Rivers (results in the industry of Hydroelectricity) - The many rivers in this region are good sources for hydroelectric power. Factories that use electricity are built in cities that are close to the hydroelectric plants. These factories, as well as the dams, provide people with jobs.
In order to provide hydroelectric power sometimes the rivers need to be dammed. Want to know more about how hydroelectric power works? |
Fish (results in the industry of fishing) - The Pacific Ocean and many rivers and lakes of the Cordillera region are a good source of fish, especially salmon. Most salmon are caught at the mouths of rivers, because they travel from the ocean into the rivers to spawn (lay their eggs).
Fish are exported from this region to places all over the world. The fishing industry provides thousands of jobs for people here (some types of fish are decreasing because of how much fishing takes place). |
Mineral Deposits : copper, coal, silver and gold (results in mining industries) - In the Cordillera region there are more than 14 000 mineral deposits! This region is the largest producer of copper in Canada. The many mines and mineral quarries provide lots of jobs for people in this region (quarries are open pits from which minerals or stones are dug).
Many of the mining towns in the Cordillera region have gone through the natural resources cycle. When much of the coal was used up in the early 1900s, some mines had to close. People had to find new jobs, so many moved away. Later, new methods were developed to obtain coal in other areas. This led to growth of new towns. |
Farmland - (leads to the industry of agriculture) - Ok, we need to be clear on something right off the bat: only a tiny part of the Cordillera region is good for farming. However, this region produces 5% of Canada's fruit and vegetables! British Columbia's Okanagan Valley is full of fertile soil that is good for growing fruit, so there are many orchards and vineyards. There is not much rain in this part of the region though. Water from the many lakes in the valley is used to irrigate the land.
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