View source for Magdalen Islands

{{Short description|Archipelago of Quebec, Canada}}
{{Redirect|Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine|the municipality|Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec|the African islands|Îles de la Madeleine (Senegal)|other uses|Îles de la Madeleine (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox islands
| name             = The Magdalen Islands
| image_name       = Magdalen Islands.png
| image_caption    = The Magdalen Islands
| image_size       = 250px
| image_flag       = 
| flag_size        = 
| locator_map      = 
| map_caption      = 
| native_name      = Menagoesenog
| native_name_link = 
| nickname         = 
| location         = [[Gulf of Saint Lawrence]]
| coordinates      = {{coord|47|26|54|N|61|45|08|W|region:CA-QC_type:isle_source:CGNDB_scale:500000|display=inline,title}}
| archipelago      = 
| total_islands    = 
| major_islands    = 
| area_km2         = 205.53
| rank             = 
| length_km        =
| width_km         =
| highest_mount    = 
| elevation_m      = 
| country          = Canada
| country_admin_divisions_title     = Province
| country_admin_divisions           = [[Quebec]]
| population       = 12,781
| population_as_of = 2011
| density_km2      = 62.2
| ethnic_groups    = 
| additional_info  =
|area_code              = [[Area codes 418 and 581|418, 581]]
|timezone               = [[Atlantic Time Zone|AST]]
|utc_offset             = −4
|timezone_DST           = [[Atlantic Daylight Time|ADT]]
|utc_offset_DST         = −3
}}

The '''Magdalen Islands'''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://micami.ca/ |title=Home |publisher=Council for Anglophone Magdalen Islands |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240705160845/https://micami.ca/ |archive-date=July 5, 2024}}</ref> ({{langx|fr|'''Îles de la Madeleine'''}}, {{IPA|fr|il də la madlɛn|pron}}) are a [[Canada|Canadian]] [[archipelago]] in the [[Gulf of St. Lawrence]]. Since 2005, the 12-island archipelago is divided into two municipalities: the majority-francophone Municipality of Îles-de-la-Madeleine and the majority-anglophone Municipality of Grosse-Île, in the [[Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine]] region, [[Quebec]].<ref name="Les îles de la Madeleine Toponymy">{{cite web |title=Les Îles de la Madeleine |url=https://toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=37862 |website=Commission de toponymie Quebec |publisher=Government of Quebec |access-date=29 February 2024 |language=fr |date=1968-12-05 |quote=In 1534, Jacques Cartier explored the islands and left the first certain evidence of European visits to the archipelago}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tourismeilesdelamadeleine.com/en/commodities/Municipalities/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240705160804/https://www.tourismeilesdelamadeleine.com/en/commodities/Municipalities/ | archive-date=2024-07-05 | title=Municipalities &#124; Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine }}</ref>

== Geography ==
The Magdalen Islands are the jagged remains of a vanished part of the mainland. Approximately {{convert|78|mi|order=flip}} in combined area,<ref name="Soil Science of the Magdalen Islands">{{cite web |author1=Lauréan Tardif |title=Soil Science of the Magdalen Islands |url=https://sis.agr.gc.ca/siscan/publications/surveys/pq/pq27/pq27_report.pdf |publisher=Ministère de l'Agriculture of de is Colonisation |access-date=21 March 2024 |language=fr |format=9 of 51 |date=1967 |quote=Study of land use opportunities for agricultural use}}</ref> they form a string of islands and beaches in the southeastern part of the [[Gulf of St Lawrence|Gulf of St. Lawrence]].

