Introduction to Cape Breton Island

An island in the Atlantic Ocean of North America. Located in the eastern part of Nova Scotia, Canada, it is separated from the mainland by the narrow Canso Strait and is connected to the mainland by a causeway for trains. It covers an area of ??about 10,000 square kilometers. The Scots immigrated here in 1800, and many Scottish customs and habits are still preserved on the island. Lake Brador almost bisects the island. The industrial area is located in the east of the island, with coal and iron mining, forming Sydney, the steel industry center, and Cape Breton Island University. The western part of the island is a grain and vegetable growing area, and there is a sheep farming industry. The fishing and timber industries are also important. Tourism is on the rise. There is a memorial to Alexander Bell, the inventor of the telephone, in Baddek on the shores of Lake Brador. Fort Louis National Historic Park contains the ruins of an eighteenth-century French fort. Incorporated into Nova Scotia in 1820. The northeastern island of Nova Scotia, Canada. It faces the rest of the province and the Canadian mainland across the Strait of Canso to the southwest, the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Cabot Strait to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, and the Northumberland Strait to the west. ). The island is 175 kilometers (11 miles) long, 120 kilometers (75 miles) wide at its widest point, and covers an area of ??10,311 square kilometers (3,981 square miles). It consists of 4 counties: Cape Breton, Inverness, Richmond and Victoria. The coastline of the entire island is tortuous, with most of the area being forested and hilly. The northern part is the Cape Breton Highlands, with the highest altitude being 532 meters (1,745 feet) above sea level. There is Lake Brador in the island. The island was originally a French colony. It was ceded to Britain in 1763 and became part of Nova Scotia. In 1784, it became a colony directly under the British crown. In 1820, it was placed under the jurisdiction of Nova Scotia.

Economic activities include coal mining, logging, fishing and summer tourism. In 1955, the embankment across the Strait of Canso was completed, connecting the island directly to the mainland and becoming the eastern terminus of the Trans-Canada Highway and the Canadian National Railway. Population: 135,974 (2011).