Map of Québec
Québec is a first-level division of Canada. Its largest mapped city is Montréal, with about 3.68 million people in the metropolitan area. The interactive map below is centred on Québec, and the tables list its 40 mapped cities along with the mountains, dams, lakes, ports, World Heritage Sites nearest to them.
- Cities Mapped
- 40
- Largest City
- Montréal
- Country
- Canada
- Highest Point Mapped
- 1,268 m
Interactive Map of Québec
About Québec
Quebec (French: Québec) is Canada's largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, it is the country's only Francophone-majority province. It is home to speakers of Québécois French. It shares borders with Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, New Brunswick to the southeast and a coastal border with the territory of Nunavut. To the south, it borders the United States. Quebec has a population of around eight million, making it Canada's second-most populous province, behind Ontario.
Between 1534 and 1763, what became Quebec was the French colony of Canada and was the most developed colony in New France. Following the Seven Years' War, Canada became a British colony, first as the Province of Quebec (1763–1791), then Lower Canada (1791–1841), and lastly part of the Province of Canada (1841–1867) as a result of the Lower Canada Rebellion. It was confederated with Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick in 1867. The Catholic Church played a large role in Quebec's social and cultural institutions until the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s to 1980s increased the role of the Government of Quebec in l'État québécois (the public authority of Quebec).
The Government of Quebec functions within the context of Canada's Westminster system and is both a liberal democracy and a constitutional monarchy. The Premier of Quebec is head of government. Independence debates have played a large role in Quebec politics. Quebec society's cohesion and specificity is based on three of its unique statutory documents: the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, the Charter of the French Language, and the Civil Code of Quebec. Furthermore, unlike the other provinces which use a common-law system, law in Quebec is mixed: private law is exercised under a civil law system, while public law is exercised under a common-law system.
The economy is mainly supported by its large service sector and varied industrial sector.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Quebec (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Québec in Depth
Economy
Quebec has an advanced, market-based, and open economy. In 2022, its gross domestic product (GDP) was US$50,000 per person at purchasing power parity. The economy of Quebec is the 46th largest in the world behind Chile and 29th for GDP per person. Quebec represents 19% of the GDP of Canada. The provincial debt-to-GDP ratio peaked at 51% in 2012–2013, and declined to 43% in 2021.
Like most industrialized countries, the economy is based mainly on the services sector. Quebec's economy has traditionally been fuelled by abundant natural resources and a well-developed infrastructure, but has undergone significant change over the past decade. Firmly grounded in the knowledge economy, Quebec has one of the highest growth rates of GDP in Canada.
Demographics
In the 2021 census, Quebec's population was determined to be 8,501,833, a 4.1% increase from its 2016 population of 8,164,361. With a land area of 1,356,625.27 km2 (523,795.95 sq mi), it had a population density of 6.0/km2 (15.6/sq mi) in 2016. Quebec accounted for a little under 23% of the Canadian population. The largest cities in Quebec are Montreal (1,762,976), Quebec City (538,738), Laval (431,208), and Gatineau (281,501).
In 2016, Quebec's median age was 41.2 years. As of 2020, 20.8% of the population was younger than 20, 59.5% was aged between 20 and 64, and 19.7% was 65 or older. In 2019, Quebec witnessed an increase in the number of births compared to the year before (84,200 vs 83,840) and had a total fertility rate of about 1.6 children born per woman.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Quebec (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Québec: Key Facts
| Population | 8,501,833 (2021) |
|---|---|
| Area | 1,542,056 km² |
| Capital | Quebec City |
| Head of government | Christine Fréchette |
| Highest point | Mount Caubvick |
| Established | 1 July 1867 |
Facts from Wikidata Q176 (CC0).
