Geography

New Brunswick is a seaside province of Canada, bordering on Nova Scotia, Quebec and the state of Maine. Almost rectangular in shape, extending about 322 km (200 miles) from north to south, and 242 km (150 miles) from east to west, the province of New Brunswick is bordered by water on most of three sides. The area of New Brunswick, largest of the three Maritime provinces, is 73,437 sq. km (28,354 sq. mi.) of which 72,092 sq. km (27,835 sq. mi) are land area and 1,344 sq. km (519 sq. mi.) are water area. Mountainous terrain is predominant in the north of the province; the highest point is 820 meters (2,690 feet) at Mount Carleton. The interior of the province is mostly rolling plateau; the east fairly flat; the south is rugged.

Population

About 751, 384 souls are proud to call New Brunswick home, and most of them live along the coasts and in the river valleys. Nearly 34 per cent of them are French-speaking, and New Brunswick is Canada's only officially bilingual province. Saint John is the province's oldest and largest city with a population of 77,733. Moncton is home to 61,046 people, while Fredericton, the capital, has a population of 47,560.

Government

The seat of the province's government is in Fredericton. The government of the province is vested in a lieutenant-governor and a legislative assembly of 58 members elected for five years on a single member basis. Any Canadian citizen 18 years of age or older is entitled to vote after six months' residence. The leader of the largest group elected forms the government and becomes premier.

Tourism

Tourism is a major industry in New Brunswick. In 2003, 1.86 million people visited New Brunswick resulting in revenues of $1.1 billion and 31,000 jobs. Total revenues generated $272 million in tax revenues including $147 million in federal taxes, $82 million in provincial taxes and $41 million in municipal receipts. This performance makes tourism one of the leading economic generators of the province.

Forestry

About 85 per cent of New Brunswick's land base is productive forest, providing wildlife habitat, beautiful landscape, limitless recreational opportunities, and high-quality water and air. It is also the economic backbone, directly employing 16,000 people, with wages of more than $500 million annually. Pulp production is valued at more than $1.5 billion each year, while solid wood products are worth about $500 million. The province is considered a North American leader in forest management.

Manufacturing

In 2003, over 1,300 New Brunswick manufacturing firms employed about 41,600 people. The food group continued to lead our manufacturing industries in the number of employees; next was the paper manufacturing group, then wood products, fabricated metal products, non-metallic mineral products and machinery manufacturing. The total value of our manufacturing shipments was $12.9 billion, the average weekly earnings were $730, and $423 million was invested in capital expenditures in manufacturing.

Mining

New Brunswick is blessed with a variety of rich mineral deposits. Mineral exploration and mining play a significant role in the provincial economy. During the last three years, the value of mineral production has varied from $ 772 million to $ 652 million. The industry directly employed over 3,150 people. The minerals and commodities contributing to this wealth include metals (antimony, bismuth, cadmium, copper, gold, lead, silver and zinc); non metals (marl, peat moss, potash, silica, salt and sulphur); fuels (oil, natural gas and coal); and structural materials (lime, sand and gravel, stone).

Fisheries and Aquaculture

The food production and processing industries of New Brunswick are important components of the provincial economy, supporting the employment of 30,000 people, mostly in rural communities. Combined food and beverage shipments were valued at $2.52 billion in 2004, an 11 per cent increase over the preceding year. This positive performance is testament to the hard work and dedication of agricultural producers, fishermen, aquaculturists and food processors in presenting safe, nutritious and high-quality food products to the world.
With a fishing fleet of about 3,000 vessels and annual landings worth nearly $200 million, the commercial fishing industry continues to make a significant economic contribution to the province. The commitment of more than 7,000 fishermen and 5,000 plant workers to delivering quality products makes New Brunswick a leader in the commercial and processing fisheries sectors. Lobster and snow crab continued to lead the way, accounting for more than 60 per cent of the $824 million of seafood exports in 2004.
A thriving salmon aquaculture industry in the Bay of Fundy combined with growing expertise in the culture of mollusks and other aquatic species ensures New Brunswick's position as the aquaculture leader in Atlantic Canada. Worth approximately $1 million annually in the early 1980s, the provincial salmon industry now boasts annual sales in excess of $230 million in processed and unprocessed products. New Brunswick also has a well-established shellfish industry, producing mussels and oysters on the eastern coast. Over the past two decades, aquaculture has become a significant contributor and vital component of the provincial economy, especially in coastal communities where it supports more than 4,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Agriculture

Agriculture is as important to the New Brunswick economy as traditional family values are to its social fabric. This sector is diverse, combining 3,034 farms with 100 processing plants to produce $1.37 billion worth of agri-food and beverage products in 2004. With a 280 per cent processing rate, New Brunswick enjoys the highest level of value-added processing in Canada. Potatoes, dairy products, eggs and poultry account for more than 60 per cent of New Brunswick's total farm income of $419 million in 2004.

Education

New Brunswick is home to four public universities which offer a wide variety of educational settings. The University of New Brunswick, with its main campus in Fredericton and another in Saint John, is the oldest English-language university in Canada, and the province's largest university. St. Thomas University in Fredericton is a small, Catholic institution whose central liberal arts program is complemented by professional programs in education and social work. Mount Allison University, located in the Town of Sackville, offers undergraduate programs in arts, science, commerce, fine arts and music. Université de Moncton, Canada's largest francophone institution outside of the province of Quebec, has its main campus in the City of Moncton, with satellite campuses in the City of Edmundston and in Shippagan.
New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) programs cover the education and training spectrum. There is everything from academic studies to mechanical engineering, from graphic design and pottery to courseware authoring. In all, there are more than 100 regular training programs, plus a selection of industry-oriented, short term training services available to New Brunswick residents and beyond. The majority of college programs involve 40 to 80 weeks of study, with co-op programs longer in duration.
The provincially-funded public education system is offered in both official languages. The Province's Education Act distributes authorities and responsibilities between the Province, as represented by the Minister of Education, and District Education Councils, which are elected at the local level in elections held every three years. Generally, the minister establishes and monitors the educational and service standards and policy framework while the DECs, through their superintendents, are responsible for program implementation and operation of the schools. The governance structure also includes school-based advisory committees known as Parent School Support Committees. Members are elected at the school level and also serve three-year terms. For administrative purposes, the province is divided into 14 school districts, nine anglophonesan five francophone.