There’s a place in Manitoba known as the Lake Manitoba Narrows where a strong wind can send waves washing against the limestone rocks of an offshore island. The unique sound of the waves is said to be Manitou, or Great Spirit, in the Ojibwe language it’s “Manito-bau”. This legend survives in the province’s name - Manitoba.

Manitoba is bordered by Saskatchewan to the west, Ontario to the east, North Dakota and Minnesota to the south and Nunavut to the north. Manitoba also meets the Hudson Bay and is the only prairie province to have a saltwater coastline. There are several ecozones found in Manitoba, including prairie, boreal plains, boreal shield, taiga and Hudson plains. Manitoba is also home to more than 100,000 lakes and waterways, 92 provincial parks and park reserves, four Canadian heritage rivers, two national parks and 1 UNESCO World Heritage Site, Pimachiowin Aki.

Manitoba’s diverse landscapes offer equally diverse habitats for a range of wildlife. From the iconic polar bear and friendly beluga whales to arctic hares and ptarmigan, Churchill in northern Manitoba offers a wildlife experience like no other.

Manitoba is also home to black bears, which can come in a range of colours from black, to brown, to lighter cinnamon and even blonde. Watch for bears in Riding Mountain National Park, Whiteshell Provincial Park and Grand Beach Provincial Park.

Manitoba’s landscapes give habitat to several species of owls, including our provincial bird, the great grey owl. From the boreal owl of the forest to the burrowing owl of the prairies, keep an eye—and ear—out for these nocturnal birds found across the province. Some top places to view owls include Riding Mountain National Park, Birds Hill Provincial Park and Sandilands Provincial Forest.

Manitoba’s top economic contributors are agriculture, tourism, electricity, oil, mining and forestry. Manitoba also has a large manufacturing sector.

Manitoba has a population of over 1.3 million people. The largest majority of those are from European descent, followed by those of Indigenous, east and southeast Asian, south Asian and Middle Eastern, African and Latin, Central and South American origins.

Manitoba’s official languages are English and French. English is the most spoken language throughout the province and there are 17 bilingual municipalities. Many service providers in Winnipeg and throughout the province offer English and French services.

Thanks to Manitoba’s rich diversity, many other languages are spoken including Arabic, Cree, Dakota, Dene, Filipino, German, Hebrew, Inukitut, Japanese, Mandarin (Chinese), Michif, Ojibwe, Oji-Cree, Portuguese, Punjab, Spanish and Ukrainian.