_
Manitoba
Bordered by Ontario, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, Hudson
Bay and the United States, Manitoba is one of the three Prairie
provinces and is located in the centre of Canada.
Its 650 000 km2 of
landscape offer few extremes. Manitoba is known as the land of
100,000 lakes, a legacy of enormous Lake Agassiz, which covered much
of the province after the glaciers retreated.
The Economy
The early provincial
economy was based on agriculture, with manufacturing and
transportation later becoming vital sectors. Manitoba now has a
diversified economy, but the services sector is the most important.
The central location of the province makes Manitoba an attractive
base for a wide variety of services, notably in transportation and
wholesale distribution.
Manufacturing is the
largest goods-producing economic sector. Food and transportation
equipment have long been the leading manufacturing industries. Other
important industries are primary and fabricated metals, electrical
goods, clothing and textiles, and printing and publishing.
Agriculture is the
backbone of rural Manitoba, as well as supporting thousands of jobs
in towns and cities. The province is the leading Canadian producer
of flaxseed, sunflower seeds, buckwheat and field peas.
Mining is another
major Manitoba industry, with metals normally accounting for more
than three-quarters of the value of production. Camping grounds,
parks, lakes and rivers as well as historic sites are the principal
attractions for Manitoba's visitors. Tourism also relies on dozens
of community festivals, a number of which have international
reputations.
|
