Madawaska County, New Brunswick

Madawaska
—  County  —
Location of Madawaska County, New Brunswick
Country	Canada
Province	New Brunswick
Established	1873
Area[1]
– Land	3,461.46 km2 (1,336.5 sq mi)
Population (2006)[1][2]
– Total	34,071
– Density	9.8/km2 (25.4/sq mi)
– Change 2001-06	4.3%
Time zone	AST (UTC-4)
– Summer (DST)	ADT (UTC-3)
Area code(s)	506
Dwellings	15,888
Median Income*	$42,709
*Median household income, 2005 (all households)

Map of municipal government units in Madawaska County.

Madawaska County (2006 population 34,071), also known as the "New Brunswick Panhandle", is located in northwestern New Brunswick, Canada. Over 90% of the county's population speaks French. Its Francophone population are known as "Brayons." Forestry is the major industry in the county.

History

The first inhabitants of what is now called Madawaska county, were the Maliseet or Wolastoqiyik, who occupied and used the land along the St. John River Valley north to the St. Lawrence River and south to the Penobscot River. There is debate concerning the true origin of the word "Madawaska". The earliest European settlers were from Quebec. The area was the focus of the bloodless Aroostook War, a border dispute led by businessman and political activist John Baker.

The earliest settlers of the Upper St-John River Valley can be clearly verified with http://www.upperstjohn.com/visits/Saint-Vallier1686.htm and http://www.upperstjohn.com/1820/madawaska.htm the second link displays census results taken in 1820 of the Madawaska region where most families had originated from Quebec.

Census subdivisions

Communities

There are ten incorporated municipalities within Madawaska County (listed by 2006 population counts and national census rankings):^[1][2]

Official Name	Status	Area km2	Population	Census Ranking
Edmundston	City	106.92	16,643	232 of 5,008
Saint-Léonard	Town	5.20	1,352	1,705 of 5,008
Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska	Village	9.21	1,073	1,957 of 5,008
Clair	Village	10.46	848	2,280 of 5,008
Rivière-Verte	Village	7.00	798	2,366 of 5,008
Saint-François-de-Madawaska	Village	6.34	585	2,806 of 5,008
Baker Brook	Village	12.40	525	2,944 of 5,008
Saint-André	Village	3.72	404	3,303 of 5,008
Saint-Hilaire	Village	5.67	231	3,908 of 5,008
Lac-Baker	Village	4.02	169	4,146 of 5,008

Parishes

The county is subdivided into fourteen parishes (listed by 2006 population counts and national census rankings):^[1][2]

Official Name	Status	Area km2	Population	Census Ranking
Saint-Joseph	Parish	321.87	1,696	1,472 of 5,008
Saint-André	Parish	132.48	1,660	1,492 of 5,008
Saint-Jacques	Parish	298.82	1,607	1,531 of 5,008
Sainte-Anne	Parish	369.25	1,081	1,942 of 5,008
Saint-Léonard	Parish	343.95	1,039	2,011 of 5,008
Saint-Basile	Parish	129.73	799	2,364 of 5,008
Rivière-Verte	Parish	715.58	791	2,384 of 5,008
Saint-François	Parish	344.70	754	2,458 of 5,008
Lac-Baker	Parish	57.38	566	2,847 of 5,008
Saint-Hilaire	Parish	41.55	531	2,928 of 5,008
Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes	Parish	188.63	284	3,729 of 5,008
Clair	Parish	44.29	282	3,737 of 5,008
Baker Brook	Parish	125.69	177	4,103 of 5,008
Madawaska	Parish	173.32	10	4,889 of 5,008

First Nations

There is one First Nations reservation in Madawaska County (listed by 2006 population counts and national census rankings):^[1][2]

Official Name	Status	Area km2	Population	Census Ranking
St. Basile 10	Reservation	3.28	166	4,161 of 5,008

Demographics

Population trend[3] Census Population Change (%) 2006 34,071 4.3% 2001 35,611 3.3% 1996 36,814 0.7% 1991 36,554 N/A

Mother tongue language (2006)[1] Language Population Pct (%) French only 31,185 93.06% English only 1,665 4.97% Other languages 395 1.18% Both English and French 265 0.79%

See also

• Republic of Madawaska
• Brayon
• List of communities in New Brunswick

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} 2006 Statistics Canada Community Profile: Madawaska County, New Brunswick
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Statistics Canada Population and dwelling counts, for Canada and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data
3. ^ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census

External links

• Madawaska County Guide
• http://www.transmission.bpa.gov/cigresc14/Compendium/MADAWAS.htm
• http://www.transmission.bpa.gov/cigresc14/Compendium/Madawas%20Pictures.pdf

Coordinates: 47°25′17.1″N 68°21′38.2″W / 47.421417°N 68.360611°W / 47.421417; -68.360611