An island of francophones in the English-speaking sea of North America, La Belle Province de Quebec has long struggled to retain its mother tongue and clarify its relationship with the rest of Canada. More than four-fifths of the population in this oldest and largest province speaks French. In 1980, 60 percent of Quebec voters rejected a referendum advocating separation, but the province still seeks special status within Canada to preserve its cultural heritage. Limitations on possible future secession were further addressed in the Clarity Act of 2000.

Quebec's economy has enriched Canada. The province produces 21 percent of the country's manufactured goods and a major portion of its iron, copper, asbestos, paper, and lumber. Profitable sales of hydroelectricity to New York and New England spur further exploitation of the great rivers that course through the sub-Arctic. Distant James Bay, home to some 10,000 Indians and Inuit and one of the world's largest caribou herds, is the site of an enormous hydropower project. The first phase alone, completed in 1985, rerouted four rivers, flooded an area the size of Connecticut, and built 203 dikes, 1,500 kilometers of roads, and 8 dams. Phase two was put on hold, but a recent agreement cleared the way for its completion.

Most of Quebec's people live in a fertile region along the St. Lawrence River, where a wealth of fruits and vegetables is grown. With more than 3.4 million residents, Greater Montreal makes up close to half the province's population. Montrealers seek refuge from long, bitter winters in the Underground City, a series of boutiques and restaurants connected by pedestrian walkways and subway tunnels.