The People

Nearly one-quarter of Nova Scotia's population of approximately 941 000 report the British Isles as their place of ethnic origin. Significant portions of the population also report either French or European origins. Many residents of Nova Scotia are of German, Dutch, Polish, Italian, Jewish and Lebanese descent. After the War of 1812, several thousand Black people, including the Chesapeake Blacks, settled in the Halifax area; in 1996, more than 18 000 residents of the province reported having Black origins. More recent immigrants to

Nova Scotia have included Chinese, Indo-Chinese, African, Asian and eastern European groups. In 1996, the Aboriginal population of Nova Scotia was 12 380, mostly belonging to the Micmac Nation.

The largest concentrations of population are found in the Halifax metropolitan area with a population of approximately 329 000 and Cape Breton County (including Sydney) with approximately 117 000. Major towns include Yarmouth, Kentville, Bridgewater, Truro, Amherst and New Glasgow. Approximately half of Nova Scotia's residents are based in small towns, rural and coastal areas.