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The Canadian Constitution Act of 1791 established two provinces: Upper Canada (primarily English-speaking Ontario), and Lower Canada (primarily French-speaking Québec) with Québec City as its capital. The British army crushed the Québec Patriot Rebellion of 1837-1838 and in 1841, the Act of Union united Upper and Lower Canada. In 1867, the British North America Act was signed and established the Confederation of Canadian Provinces including Québec, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
Almost completely surrounded by water, Quebec is three times the size of France and seven times that of Great Britain, making it the largest of Canada's provinces.
Most of the population of the province (about 6 million) are descended from colonists who came from France in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Québec has three distinct climates: the humid continental climate in the region covered by boreal forest (south of the 50th parallel), the subarctic climate in the taiga region (between the 50th-58th parallels), and the arctic climate of Nunavik, the tundra region above the 58th parallel, home of the Inuit.
Symbols:
- Official Flower - The blue flag (Iris versicolor Linné)
- Official Bird - The snowy owl (Nyctea scandiaca)
- Official Tree - Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton)
- Official Motto - "Je me souviens" (I remember)
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