History of Québec: Empires and States
The atlas records 5 polities whose mapped territory included part of Québec, from Kingdom of France in 1642 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here |
|---|---|
| Kingdom of France | 1642–1761 CE |
| New France | 1642–1761 CE |
| British Colonial Empire | 1721–1931 CE |
| The British Empire | 1721–1931 CE |
| Canada | 1932–2024 CE |
Historical Maps of Québec
Québec on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Québec
Quebec (French: Québec) is a province in Canada, the largest in size and second only to Ontario in population. French is the first language of a majority of Quebecois and the sole official language of the province, making it the only Canadian province that is officially monolingual in French. The provincial capital Quebec City is known for its beautiful and well preserved walled city, while the province's largest city Montreal is cosmopolitan and the second largest city in Canada.
While mostly surrounded by English-speaking lands, Quebec is one of the few parts of North America with a preserved French heritage and language.
While nearly all of the 8 million inhabitants live in southern Quebec, on the plains along the St Lawrence River, the majority of the province consists of sub-arctic forests, where most of the inhabitants belong to the First Nations or Inuit.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Quebec (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Québec
40 cities mapped. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montréal | 3.68 million | Québec | Populated place |
| 2 | Québec | 624,177 | Québec | Admin-1 capital |
| 3 | Sherbrooke | 139,652 | Québec | Populated place |
| 4 | Trois-Rivières | 119,693 | Québec | Populated place |
| 5 | St.-Jerome | 78,439 | Québec | Populated place |
| 6 | Drummondville | 59,489 | Québec | Populated place |
| 7 | Chicoutimi | 53,940 | Québec | Populated place |
| 8 | Shawinigan | 49,161 | Québec | Populated place |
| 9 | Joliette | 45,361 | Québec | Populated place |
| 10 | Victoriaville | 41,500 | Québec | Populated place |
| 11 | Rimouski | 35,584 | Québec | Populated place |
| 12 | Saint-Georges | 26,149 | Québec | Populated place |
| 13 | Sept-Îles | 25,686 | Québec | Populated place |
| 14 | Rouyn-Noranda | 24,602 | Québec | Populated place |
| 15 | Val d'Or | 20,625 | Québec | Populated place |
| 16 | Rivière-du-Loup | 16,403 | Québec | Populated place |
| 17 | Pembroke | 15,551 | Québec | Populated place |
| 18 | Dolbeau | 13,337 | Québec | Populated place |
| 19 | Mont-Laurier | 11,642 | Québec | Populated place |
| 20 | Amos | 10,516 | Québec | Populated place |
| 21 | Baie-Comeau | 10,435 | Québec | Populated place |
| 22 | La Sarre | 7,206 | Québec | Populated place |
| 23 | St-Augustin | 3,961 | Québec | Populated place |
| 24 | Gaspé | 3,677 | Québec | Populated place |
| 25 | Mistassini | 2,645 | Québec | Populated place |
The other 15 (population, region, role)
- Matagami · 1,966 · Québec · Populated place
- Inukjuak · 1,597 · Québec · Populated place
- Cap-Chat · 1,484 · Québec · Populated place
- Kuujjuaq · 1,273 · Québec · Populated place
- Kuujjuarapik · 1,243 · Québec · Populated place
- Natashquan · 722 · Québec · Populated place
- Mingan · 588 · Québec · Populated place
- Kangirsuk · 549 · Québec · Populated place
- Schefferville · 471 · Québec · Populated place
- Eastmain · 335 · Québec · Populated place
- Chevery · 284 · Québec · Populated place
- Radisson · 270 · Québec · Populated place
- Port-Menier · 263 · Québec · Populated place
- Ivugivik · 156 · Québec · Populated place
- Salluit · 106 · Québec · Populated place
Highest Mountains in Québec
2 mountains mapped. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mont Jacques-Cartier | 1,268 m | 4,160 ft | North America |
| 2 | Mont Tremblant | 968 m | 3,176 ft | North America |
Major Dams in Québec
1 dam mapped. Ranked by structural height. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Height | River | Capacity | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert-Bourassa Dam (LG-2) | 162 m | La Grande | 5,616 MW | 1979 |
Largest Lakes in Québec
12 lakes mapped. Ranked by mapped surface area. A lake on a border is listed under each country it lies in, with the area of the whole lake. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Surface Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Réservoir de La Grande 2 | 3,229 km² | Reservoir |
| 2 | Lake Mistassini | 2,877 km² | Lake |
| 3 | Réservoir de La Grande 3 | 2,408 km² | Reservoir |
