Among Canada's 3 Maritime Provinces is Nova Scotia. It happens to be the most populated province of Atlantic Canada. The name Nova Scotia translates in Latin to "New Scotland," though Nova Scotia is the English-language name of the province that is officially recognized. Halifax is the provincial capital city. The province of Nova Scotia has an area of 55,284 square kilometers or 21,300 square miles and this makes it the second smallest province within Canada. According to the 2009 census, the population was around 946,000 making Nova Scotia the second most densely populated province in Canada.
Prior to European settlement within the area, the Mi'kmaq peoples were already thriving within the area. French colonists established the very first permanent establishment north of Florida in the year 1604. Nova Scotia was amongst the 4 founding provinces of the Canadian Confederation during the year 1876.
Many tourist bureaus have portrayed Nova Scotia as a province with a traditions that are rustic, primitive and unspoiled from the modernization process. Scottish culture is also highlighted as part of the province also. The biggest self-identified ethnic group within the province of Nova Scotia after Canadian is people with Scottish ancestry. During the year 2011, that population was 29.3%.
The province of Nova Scotia has usually enjoyed an economy which is based on resources. In recent decades the economy has diversified. With their ability to produce making use of the numerous natural resources such as fish stocks off the Scotian shelf, the province of Nova Scotia was able to emerge as viable jurisdiction within North America. Ever since its development as part of the economy of New France in the 17th century, the fishery was a pillar of the economy. Due to overfishing during the 20th century on the other hand, the fishery suffered a sharp decline. There were approximately twenty thousand jobs lost during nineteen ninety two because of the closure of this sector and the collapse of the cod stocks.
Due in part to a strong small-business sector; Nova Scotia has amongst the largest growing economies within Canada. One more significant sector is the mining division. Among the minerals mined comprise gypsum, salt, peat, barite and silica. Offshore gas and oil has emerged as an increasingly vital part of the economy ever since the year 1991. Agriculture is another essential staple. The central section of the province of Nova Scotia has paper and lumber industries which are responsible for numerous job opportunities within those regions.
There are more than 6,500 direct businesses in the province of Nova Scotia that are related to the tourism industry. These businessescompanies support roughly forty thousand jobs. About 200,000 passengers from cruise ships flow through the Port of Halifax on an annual basis. These ships travel to Nova Scotia from all over the world and contribute around $1.3 billion to the economy every year.
The culture of the province of Nova Scotia is heavily featured in the tourism area. For example, there are centres that tell the stories of the many internationally renowned musicians who come from the province like the Hank Snow Show Town Museum in Liverpool, Rita MacNeil's Tea Room in Big Pond, and there is the Anne Murray Centre in Springhill.
The province also has an abundance of museums and centres that reflect different communities that add to the culture of the province. There is the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, the Glace Bay Miners Museum, the Grand-Pre National Historic Site, Glooscap Heritage Centre and the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia to name some.