Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
July 29, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Music Box • Geography

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is a Canadian province on the east coast of North America and one of the four Atlantic provinces.

Updated July 29, 20261 min readCited sources

Nova Scotia is a Canadian province on the east coast of North America. It is one of the four Atlantic provinces, with Halifax as its capital and largest city.

What it is

Nova Scotia is a Canadian province on the east coast, one of the four Atlantic provinces. It consists of the Nova Scotia peninsula and Cape Breton Island, and is almost entirely surrounded by water. Its only land border is with New Brunswick via the Isthmus of Chignecto.

Geography and regions

Nova Scotia is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Fundy, Gulf of Maine, and Northumberland Strait. Common geographic regions include the Appalachian Uplands, Central Lowlands, and Atlantic Coastal Plain. Cape Breton Island is often treated as a distinct subregion.

Cities and population

Halifax is the capital and largest city. Other major centres include Sydney, Truro, New Glasgow, and Kentville. The province covers 55,284 km², making it Canada’s second-smallest province, with a population over 1 million.

In short

  • Nova Scotia is one of Canada’s four Atlantic provinces.
  • It is the second-smallest province by area.
  • The province is almost surrounded by water, with a long Atlantic coastline.
  • Halifax is both the capital and largest city.
Canadian angle

Nova Scotia is one of the four Atlantic provinces and an important part of Canada’s maritime and eastern geography. It is especially relevant to Canadian readers for Halifax, the province’s role in Atlantic Canada, and its coastal transport and fishing history.

Quick questions

What is the map of Nova Scotia?
A map of Nova Scotia shows a Canadian province made up mainly of a peninsula and Cape Breton Island, with coastal waters, major roads, municipalities, and geographic features.
Where is Nova Scotia?
Nova Scotia is in eastern Canada, in Atlantic Canada, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Fundy, with its only land border shared with New Brunswick.
How big is Nova Scotia?
Nova Scotia covers 55,284 square kilometres, or about 21,345 square miles.

Sources

  1. World Atlas — https://www.worldatlas.com/maps/canada/nova-scotia
    Supports: Province location, area, boundary with New Brunswick, main regions, and Halifax as capital and largest city.
  2. Government of Canada Open Government Portal — https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/31c9720b-e3cc-50ce-9757-321632b03eae
    Supports: Outline map of Nova Scotia with named political and geographical features.
  3. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/place/Nova-Scotia
    Supports: Location in eastern Canada, land border with New Brunswick, main landforms, capital, and area.
  4. GIS Geography — https://gisgeography.com/nova-scotia-map/
    Supports: Atlantic Canada location, coastline, area, and general map-based geography.