Nova Scotia

From Conservapedia

Nova Scotia is a maritime Canadian province bordering on land New Brunswick, and the Atlantic Ocean, the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Its name is Gaelic for New Scotland.

Some historians believe that Celtic monks from Iceland settled in Cape Breton Island in 875AD.^[1] John Cabot first visited Nova Scotia in 1497 and the first permanent settlement was established in 1605. The capital city is Halifax, and Nova Scotia joined as on of the founders of confederation in 1867. In 1848 it was the first British colony to have responsible government. Prior to Confederation, Nova Scotia was the richest region in what is now Canada due to booming fishery and wooden boat-building industries. Nova Scotia lost its great source of early wealth with both the advent of steam powered sea vessels and the decline of the fisheries.

The province has a total area of 55,490 km² with a population of 932,966 (2007) ^[2] accounting for 2.8% of the national total. The per capita provincial income in 2006 was $27,323^[3].

The current Premier of Nova Scotia is the Honorable Rodney MacDonald, former Minister of Sport and successor to John Hamm.

Nova Scotia has a large tourism industry attracting visitors from across Canada and the world. Several of the major attractions are the Halifax Citadel, and greater Halifax region. The highlands of Cape Breton Island, the Atlantic Ocean shores and the quaint villages of the north shore on the Bay of Fundy. Alexander Graham Bell's home and museum is also in the province National Historic Site. ^[4]