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Location & Climate

Newfoundland and Labrador is Canada's most easterly province, consisting of the island of Newfoundland and the mainland portion of Labrador. The island is located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the larger Labrador portion is located on the eastern part of the Canadian mainland. The province lies between the 46th and 61st parallels, with the bulk of the island portion below the 50th parallel.

The island of Newfoundland has a more temperate, marine climate. The east coast, not unlike England, is marked by milder temperatures and relatively high precipitation. However, a balance is struck by lush greenery, beautiful coastline and picturesque fishing villages. Central Newfoundland is drier, slightly warmer and marked by wilderness. On the west coast, the Appalachian range has created breathtaking fiords, fertile and scenic valleys and some of the best skiing east of the Rocky Mountains.

Labrador's expanse of pristine lakes, raging rivers and endless mountain ranges make it eastern North America's last untamed frontier. The region's climate sees spring thaw occurring in April with summer starting in mid-June. Temperatures in summer can reach 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) and lows in winter have seen -50 degrees Celsius (-58 degrees Fahrenheit). Labrador winters are much cooler than those of Newfoundland. Although summers are shorter and cooler, extreme high temperatures are not uncommon in Labrador.

Winters on the island are usually mild with a normal temperature of 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit). Summer days range from cool to hot with a normal temperature of 16 degrees Celsius (61 degrees Fahrenheit). The average annual rainfall is 1050 mm (3.4 feet) and the average annual snowfall: 300 cm (9.8 feet).

Geography

Newfoundland and Labrador's unique geography provides an ideal landscape for the outdoor enthusiast. Home to pristine lakes and rivers and a comfortable seasonal climate, and surrounded by clean air and the Atlantic Ocean, you can kayak our winding rivers, cast your line to enjoy sport fishing, hike our majestic mountains or take in some iceberg and whale watching. Our natural landscapes are thrilling in any season. You can ski through a sparkling blanket of snow, snowmobile the lost trails of Labrador or just romp and play in the snow. We offer an environment free for living.

Geography Quick Facts

• Total Area: 405,720 km² (252,103 mi²)
• Area of Newfoundland: 111,390 km² (69,215 mi²)
• Area of Labrador: 294,330 km² (182,888 mi²)
• Water Area: 34,030 km² (21,145 mi²)
• Coastline: 17,542 km (10,900 mi²)

Travel

By Air

With five airports on the island portion of our province, and two airports in Labrador, the province accommodates international flight and customs services to commercial and military airliners and corporate jets as well as industry support for air cargo and transhipment services.

Passenger, charter, cargo and helicopter services are provided by the following companies:

• Scheduled Passenger Service
  • Air Canada
  • Air Labrador
  • Air Transat
  • Provincial Airlines
  • Sky Service
  • WestJet
  • Air Saint-Pierre
  • Continental Airlines
• Helicopter Services
  • Cougar Helicopters
  • Universal Helicopters of Newfoundland & Labrador
  • Canadian Helicopters
• Charters
  • Provincial Airlines Charter Service
• Cargo and Courier
  • Air Canada Cargo
  • Air Labrador Cargo
  • Globe Ground North America
  • Purolator Courier
  • FedEx
  • Sameday Courier
  • Dynamex
  • UPS
  • Provincial Airlines Cargo
  • WestJet Cargo
  • PF Collins Customs Broker Ltd.

Approximate travel times, by air, from St. John's

St. John's is uniquely positioned to provide travelers with a globally accessible point in relation to major world markets.

• London: 5 hours
• New York: 4.5 hours
• Toronto: 3 hours
• Vancouver: 9 hours
• Boston: 3.5 hours

By Land

Newfoundland and Labrador drivers enjoy access to over 9,500 kilometres (5,903 miles) of primary and secondary highways and community access roads which connect rural areas with larger urban centres.

Over 900 kilometres of the roadways in the province are part of the Trans-Canada Highway. The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins all ten provinces of Canada.

Passenger bus service is available province-wide and within city and town centers.

By Sea

Due to its unique geography, a relatively high number of Newfoundland and Labrador communities rely on an intra-provincial ferry service. Each year, the province manages 16 ferry services involving 20 owned or contracted vessels to assist in transporting a combination of people, vehicles and freight to various ports of destination around the island.

For travelers, access by sea off the island to the North American mainland, is provided by Marine Atlantic - a vital marine transportation link across the Cabot Strait between Newfoundland and Labrador and mainland Canada. The company operates two ferry routes. A year-round ferry service is operated on the 96 nautical mile route between Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador and North Sydney, Nova Scotia. During the summer, the company operates a 280 nautical mile route between Argentia, Newfoundland and Labrador and North Sydney, Nova Scotia. To provide this service, Marine Atlantic owns and operates four ocean class vessels: three passenger vessels and a dedicated commercial freight vessel.

International vessels have utilized our ports for more than 500 years. Today, modern berths and cargo terminals, excellent repair facilities, a skilled labour force and modern cargo handling equipment are major attributes of many of our ports. The ports of St. John's, Corner Brook and others throughout the province serve ships of many nations engaged in the transportation of containerized and bulk cargoes, the fishing industry and activities in support of oil exploration and development off Canada's east coast.

In recent years, Newfoundland and Labrador has become a popular port for some of the world's most recognizable cruise lines. Cities such as St. John's and Corner Brook are utilized as a home port for cruise ships on a variety of itineraries that cruise Newfoundland and Labrador, and as a port of call for vessels on North Atlantic, Transatlantic, and Canada-New England routes.

Time Zones

Newfoundland is located in a time zone unique in North America. It is half an hour later than Atlantic Time, one and a half hours later than Central Canada and four and a half hours later than the west coast of the country.

It's the only place in Canada with a split in the set variations of one hour between time zones. Labrador operates on Atlantic Time, except for the portion between L'Anse au Clair and Norman Bay, which is on Newfoundland time.