10 Interesting Facts About Prince Edward Island

Named after the father of Queen Victoria, Prince Edward Island is a beautiful province in the country of Canada, who was the Queen of the United Kingdom from 1837 to 1901. It was first discovered in 1534 by a French explorer, and became a nation of Canada in 1867.

Here are 10 fascinating facts about Prince Edward Island:

Although Canada has many people of French origin, the population of Prince Edward Island mostly speaks English

According to the 2006 census, the vast majority of the inhabitants of Prince Edward speak English. Statistically, 93.8% of the population, or 125,265 people, speak the language. The second commonly reported language was French, with 4% of the population or 5,345 people. These are interesting numbers as many people in Canada speak French; these numbers certainly do not reflect the country as a whole. This demographic may be this way as many people who call Prince Edward Island home have British ancestry.

Ann of Green Gables is based on the beautiful island

The popular story Ann of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery is based on a fictional girl who lived on the island. This fictional girl was an orphan who was supposed to be sent to one family, but instead was sent to a family that lived on a farm on the island. It is a fascinating story of how a young girl was born and raised. The story has been very popular since it was released in 1908, and more than 50 million copies have been sold worldwide.

On a side note, I have actually been to the Green Gables farmhouse in Cavendish. It is a popular tourist attraction on the island, and is strongly recommended to any travelers, particularly ones with young children.

Brad Richards, who helped the Tampa Bay Lightning win the Stanley Cup in 2004, was born in Murray Harbor

Brad Richards, who currently plays for the New York Rangers, is one of the notable Canadians from Prince Edward Island. Richards was born in Murray Harbor, which is less than an hour drive from the capital city Charlottetown. The 33-year-old center has been having a tremendous hockey career. As of the end of the 2012-13 NHL season, Richards has 816 career points and was the playoff MVP of the 2003-04 Tampa Bay Lightning. If he can continue to play hockey at this level, he will someday be elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Charlottetown, the capital of P.E.I., only has 34,562 inhabitants

As previously mentioned, Charlottetown is the capital of Prince Edward Island. This city has a population of 34,562. When comparing the population of Charlottetown to other cities in Canada, the capital does not even rank in the top 50 of the largest metropolitan areas in the country by population. The second largest city on the island, in terms of population, is Summerside, with 14,751 people.

Farming is a significant industry

There are many ways the citizens of Prince Edward Island can make money. Along with being able to create money through tourism, citizens can make money through the farming industry. Indeed, abundant farmland has replaced dense forests that were once rampant. The most popular products that are native to the island are potatoes, dairy products, turnips, and seafood, such as mussels. In all, the small province of Prince Edward Island is accountable for 25% of the potatoes of Canada.

It is the only island province in Canada

Another interesting fact about the province is that it is the only island province in Canada. It is important to note that Newfoundland and Labrador is not an island province because, even though Newfoundland is an island, Labrador is mainland.

Lucy Maud Montgomery also wrote the unofficial anthem of the island

The same author of Ann of Green Gables also wrote the unofficial anthem of the island, which is titledThe Island Hymn . Montgomery wrote this hymn in 1908, and it was performed publicly on the island shortly later within the same year.

Prince Edward Island's tax rate is the highest in Canada

The tax rate of Prince Edward Island is also notable for being the highest in the country. As of April 1, 2013, the harmonized sales tax on the island is a whopping 14%. This amount includes both the provincial rate of 9% and the federal rate of 5%. This article explains more details of the harmonized sales tax.

The entire island is actually smaller than the state of Delaware

Along with being the only island province, Prince Edward Island is also remarkable for being very small. In fact, the entire island is smaller than the state of Delaware, with only 2,190 square miles. In comparison to the other provinces of Canada in total area, the island is the smallest. The second smallest province is Nova Scotia, with 21,345 square miles. As for the percentage of national total area, the island only accounts for 0.1% of the total area of Canada.

There is only one university on the island, the University of Prince Edward Island

Since the island has a small land area and population, there is only one university on the island, the University of Prince Edward Island. This university is based in the capital. There are other academic institutions for undergraduate education on the island, including the Maritime Christian College and the Holland College.

In sum, Prince Edward Island is a small but beautiful island that is home to a significant farming community. This island is not only great for its potatoes and mussels, but also for its pink sandy beaches that attract many vacationers each summer. I would personally recommend vacationing on this island to anyone who enjoys a place to relax while golfing, shopping, or soaking in the sun on a beach, such as the one at Cabot Provincial Park. This friendly island has much to offer.