Capital City: Charlottetown Canadian history is alive and celebrated in Charlottetown. The 1864 Charlottetown Conference was the first meeting that eventually led to the proclamation of the Dominion of Canada in 1867. Because of this meeting, the City of Charlottetown is now known as the "Birthplace of Confederation". PEI is just 280 kilometres long so it's quite possible to explore every nook and cranny. Rich soil and a temperate climate make Prince Edward Island an ideal place for mixed farming. Half of its land is under cultivation, earning it the nickname, "the Garden Province".
It is renowned for its red soil, sand dunes and 800 kilometres of beaches. In 2006, the population of Prince Edward Island was about 138,500. Charlottetown, with a population of 32,000, is the Island's only urban centre. Prince Edward Island's population is quite young - about 38 per cent of the people are under 25. On May 31, 1997, Prince Edward Island celebrated the official opening of the Confederation Bridge. The 12.9-kilometre bridge spans the Northumberland Strait and offers easy access from the mainland to the Island beyond ferries and air travel. |