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Newfoundland And LabradorINTRODUCTION Newfoundland and Labrador consists of Labrador, on mainland Canada, and the island of Newfoundland, on the Atlantic Coast. the region blends Inuit, English, Irish and French traditions, creating one of the most culturally diverse regions in the nation. HISTORY Newfoundland and Labrador has a long and intriguing history. The oldest evidence of human habitation dates back nearly 5,000 years. The first Europeans landed around 1000 AD, led by now legendary Viking Leif Ericson. The oldest European settlement in North America dates to around this time, and is believed to be the famous site Ericson described as Vinland. Now called L'Anse aux Meadows, the site is unique as it is the only evidence of pre-Columbian contact between Europe and the New World. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. It would take nearly 500 years for Europeans to visit the area again. It has been proposed that Portuguese explorer João Vaz Corte-Real landed here in 1474, but any evidence is inconclusive. It is known for certain that Italian explorer John Cabot in 1497. Cabot is credited with the founding of St. John's, the provincial capital and the oldest English settlement in North America. In 1583, Sir Humphrey Gilbert laid claim to the region for England. Settlers relied primarily on the bountiful fishing, and the population grew slowly. Heavy cultural diversity, however, led to conflict and discontent with the local government. By the mid 1800s the conflict reached the shores of England, and the throne was forced to intervene. The result was termed ‘responsible government’, and seeking religious and ethnic unity. In 1762, the French army surrendered St. John's to the English at the Battle of Signal Hill. The following years saw an increase in commercial trade, based heavily on the vast supplies of fresh fish. St. John’s waterfront location made it the ideal location for a naval base during the American Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Second World War. The colony of Newfoundland became the Dominion of Newfoundland in 1907. In 1949, the dominion joined the Canadian Confederation. The move sparked minor anti-confederate sentiment. Hydro electric power came to Newfoundland in the 1960s, intending to sell energy to the United States. In 1993, a large nickel deposit was discovered at Voisey's Bay in Labrador. This was one of the largest mineral discoveries in Canadian history. The petroleum industry established the Hibernia oil field in the Grand Banks region. As the largest oil platform, Hibernia boasts an impressive 1.3million barrel capacity. The province made headlines in the early 1990s, when over fishing dramatically lowered the once plentiful supply of cod. Fisheries were closed throughout Newfoundland, and the industry came to a virtual standstill. Modern Newfoundland and Labrador focuses on restructuring and building the economy, often protesting national policy and heavy taxation. Saint John? Mount Pearl? Corner Brook? Conception Bay South? Grand Falls-Windsor? Gander? Paradise? Happy Valley-Goose Bay? Labrador City? 
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