Gaspé Peninsula

The Gaspé Peninsula, also known as Gaspesia (Gaspésie, ɡaspezi; Gespe'gewa'ki), is a peninsula along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River that extends from the Matapedia Valley in Quebec, Canada, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It is separated from New Brunswick on its southern side by Chaleur Bay and the Restigouche River. The name Gaspé comes from the Mi'kmaq word gespe'g, meaning "end", referring to the end of the land. The Gaspé Peninsula is slightly larger than Belgium, at . The population is 140,599 as of the 2011 census. It is also noted as being the only region outside the Channel Islands to contain native speakers of Jersey Norman. Sea cliffs dominate the peninsula's northern shore along the St. Lawrence River. Cap Gaspé, jutting into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, is the easternmost point of the peninsula. Percé Rock (or Rocher Percé), an island pierced by a natural arch, is located just offshore of the peninsula's eastern end. The peninsula's interior is a rugged northward continuation of the Appalachian Mountains called the Chic-Chocs, with Mount Jacques-Cartier at the peninsula's highest peak. Mount Albert (Mont Albert) at is another high mountain in the Chic-Chocs. Its summit, an alpine area above the tree line, is a nearly flat plateau about across composed of serpentine bedrock and supporting a quite unusual flora. The ascent of Mount Albert from near sea level is challenging, but popular with hikers, offering a view of the St. Lawrence and the Côte-Nord, the river's north shore, part of the ancient bedrock of the Canadian Shield. The interior portions of the peninsula are dominated by the Chic-Choc Mountains, part of the Notre Dame Mountains, an extension of the Appalachian Mountains. The town of Murdochville, at about above sea level, has had a varied history, and is now home to several wind turbines. It is reached by Route 198, which extends inland from the northern shore of the peninsula, soon climbing into the mountains and entering vast forests, crossing several small rivers before reaching the town.