From Wikitravel

Labrador is 'The Big Land'--the mainland portion of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Despite occupying an area larger than the island of Newfoundland itself, Labrador has a population of just under 30,000. The region covers the eastern coast of mainland Canada from the Strait of Belle Isle to the southeast, to the eastern half of the Labrador Peninsula that lies by Ungava Bay in the north, as well as a portion of interior land to the west. It shares a border with the northern portion of the province of Quebec, although the border itself is still a contentious issue between Newfoundland & Labrador and Quebec.

Contents 1 Regions 2 Cities 3 Other destinations 4 Understand 5 Talk 6 Get in 7 Get around 8 See 9 Do 10 Eat 11 Drink 12 Stay safe 13 Get out

Regions

• Southeastern Labrador -- home to the historic basque whaling station at Red Bay, as well as a large number of outport communities dotting the historic Labrador coast.
• Central Labrador -- dominated by the major air force community of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, a former NATO base, central Labrador is also home to the largely unpopulated interior lands, called by some the last unspoiled land in North America, although this claim can be disputed.
• Eastern Labrador -- home to Churchill Falls, Labrador City, and Wabush, as well as the enormous Smallwood Reservoir.
• Northern Labrador (Nunatsiavut) -- an area self-governed by the Inuit of Labrador as of 2005, over 72,000 square kilometres of land, including the area north of Nain and a portion of the Atlantic coast to the south.

Cities

Within Labrador, one can hardly speak of cities in the usual sense. Here's a list of the important communities, historically and presently:

• Labrador City
• Happy Valley-Goose Bay
• Churchill Falls
• Nain
• Hopedale
• Red Bay -- site of the historic Basque whaling stations
• Battle Harbour -- once the capital of Labrador

Other destinations

• Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve -- the new reserve within Nunatsiavut, including Mount Caubvick (1,652 metres/5,420 ft).

Understand

Labrador is home to the largest herds of Caribou in the world, and is teeming with the kind of abundant wildlife often associated with the northern portion of Canada. Home to a typically diverse population of Euro-Canadians and Natives (Inuit, Innu, Metis), Labrador is a site of first contact between peoples--it is often considered to be Markland, one of the locations visited by Leif Ericson in the 11th Century. Despite its rich history and resources, the region and the people of Labrador are not wealthy. The region has been historically isolated, with roads such as the Trans-Labrador Highway being recent projects. In many ways, the relationship between Labrador and its historical 'parent,' Newfoundland, has been a microcosm of the relationship between the province of Newfoundland & Labrador and the government of Canada--Labrador often feels ignored and exploited by the island government in Newfoundland. Nonetheless, like Newfoundland, Labrador is culturally rich and is an interesting destination for tourists that is off-the-beaten path.

A note of caution: While often interesting to visit, many Labrador Native communities do not encourage tourist 'invasions'. Respect the wishes of the local culture as you would in any other place.

Talk

It is worth noting that the languages of Native peoples are still widely spoken as first languages for much of the Native population. English is often spoken as well, but be aware that it is not always the language people are most comfortable speaking. That said, expect to also encounter some of the Newfoundland English dialect.

Get in

Get around

See

Do

Eat

Drink

Stay safe

Get out

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