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life in ST JOHN'S has focused on the harbour. In its heyday it was crammed with ships from a score of nations, but today - although its population is about 105,000 - it's a shadow of its former self, with just the odd oil tanker or trawler creeping through the 200-metre-wide channel of The Narrows into the jaw-shaped inlet. Once a rumbustious port, it's become a far more subdued place, the rough houses of the waterfront mostly replaced by shops and offices, its economy dominated by white-collar workers who are concentrated in a string of downtown skyscrapers and in the Confederation Building, the huge government complex on the western outskirts. Elsewhere, Signal Hill National Historic Site , overlooking The Narrows, has great views back over the city and out across the Atlantic, while the drive out to the rugged shoreline of Cape Spear , the continent's most easterly point, makes for a pleasant excursion, as does the trip to the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve .

Points of interest and major settlements Cod, the traditional mainstay of Newfoundland fisheriesBeing one of the first places discovered in the New World, Newfoundland has a rich history. St. John's is considered to be the oldest city in English speaking North America. Newfoundland is home to two national parks. Gros Morne National Park is located on the west coast of Newfoundland and was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987 due to its complex geology and remarkable scenery. It is the largest national park in Atlantic Canada at 1,805 km² (697 sq. mi.). Terra Nova National Park, on the island's east side, preserves the rugged geography of the Bonavista Bay region and allows visitors to explore the historic interplay of land, sea and man. Stephenville, a town of about 8000, once served as an airport base for the US army in the early 1940s. It is about 20 miles north of its former train station, which is surrounded by the town of Stephenville Crossing. Also on the West Coast, Corner Brook is situated in the Bay of Islands region. The major industry in Corner Brook is newsprint manufacturing, and is serviced by the Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Mill. Sandy Point, which is located in Bay Saint George and north of the town of St. George's, was the first and largest settlement of the west coast. However, the last settler, Alphonsus Swyers, was forced to abandon in 1973. Island of NewfoundlandBarachois Brook Park is a provincial park that is considered to be a model forest. Marble Mountain is a major attraction in the winter for skiers. It is said to be the best skiing east of the Rocky Mountains. In March, the annual seal hunt (of the harp seal) takes place. Newfoundland is also host to a well-recognized university, Memorial University of Newfoundland, based in St. John's. Newfoundland, 1800 miles from Ireland, is the only place outside Europe to have its own distinctive name in the Irish language; Talamh an Éisc, literally translated to English as 'Land of the Fish'. Newfoundland (French: Terre-Neuve; Irish: Talamh an Éisc; Latin: Terra Nova) is a large island off the northeast coast of North America, and the most populous part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The island of Newfoundland (originally called Terra Nova) was most likely first named by the Italian John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto) in 1497, which would make it the oldest European name in North America. The province where this island is located was also called Newfoundland up until 2001, when its name was changed to Newfoundland and Labrador (the postal abbreviation was simultaneously changed from NF to NL). Newfoundland is separated from the Labrador Peninsula by the Strait of Belle Isle and from Cape Breton Island by the Cabot Strait. It blocks the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River, creating the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, the world's largest estuary. Newfoundland's nearest neighbour is the small French overseas community of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. It is 111,390 km2 in area, making it the world's 15th largest island. The provincial capital, St. John's, is found on the southeastern tip of the island. Cape Spear, just south of the capital, is Canada's easternmost point. The island of Newfoundland has an approximate population of 485,000. Newfoundland is pronounced by Newfoundlanders as new-fin-land or new-fun-land and take exception to it being pronounced with the last syllable slurred, (as new-found-l'nd). Newfoundland has a dialect of English known as Newfoundland English, a dialect of French known as Newfoundland French and a dialect of Irish known as Newfoundland Irish.

Background:

A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Its paramount political problem continues to be the relationship of the province of Quebec, with its French-speaking residents and unique culture, to the remainder of the country.

Population:

32,507,874 (July 2004 est.)

Languages:

English 59.3% (official), French 23.2% (official), other 17.5%

Currency:	Canadian dollar (CAD)
Currency code:	CAD
Exchange rates:	Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.4 (2003), 1.57 (2002), 1.55 (2001), 1.49 (2000), 1.49 (1999)