Long Rivers of Canada Quiz | Canada

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which river, flowing through the Northwest Territories into the Arctic Ocean, is Canada's longest, measuring 4,241 km (2,629 miles) long? It is named for an Arctic explorer.

Answer: Mackenzie River

Canada's Mackenzie River is the second-longest river in North America after the Mississippi. Alexander Mackenzie explored the river named after him in 1789. Four years later, starting from Lake Athabasca, he followed the course of the Peace, Parsnip and Bella Coola Rivers, travelling west and south to reach the Pacific Ocean, becoming the first explorer to reach Canada's Pacific coast by an overland route.

2. Which river, Canada's third-longest, was discovered by French explorer Jacques Cartier in 1534, and borders two Canadian provinces and one American state?

Answer: St. Lawrence River

Jacques Cartier discovered the St. Lawrence River when he arrived at Stadacona now Quebec City in 1534. On his second voyage, he sailed farther down the river to Hochelaga (near what is now Montreal), but went no farther. He was convinced he had found a water route to China.

The St. Lawrence measures 3,185 km (1,974 miles) long from its source to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The east end of the river, from Lake Ontario to the Gulf, forms part of the borders of Ontario, Quebec, and New York State. The Saguenay and Richelieu Rivers are in Quebec, but I have made up the Trudeau River.

3. Canada's third-longest river, the Nelson River, flows northeast into Hudson Bay, entirely within which easternmost Prairie Province of Canada?

Answer: Manitoba

Running a turbulent 2,600 km (1,612 miles) through the hard granite of the Canadian Shield from Lake Winnipeg to Hudson Bay, the Nelson River is a vital source of hydro-electric power for Manitoba. Discovered in 1612, it also gave hope to Arctic explorers that it might provide a water route to China.

4. Which is one of the ten longest Canadian rivers, was named after a founder of the Hudson's Bay Company who was also the ancestor of a British prime minister in WWII?

Answer: Churchill River

The Churchill River, 1609 km long, is just short of 1000 miles in length. It rises in northern Saskatchewan and flows into Hudson Bay at Churchill, Manitoba, a world-famous location for viewing polar bears. It served as a main transportation route for the Hudson's Bay Company fur trade for over 200 years.

The Assiniboine and Selkirk Rivers are in Canada, but the Hudson River is in New York State.

5. The Peace River, Canada's fifth-longest at 1150 km (961 miles), flows north and then east from British Columbia into Wood Buffalo National Park in which province/territory?

Answer: Alberta

The Peace River is one of the longest tributaries of the Mackenzie, Canada's longest river. Wood Buffalo National Park is Canada's largest and reaches across the Alberta border into the Northwest Territories.

6. This river, measuring 1368 km (848 miles) long, flows from Alberta's Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies all the way across British Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. Named for a famous explorer, who followed its course to the Pacific in 1808, which river is this?

Answer: Fraser River

Named for explorer Simon Fraser, the Fraser River cuts a canyon through the Rocky Mountains that at Hell's Gate, one of its narrowest points, is 1000 metres (3280 feet) deep. A rock slide farther down the Fraser River in the early 1970s partially buried the town of Hope, which is only five metres (16 feet) above sea level.

7. Canada's seventh-longest river, at 1287 km (798 miles) long, is part of a two-river system. Which are the two portions of this river, named for a Prairie Province?

Answer: North and South Saskatchewan

The North and South Saskatchewan Rivers drain an area larger than the St. Lawrence River basin of Ontario and Quebec. The name comes from the First Nations word Kisaskatchewani, meaning "swift-flowing". The rivers have been dammed at several locations, creating reservoirs and lakes.

The Saskatchewan River, created where these two rivers meet, flows northeast into the Nelson River in Manitoba, and thence to Hudson Bay. The Upper Humber and Great Rattling Brook are in Newfoundland, and the Eastmain is in Quebec; I have made up their companion rivers.

8. This river, Canada's thirteenth-longest, forms a large part of the border between Ontario and Quebec. Which river is this?

Answer: Ottawa River

Canada's Ottawa River rises in the Laurentian Highlands, flowing east to Lake Temiskaming, then south and east to the Saint Lawrence River. Its upper course in the Laurentians delights white-water rafters from around the world.
Canada's capital of Ottawa, formerly Bytown, is on the river's south shore. The name Ottawa comes from the French name Outaouais, a group of fur-trading middlemen for the Hudson's Bay Company. The Saint John and Miramichi Rivers are in New Brunswick, and the Thompson River is in British Columbia.

