Acadia (region)

This article is about the cultural region. For the New France colony, see Acadia.
Acadia
Acadie
Flag of Acadia
Flag
Approximate map of the most commonly accepted definition of Acadia
Approximate map of the most commonly accepted definition of Acadia
CountryCanada
ProvincesNew Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island
CitiesBathurst, Caraquet, Campbellton, Clare, Dieppe, Shediac, Cap-Pelé, Memramcook, Edmundston, Moncton, Tracadie-Sheila, Bouctouche, Madawaska, Van Buren, Matapédia, Carleton-sur-Mer, Bonaventure, Cap-aux-Meules, Havre-Saint-Pierre
Area
 • Total30,000 ha (70,000 acres)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total300,000
 • Density1,000/km2 (2,600/sq mi)
DemonymAcadian

Acadia is a North American cultural region in the Maritime provinces of Canada where approximately 300,000 French-speaking Acadians live.[1] The region lacks clear or formal borders; it is usually considered to be the north and east of New Brunswick as well as a few isolated localities in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Some also include a few localities in Quebec and/or Maine.[2]

The present-day region of Acadia's name echoes that of the historic colony of Acadia, a colony of New France which covered the Maritimes, and that was inhabited by Acadians until the Expulsion of the Acadians. A few Acadians managed to escape the deportation by fleeing to the most rural parts of the old territory and re-settling there, which is mostly the North and East of New Brunswick today. Their descendants came to dominate these areas, leading to the emergence of modern-day Acadia.[3]

Acadia has always been a poor region for a variety of reasons. For example, after the British conquest, a test oath was put in place, preventing Catholics from voting or being a candidate. The Acadians were also firmly opposed to the Confederation of Canada, which would severely affect the local economy.[4] Furthermore, the lands of Acadia are not very fertile, making them a poor choice for agriculture. In the 1960s, the Quiet Revolution took place, which modernized and secularized Acadia. This not only allowed the socio-economic standing of Acadians to improve, but also created a national identity for Acadians. Symbols and institutions were created, and a desire to protect Acadian culture and the French language emerged.[5] Today, rural exodus, anglicization and the aging of the population influence the demography of Acadia.

  1. ^ "L'Acadie". anacadie.ca. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Les Acadiens au Canada et dans le monde célèbrent leur fête nationale". rcinet.ca. 15 August 2018.
  3. ^ Daigle, Jean (1993). Chaire d'études acadiennes, Université de Moncton (ed.). L'Acadie des Maritimes : études thématiques des débuts à nos jours. Université de Moncton. Chaire d'études acadiennes. p. 307. ISBN 2-921166-06-2. OCLC 29312170. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  4. ^ Daigle, Jean (1993). Chaire d'études acadiennes, Université de Moncton (ed.). L'Acadie des Maritimes : études thématiques des débuts à nos jours. Université de Moncton. Chaire d'études acadiennes. p. 331. ISBN 2-921166-06-2. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  5. ^ Daigle, Jean (1993). Chaire d'études acadiennes, Université de Moncton (ed.). L'Acadie des Maritimes : études thématiques des débuts à nos jours. Université de Moncton. Chaire d'études acadiennes. p. 320. ISBN 2-921166-06-2. Retrieved 2021-07-12.