Time+and+Place



Most of Hatchet takes place somewhere in the forests of Ontario or Quebec, in a region called the Canadian Shield. Carved out of glaciers long ago, the region is made up of ancient granite rock. It extends, in a horseshoe shape, from the southern edge of the Arctic Islands, around Hudson Bay, and over to the eastern coast of Newfoundland. The climate in the northern part of the Canadian Shield is extremely cold, with the average temperatures in July ranging from forty to fifty degrees. The climate in the southern part is similar to that of the northern united States, with cold winters and mild summers. More than one hundred inches of snow fall in Ontario and Quebec every winter.

Low-lying hills and thousands of Lakes form the landscape of the Canadian Shield. In fact, Canada has more lakes and inland waterways than does any other nation. Almost half of Canada, and most of the Canadian Shield, is covered with forests. The trees are a mix of evergreen and deciduous, or leaf-bearing, varieties. Within the terrain of lakes and forests live black bears, brown bears, wolves, coyotes, foxes, skunks, Canadian porcupines, beavers and muskrats.

The Canadian Shield is rich in mineral deposits. Large amounts of iron ore are mined on the border of Quebec and Newfoundland. Deposits of cobalt, copper, gold, nickel, and uranium are found in Ontario. In addition, Canada has large reserves of crude petroleum and natural gas.