1,357,812 sq km (524,252 sq miles).

7.6 million (2005 estimate).

5.59 per sq km.

Québec City. Population: 710,700 (estimate, 2004).

The Province of Québec is in the east of Canada, with coasts on the North Atlantic and Hudson and James Bays; the St Lawrence Seaway, the major shipping channel of the Canadian east coast, cuts through the populous south; the cities of Québec and Montréal (Canada’s second-largest city) stand beside it. In the north, the Laurentians resort area has snow-covered mountains in winter and scenic lakes. The far north is a spread of forest and lakes forming one of the largest areas of wilderness in Canada.

French is the official language and 82 per cent of the population speak it as a first language; 35 per cent of the population speak English either as a first language or in addition to French.