most of the forested land is preserved in small woodlots that are privately owned. Little is left of the island’s original forests, which consisted mainly of deciduous trees. Today, coniferous trees predominate, including spruce and pine, although maple, beech, oak, ash, elm, and other deciduous species are also found. Wildflowers include mayflowers, devil’s paintbrush, and primroses. Irish moss, a type of seaweed, grows in some coastal waters.

D.

Animal Life

The island’s large animals, including black bear, wildcat, and caribou, disappeared after European settlement. Some smaller animals remain, such as foxes, snowshoe hares, mink, muskrats, and weasels. Birds are numerous and include geese, ducks, pheasant, partridge, and snipe. The island’s rivers support many kinds of fish, including brook trout, perch, and Atlantic salmon. In the offshore waters are clams, oysters, scallops, lobsters, cod, mackerel, and herring.

E.

Environmental Issues

Prince Edward Island has several significant environmental problems. The most important one is soil erosion caused by agricultural practices, including the overuse of crop and grazing lands, a heavy reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and the removal of hedgerows to maximize useable agricultural area. As a result of these practices, wind and water erosion have damaged some of the island’s best agricultural lands and led to problems with silting in many streams. Beginning in 1999 the provincial government implemented a sustainable agriculture program emphasizing improved crop rotation, livestock fencing and watering to limit grazing damage, hedgerow establishment, and other measures. Another environmental problem is water pollution caused by agricultural runoff, municipal sewage, and leaks from underground petroleum storage tanks.