Geography
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Joie de vivre
Deeply rooted in the soil of North America and fiercely proud of its French heritage, Québec is a delightful blend of the Old and New World. Its enthusiastic and friendly people are known for their passion, spontaneity and unique joie de vivre.
A proud heritage
French is the language used by the majority of Québecers, although English is spoken or understood almost everywhere in the province, particularly in the large urban centres. Québec’s dual Catholic/Protestant heritage can be seen everywhere you look, especially in its religious architecture and art. Over the years, many other groups from around the world have arrived to complete the religious tapestry, joining the descendants of the French and English settlers who came before them.Québec has a population of approximately seven million people, the vast majority of whom live in the vicinity of the St. Lawrence River. Nearly 70,000 Amerindians, belonging to 10 different nations, along with 9,000 Inuit, live in approximately 50 villages spread throughout the territory of Québec.
The creative impulse
By reason of its history and culture, Québec has forged a unique and unaffected personality. Québecers enjoy fine dining and having a good time, as can be seen from the very busy calendar of festivals and other events. As a place where both European and North American cultural influences play out, Québec has long been typified by an incredibly fertile creative energy and cultural vitality—as evidenced by its literature, theatrical productions, paintings, sculpture, and arts and crafts. The numerous festivals that take place each year showcase the tremendous quality of Québec’s cultural output, not to mention the close ties that bind its creative artists with those elsewhere in the world.
