GEOGRAPHY. 109 



region. The most important point in Russian America is tiie settlement of 

 New Archangel on the island of Sitka. The British territory embraces 

 278,816 square geographical miles, with about 2,500,000 inhabitants, and is 

 divided into twenty districts, although the only settlements are those in the 

 vicinity of the scattered forts and factories of the Hudson's Bay Company. 



3. British North America. 



In addition to New Britain just referred to, the following territories of 

 North America belong to Great Britain, amounting to 327,424 square 

 geographical miles, with 1,620,000 inhabitants. 



1. Canada, with 347,812 square statute miles, and 1,165,000 inhabitants, 

 is divided into Lower and Upper Canada, or Canada East and Canada 

 West. About 30,000 of the inhabitants are descended from the Aborigines 

 of the country, the rest are of European origin (French, English, Scotch, 

 &c.) The majority of the inhabitants of Lower Canada are of French 

 extraction, and profess the Catholic religion. The Governor of Canada, who 

 is at the same time Governor General of all British America, shares the 

 government with a parliament composed of a legislative council and a 

 house of assembly. The most important towns are, in Lower Canada ; 

 Montreal (former capital), pop. 40,000, and Quebec with 40,000 ; in Upper 

 Canada, Toronto (present capital), with 11,000, and Kingston with 12,00(1'. 

 The present Governor of Canada and Captain General of all the British 

 Provinces of North America is Lord Elgin. 2. New Brunswick, 27,700 

 square statute miles, pop. 156,000 (mostly English), situated to the east of 

 Lower Canada, capital Fredericktown, with 5000 inhabitants. St. John's, 

 the chief place of trade, has 15,000 inhabitants. Present Lieutenant 

 Governor, Sir W. Colebrooke. 3. Nova Scotia and Cape Breton, both 

 together of 17,500 square statute miles in area, with 200,000 inhabitants ; capital 

 Halifax, with 20,000 inhabitants. Pictou and Sidney are important towns. 

 Sir John Harvey, Lieutenant Governor. 4. Prince Edward's Island, area 

 2134 square statute miles, pop. 34,666, capital Charlottetown, Lieutenant 

 Governor, H. V. Huntley. 5. Newfoundland, separated from Labrador by the 

 Straits of Belleisle, area 35,913 square statute miles, pop. 90,000, of mixed 

 French and English descent, capital St. John's. The large island of Anti- 

 costi, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, belongs here. The neighboring islands 

 of St. Pierre and Miquelon, with 2000 inhabitants, belong to France. 6. 

 The Bermuda Islands, situated nearly 500 miles from the coast, amount in 

 number to about 400, of which only five are inhabited, namely St. George 

 (cap. Georgetown), Bermuda, St. David, Ireland, and Somerset. 



4. The United States of America. 



The vast territory belonging to the United States is included between 

 the parallels of 25° and 49^ N. lat., and the meridians of 67° and 125° of 



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