Which is the largest province in Canada by area?

The largest Canadian province by area is Quebec. Quebec is the geographic giant of the ten provinces — covering roughly one-sixth of Canada's total landmass. Discover Canada reminds the reader that Canada is the second largest country on earth — 10 million square kilometres — and Quebec, the largest province within that country, occupies the eastern interior on a scale that no other province matches.

Quebec's vast geography supports a massive resource economy. Discover Canada writes that "the resources of the Canadian Shield have helped Quebec to develop important industries, including forestry, energy and mining." Quebec is "Canada's main producer of pulp and paper." The province's "huge supply of fresh water has made it Canada's largest producer of hydro-electricity." So the largest province by area is also a resource heavyweight — its size is the foundation of its forestry, hydro, and mining strength.

Most Quebecers cluster in a small portion of that territory. Discover Canada writes that "nearly eight million people live in Quebec, the vast majority along or near the St. Lawrence River." So although Quebec covers an enormous area, its population follows a single great river — leaving most of the province's land sparsely populated.

Cultural and linguistic identity is the other side of Quebec's profile. Discover Canada writes that "more than three-quarters speak French as their first language" in Quebec, that the province's "films, music, literary works and food have international stature, especially in La Francophonie, an association of French-speaking nations," and that Montreal is "Canada's second largest city and the second largest mainly French-speaking city in the world after Paris." So Quebec — Canada's largest province by area — is also the French-speaking heartland of Canada and of the country's hydro-electric power.

The question is testing whether new citizens know which Canadian province is the largest by area. Of the ten provinces, Quebec is the largest. The right test answer matches that.

The wrong answer choices each pick a smaller province. Ontario is described in Discover Canada as Canada's most populous province, but it is smaller in area than Quebec. British Columbia is Canada's westernmost province with a population of about four million. Alberta is the most populous Prairie province. None of these matches Quebec in area.