Hochelaga Archipelago facts for kids
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Native name:
Archipel d'Hochelaga
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Map of the Hochelaga Archipelago
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| Geography | |
| Location | Saint Lawrence River |
| Coordinates | 45°32′58″N 73°39′02″W / 45.54944°N 73.65056°W |
| Total islands | 234 |
| Major islands | Île de Montréal, Île Jésus, Île Perrot, Île Bizard |
| Highest elevation | 234 m (768 ft) |
| Highest point | Mount Royal (Island of Montreal) |
| Administration | |
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Canada
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| Province | Quebec |
| City | Montreal |
| Additional information | |
| Discovered in 1535 by Jacques Cartier | |
The Hochelaga Archipelago (which is Archipel d'Hochelaga in French) is also known as the Montreal Islands. It's a group of islands found where the Saint Lawrence River and Ottawa River meet. This area is in the southwestern part of Quebec, Canada.
How Many Islands?
People have different ideas about how many islands are in this group. Most people agree there are about 234 islands. Some even say there could be as many as 325!
Main Islands
The biggest island in the group is the Island of Montreal. This island is home to most of the city of Montreal. It forms the central part of the city's large area.
The city of Montreal is in charge of 74 smaller islands in the archipelago. Some of the well-known ones are Nuns' Island (also called Île des Sœurs in French) and Île Bizard. Two other famous islands, Saint Helen's Island (Île Sainte-Hélène) and the human-made Île Notre-Dame, were used for a big event called Expo 67.
The second largest island is Île Jésus. This island, along with the Îles Laval and a few smaller islands, makes up the city of Laval.
Other islands you might hear about include the Îles de Boucherville. This group has a special Québec National Park. There's also Île Perrot, and the areas around Salaberry-de-Valleyfield like Grande-Île. Smaller islands include Dorval Island and Dowker Island.
Where the Name Comes From
The name "Hochelaga" comes from an old Iroquois village. This village was on the Island of Montreal a long time ago. Later, French settlers came and built a town there. This town eventually grew into the modern city of Montreal.
Images for kids
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Dorval Island as painted by Frances Anne Hopkins, 1866.
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Nuns' Island at dusk.
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Small island near Saint-Eustache in the Rivière des Mille Îles.
See also
In Spanish: Archipiélago de Hochelaga para niños
