|
 |
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Halifax Regional Municipality is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada, making it the seat of the provincial Crown. The municipality is commonly called HRM or informally, Halifax.
The population in 2006 was 372,679; the urban area of HRM had a population of 282,924, giving the municipality the largest urban area in the Atlantic Canada and largest population centre in Canada east of Quebec City.
HRM's urban area is a major economic centre in eastern Canada with a large concentration of government services and private sector companies. Major employers and economic generators include the Department of National Defense, various levels of government, and the Port of Halifax. Agriculture, fishing, mining, forestry and natural gas extraction are major resource industries found in the rural areas of HRM.
 Halifax Panorama
History
The area comprising present-day Halifax County was settled for thousands of years by the Mi'kmaq. Those who settled on Halifax Harbour called it Jipugtug (anglicised as "Chebucto"), meaning Great Harbour. The first permanent European settlement in the area was the
establishment of the Town of Halifax in 1749 when the colonial
capital was transferred from Annapolis Royal; other towns and villages were established throughout adjacent areas of what would become Halifax County in the decades that followed.
In 1996 the provincial government amalgamated all municipal governments within Halifax County to create HRM, a regional municipality comprising approximately 200 individual communities or place-names for civic addressing grouped into 18 planning areas for zoning purposes.
Geography & climate
 Saint Mary's University
The coastline is heavily indented, accounting for its length of approximately 400 kilometers (250 mi), with the northern boundary usually being between 50-60 kilometers (30-37 mi) inland. The coast is mostly rock with small isolated sand beaches in sheltered bays. The municipality's topography spans from lush farmland in the Musquodoboit Valley to rocky and heavily forested rolling hills.
HRM's climate is heavily influenced by its location on Nova Scotia's Atlantic coast. The weather is usually milder or cooler than that of central Canada, with the temperature remaining between about -15°C and 35°C (5°F to 95°F) inland but the coast can be milder in the winter and cooler in the summer with the maritime influence.
Economy
 The Town Clock on Citadel Hill
Agriculture, fishing, mining, forestry and natural gas extraction are major resource industries found in the rural areas of HRM. HRM's largest agricultural district is in the Musquodoboit Valley; the total number of farms in HRM is 150, of which 110 are family-owned. Fishing harbors are located along all coastal areas with some having an independent harbor authority, and others being managed as small craft harbors under the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Other resource industries in HRM include the natural gas fields off the coast of Sable Island, as well as clay, shale, gold, limestone, and gypsum extraction in rural areas of the mainland portion of the municipality.
Transportation
Ocean
Halifax Harbour is a multi-service port with 1500 vessels calling Halifax annually, as well as the navy and coast guard. It also hosts a public ferry service connecting the urban core.
 Cargo Terminal, Halifax Harbour
Rail
The Halifax Port Authority's various shipping terminals constitute the eastern terminus of Canadian National Railway's transcontinental network. CN provides on-dock daily train service to Montreal, Toronto, Chicago, and Detroit.
Air
Halifax Stanfield International Airport serves HRM and most of the province, providing scheduled flights to domestic and international destinations. It is the 7th busiest airport in Canada by passenger traffic. In 2008, the airport handled a total of 3,578,931 passengers and 89,250 aircraft movements in 2007.
|
|
Back to top