| 4 | Lac St.-Jean | 1,048 km² | Reservoir |
| 5 | Lake Abitibi | 1,019 km² | Reservoir |
| 6 | Réservoir Pipmuacan | 996 km² | Reservoir |
| 7 | Réservoir Outardes Quatre | 935 km² | Reservoir |
| 8 | Cabonga Reservoir | 887 km² | Reservoir |
| 9 | Lake Sakami | 673 km² | Lake |
| 10 | Réservoir Baskatong | 325 km² | Reservoir |
| 11 | Dozois Reservoir | 278 km² | Reservoir |
| 12 | Lac Low | 170 km² | Reservoir |
Ports in Québec
27 ports mapped. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vaudreuil | 56.7 m | Very Small | Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence | point_of_interest |
| 2 | Oka Sur le Lac | 56.7 m | Very Small | Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence | point_of_interest |
| 3 | Hudson | 56.7 m | Very Small | Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence | point_of_interest |
| 4 | St Placide | 56.7 m | Very Small | Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence | point_of_interest |
| 5 | St Andrews East | 56.7 m | Very Small | Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence | point_of_interest |
| 6 | Carillon | 56.7 m | Very Small | Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway | point_of_interest |
| 7 | Chute A Blondeau | 56.7 m | Very Small | Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway | point_of_interest |
| 8 | Grenville | 56.7 m | Very Small | Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway | point_of_interest |
| 9 | Hawkesbury | 56.7 m | Very Small | Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway | point_of_interest |
| 10 | Fassett | 56.7 m | Very Small | Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway | point_of_interest |
The other 17 (channel depth, class, sea, max vessel)
- Douglastown · 56.7 m · Very Small · Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence · medium vessels
- Riviere du Loup · 56.7 m · Small · Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence · medium vessels
- Beauharnois · 53 m · Very Small · Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence · point_of_interest
- Chicoutimi (Port Saguenay) · 49.4 m · Small · Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence · medium vessels
- Rimouski · 49.4 m · Small · Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence · medium vessels
- Havre St Pierre · 42.1 m · Very Small · Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence · medium vessels
- Matane · 42.1 m · Very Small · Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence · medium vessels
- Contrecour · 38.4 m · Very Small · Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence · large vessels
- la Baie (Port Alfred) · 38.4 m · Small · Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence · large vessels
- Port de Becancour · 38.4 m · Very Small · Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence · medium vessels
- Sept Iles · 34.7 m · Minor · Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence · large vessels
- Sorel · 34.7 m · Small · Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence · large vessels
- Quebec · 34.7 m · Minor · Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence · large vessels
- Trois Rivieres · 34.7 m · Minor · Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence · large vessels
- Port Cartier · 23.8 m · Very Small · Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence · large vessels
- Gaspe · 9.1 m · Small · Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence · large vessels
- Pointe Noire · 5.5 m · Small · Atlantic Canada & Gulf of St. Lawrence · large vessels
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Québec
2 World Heritage Sites mapped. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Quebec | 1985 | Cultural | (iv) (vi) |
| 2 | Anticosti | 2023 | Natural | (viii) |
Québec: Quick Answers
- Where is Québec?
- Québec is a first-level division of Canada, in North America. Its mapped cities centre on 50.1792° N, 71.7319° W.
- What is the largest city in Québec?
- Montréal is the largest city mapped in Québec, with a metropolitan population of about 3.68 million.
- How many cities are in Québec?
- YearMaps maps 40 cities and towns in Québec, with a combined metropolitan population of about 5.13 million. This counts mapped settlements, not every municipality.
- What is the highest mountain in Québec?
- The highest summit mapped in Québec is Mont Jacques-Cartier at 1,268 m.
- What is the largest lake in Québec?
- The largest lake mapped in or beside Québec is Réservoir de La Grande 2, at about 3,229 km².