9. This Canadian river, at 1231 km (763 miles), flows northeast across the entire province of Alberta to a large lake with the same name on the south corner of Wood Buffalo National Park. What are this lake and river called?

Answer: Athabasca

The Athabasca River winds through Alberta's well-known tar sands deposits, a source of oil, near the town of Fort McMurray. Lake Athabasca, a long narrow lake, spans the border of Alberta and Saskatchewan. The Athabasca is the southernmost tributary of the Mackenzie River, Canada's longest.

10. One of Canada's longest rivers is almost completely north of 60 degrees latitude. Starting in Canada's westernmost province, it flows north through a territory of the same name, and across the largest state in the USA. Which river is this?

Answer: Yukon River

The Yukon River's length in Canada is only 1149 km (712 miles) from its start in British Columbia through the Yukon Territory, but it traverses a stunning 32 degrees of longitude as it flows into the United States across Alaska and empties into the Bering Sea at Norton Sound. North America's fifth-longest river, the Yukon's total length is 3185 km (1,974 miles).

The Churchill and Peace Rivers are also among Canada's longest, located in the Prairie Provinces, but I have made up the Nunavut River.

11. Canada's Saint John River has its source outside Canada. Which American state shares the Saint John River with the province of New Brunswick?

Answer: Maine

The Saint John River rises in Maine, flowing northeast and then swings south to form the international border between Maine and New Brunswick. It measures 673 km (408 miles) in length, and flows east past the city of Saint John. Ocean tides in the Bay of Fundy below Saint John push the river upstream in a phenomenon known as the Reversing Falls. Discovered in 1604 by Samuel de Champlain, the Saint John is one of Canada's earliest-settled river basins.

12. Which of these Canadian rivers does NOT share its name with a large Canadian city?

Answer: Albany River

The Albany River in Northern Ontario flows 982 km (609 miles) into James Bay, the narrow south end of Hudson Bay. It was named after the British Duke of Albany, who later became King James II. The city of Albany, New York is also named after this duke.

13. Which of these waterfalls is NOT along the course of the Niagara River at Niagara Falls, New York and Niagara Falls, Ontario?

Answer: Montmorency Falls

I've always found it peculiar that there is no waterfall named "Niagara Falls" at Niagara Falls! The Bridal Veil and American Falls are on the American side of the Niagara River, while the Horseshoe Falls are on the Canadian side of the river. Montmorency Falls is in Quebec, just 10 km (6 miles) east of Quebec City.

14. One of the longest rivers on the island of Newfoundland gave its name to a well-known airport, at which many diverted air travellers on September 11, 2001 spent a few days. What is the name of this river and airport?

Answer: Gander

Gander Airport took in hundreds of stranded air travellers on September 11, 2001 when the United States closed its airspace for the first time ever, and made them feel very welcome. The Gander River flows into Gander Lake from the interior of "the Rock", as Newfoundland is known to locals and Canadians across the country.

15. Which canal system, named after the two main rivers on its route, stretches across Southeastern Ontario through the Kawartha Lakes between Lake Ontario and Lake Huron from Trenton to Port Severn, Ontario?

Answer: Trent-Severn Waterway

The Trent-Severn Waterway, built over an 87-year period from 1833 to 1920, stretches 386 km (210 miles) through the Trent, Otonabee and Severn Rivers, and Ontario's scenic Kawartha Lakes. It has 45 locks, including North America's only two hydraulic-lift locks at Peterborough and Kirkfield, Ontario.

A one-way trip through the entire waterway takes five to seven days. The Rideau Canal is connected to the Ottawa River, and the Welland Canal assists shipping around the Niagara Gorge and Niagara Falls. I have made up the Trent-Otonabee Waterway.

Source: Author StarGaGa

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor spanishliz before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Long Rivers of Canada Trivia Quiz

Canada has almost fifty rivers over 600 km (370 miles) in length, but few are known to the rest of the world. Try to identify the ten longest Canadian rivers, and five others in Canada. Sources: Environment Canada and river-specific websites.

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>