Québec, Quebec

General Information:

Location: Eastern Canada
Capital: Quebec City
Language(s): French
Population: 8,552,362
Total Area: 1,542,055 sq km
Curious Alcohol Fact: Fine French wines like Seyval and Québec L’Orpailleur are widely available.
Most Popular Drink(s): Wines, beers and maple syrup – best enjoyed with our Quebec shot glass souvenirs
Nickname(s): La Belle Province (The Beautiful Province)
What You Must Do in Quebec: Try a few French phrases and if you can speak Français fluently, you will make many friends.

Quebec Travel Video

Video Courtesy: GioEsprit25

The Province

Located in the Eastern Canada, Quebec is a unique province. This becomes obvious when one sees it as the only province in the country where the population is principally French-speaking and the only one with French as its only single official language.

In terms of area, Quebec is the largest of all the provinces with more than one and half million square kilometers. To the north of the province is the famed Hudson Strait while it is bounded to the west by Ontario and Hudson Bay. The Gulf of Saint Lawrence, one of the most important waterways in the world and the provinces of New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador form its eastern border.

To the south, Quebec shares borders with the following American states: Vermont, New York, Maine and New Hampshire. As far as population is concerned, only Ontario has more people than Quebec. The capital of this province is Quebec City although the largest city is Montreal, which forms part of the Greater Montreal Metropolitan Area, one of the largest in North America.

The People

French Canadians (Canadiens) and those with French ancestry dominate the province making up almost 70% of the population. Unlike what happens in other provinces in the country, the English are a minority in Quebec with Italians and Irish being more.

There is also a sizeable number of native North Americans many of whom settle on government-reserved areas. Other groups are the Scottish, German and Quebecois. Over 95% of the Quebeckers speak and/or understand French and as such, French is the official language of the province. English is not an official language in Quebec.

Christianity is the major religion in the province with many of the residents adhering to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. There is also a tiny population of Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, Buddhists and Hindus.

Eating

If you are going to Quebec with the idea of devouring meals with French taste, you will not be disappointed. The most popular of these French-styled foods is the tourtiére. This special meat pie is one of the most delicious things you will eat in Canada.

Very popular in French-Canadian homes, tourtiére is made from pork, beef, mutton or even fish. It all depends on the recipe and your location. If you are lucky enough to visit Quebec during the Christmas or New Year celebrations, you will have the opportunity to sample all forms of the meat pie. Very rich and tasty, it is popular all over the country and even in the United States.

You can also enjoy roast turkey, baked beans and pea soups in eateries. My hosts spoiled me with a spicy stew of Atlantic cod! Delicious, I must say.

Drinking

Apart from the traditional maple syrup, you can ‘wash down’ your meal of roast turkey with fine French wines and one popular brand is the Québec L’Orpailleur. Beers are also available but are sold to those who are 19 and above.

Quebec souvenirs

Moreover, Quebec, with its several iconic symbols and landmarks, has always been and remains one of the most popular places to purchase souvenirs. However, among the many options of Quebec-themed souvenirs, shot glasses are considered particularly and intriguing items for collecting or gifting.

Interesting Facts

Celine Dion is a Quebecker.
French is the official language in the province.
There is actually a border dispute between Quebec and Labrador.
The province has some of the largest reserves of the world’s fresh water.
The peregrine falcon, the fastest bird in the world is one of the many birds found in the province.
Quebec is a global leader in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.
The province of Quebec is very rich in solid minerals like gold and titanium.

Story By World By Shotglass
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Special thanks to our contributors:
Adebayo Ahmed Adebola (Ilorin, Nigeria)
Jacques Trempe (Quebec, Canada)http://www3.sympatico.ca/jacquest/photo.htm