Eastern Canada.

GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 from second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November).

1,667,441 sq km (643,802 sq miles).

7.7 million (2006 estimate).

4.8 per sq km.

Québec City. Population: 723,300 (2006 estimate).

The province of Québec is in the east of Canada, with coasts on the North Atlantic and Hudson and James Bays; the St Lawrence Seaway, the major shipping channel of the Canadian east coast, cuts through the populous south; the cities of Québec and Montréal (Canada's second-largest city) stand beside it. In the north, the Laurentians resort area has snow-covered mountains in winter and scenic lakes. The far north is a spread of forest and lakes forming one of the largest areas of wilderness in Canada.

French is the official language and 82% of the population speak it as a first language; 40% of the population speak English either as a first language or in addition to French.