Magdalen Islands

The Magdalen Islands (French Îles- de -la -Madeleine, Eng. Magdalen Islands ) are a Canadian archipelago, located in the southeast of the St. Lawrence Gulf. Although the archipelago is indeed geographically much closer to the Prince Edward Iceland and Nova Scotia, it forms part of the Province of Québec. This fact is mainly due to the ethnic origin of its inhabitants, as well as the majority of the population of the province of Quebec, including most islanders are French-speaking Canadians.

The Magdalen Islands cover an area of ​​approximately 206 km ² and consist of the nine main islands Île -du- Havre -Aubert, Ile -du- Cap- aux- Meules, Île -du- Havre -aux- Maisons, Ile- aux- Loups, Ile- Shag, La - Grosse- Ile, Ile -de- la- Grande- Entrée, Île Brion, and the Ile- d'Entrée, as well as numerous smaller islands. The uninhabited and some outlying rocky island Le Corps - Mort forms the westernmost part of the archipelago.

History

The first European to visit the islands demonstrably was Jacques Cartier settled on his first American expedition in 1534th However, the colonization of the islands began only after 1755, when French-speaking Acadians fleeing from British troops in the archipelago. The immediate cause for their escape was the deportation of the Acadians, the British colonial government of Nova Scotia had intended to spend all French-born inhabitants in their sphere of influence forcibly in other English colonies. In fact, most of the Acadian population was covered by this deportation action and only a minority was able to escape British persecution. Some of the refugees arrived here on the Magdalen Islands and as their British persecutors not initially came to the islands during the Seven Years' War, they could of the archipelago to be a permanent asylum. The Acadian origin of the islanders has not been forgotten by these and many residents - the Madelinots - hoist today the Acadian flag, which they also define themselves apart from their Quebecois identity, also known as Acadians.

After France with the Peace of Paris in 1763 almost all of New France to Britain had been forced to cede the Magdalen Islands were initially managed as part of the British colony of Newfoundland. 1774, the island group was then reassigned to the then British colony of Quebec to the Quebec Act. Since then include the Magdalen Islands on this territory, from the later eventually - took shape Canadian province of Quebec - not geographically congruent.

Population

In the Canadian 2001 census, the island's population was determined to be 12,824 persons to 13,991 persons were counted in the year 1991. 2005, although a population of 13,059 was found, but this is likely to be biased. Because in many lobstermen are included which, however, do not have their permanent residence in the islands.

The vast majority of the islanders is French-speaking, but there is also an English minority. This population comes from the descendants of about 400 castaways who are stranded on the island group. And although the majority of English-speaking islanders have now been assimilated or emigrated again, there are still smaller English communities in the archipelago.

Economy

Tourism

Tourism is now one of the main industries on the islands, as well as on Prince Edward Iceland, as well as in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Thus, the tourism takes the place of the previously very significant fisheries, because this has greatly declined because of overfishing due to depletion of fish stocks.

Seal hunting and fishing

The end of March begins on the islands of the annual seal hunt season. As controversial reasons, please refer to the decline of fish stocks. On the other hand, try the islands to commercialize the natural beauty and tourist have to deal simultaneously with animal welfare campaigns.

Traffic

Between the port Souris on Prince Edward Island and the village of Cap- aux- Meules on the Magdalen Islands there is a regular ferry service and on the adjacent Îles- du- Havre -aux- Maisons is the airport of the island group. With the exception of the Îles- d'Entrée all inhabited islands of the archipelago on a continuous road link are interconnected.