The rocks that make up the island massifs are of three kinds: horizontal and soft [[sandstone]]s, of a blood-red color, which give the archipelago a distinctive character. These red sandstones are juxtaposed with harder, grey sandstones, which also form [[cliff]]s in some places. Finally, volcanic actions created rounded, symmetrical domes like breasts, which were given the name of Demoiselles (or "young ladies"),<ref name="Section des Îles-de-la-Madeleine">{{cite web |author1=Frère Marie-Victorin |author2=Ernest Rouleau |title=Section des Îles-de-la-Madeleine |url=https://florelaurentienne.com/flore/EsquisseGenerale/Equilibre/Sous_regions/3_c_3_b_Sec_Iles_de_la_Madeleine.htm |website=florelaurentienne.com |publisher=Les presses de l'Université de Montréal |access-date=21 March 2024 |pages=925 |language=fr |date=1964 |quote=Volcanic actions created rounded, symmetrical domes like breasts, and which were given the name of Demoiselles}}</ref> though this is disputed.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=301874 |title=Les Demoiselles |author=Commission de toponymie Québec |publisher=Les Publications du Québec |pages=925 |date=2006 |access-date=28 March 2024 |language=fr}}</ref> Where volcanic effusions have come into contact with sandstones, large masses of [[gypsum]] are found.

A group of seven islands form the central core of the archipelago: Île du Havre Aubert (known locally as Amherst Island),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=28200 |author=Commission de toponymie Québec |title=Île du Havre Aubert |access-date=28 March 2024 |language=fr}}</ref> [[Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec#Cap-aux-Meules (Village)|Île du Cap aux Meules]] (known locally as Grindstone),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=10393 |author=Commission de toponymie Québec |title=Île du Cap aux Meules |access-date=28 March 2024 |language=fr}}</ref> Île du Havre aux Maisons (known locally as House Harbour),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=28205 |author=Commission de toponymie Québec |title=Île du Havre aux Maisons |access-date=28 March 2024 |language=fr}}</ref> Île aux Loups (known locally as Seal Island),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=70208 |author=Commission de toponymie Québec |title=Île aux Loups |date=1994–1996 |access-date=28 March 2024 |language=fr}}</ref> Grosse Île (home to most of the Islands' English-speaking community), Île d'Entrée (known locally as Entry Island, home to a small English-speaking community) and [[Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec#Grande-Entrée_(Village)|Île de la Grande-Entrée]]. These islands are connected together by sand spits or [[tombolo]]s.

On the outskirts of the main islands are a series of islets and rocks which are remnants of marine erosion; in the lagoons separating these islands, are Île aux Goélands and the surrounding islets near [[Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec#L'Étang-du-Nord (Village)|Étang-du-Nord]] on the south-west coast of Île du Cap aux Meules (Grindstone), Île Rouge and Île Paquet (formerly Île aux Cochons)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=324125 |author=Commission de toponymie Québec |title=Île Paquet |access-date=28 March 2024 |language=fr }}</ref> at the entrance to the lagoon of Havre aux Maisons (House Harbour), Île Shag to the east of the Dune du Sud. In the gulf north of the archipelago, cliffs of the reddish and greyish green sandstone, a few hundred feet high and relatively unmarked by sea erosion, give a fortress-like appearance to [[Brion Island|Île Brion]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=8365 |author=Commission de toponymie Québec |title=Île Brion |date=1994–1996 |access-date=28 March 2024 |language=fr}}</ref> and the [[Rochers aux Oiseaux]].

Supporting the islands is a series of [[shoal]]s and [[reef]]s that are permanent hazards to maritime navigation.<ref name="Magdalen Islands geological report">{{cite web |author1=Roland Sanschagrin |title=Magdalen Island Geological report 106 |url=https://gq.mines.gouv.qc.ca/documents/EXAMINE/RG106(A)/RG106(A).pdf |publisher=Province of Quebec, department of natural resources |access-date=29 February 2024 |pages=9, 11 of 65 |date=1964 |quote=In comparing different maps, it appears that the tombolo being built between Havre-Aubert and Entrée islands has changed considerably in form over the years.}}</ref> The archipelago has been considered, for more than 400 years, as one of the richest marine regions of Eastern [[Canada]].<ref name="Dune-du-Nord M Grandtner">{{cite web |author1=Miroslav M. Grandtner |title=A string of islands and beaches: the Magdalen Islands |url=https://archives.bape.gouv.qc.ca/sections/mandats/Consultation_IlesDelaMadeleine/documents/DM3.1.pdf |publisher=Quatre-Temps Vol. 21, no 3 |access-date=5 March 2024 |pages=4 |language=fr |date=2017-05-20 |quote=A true jewel of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, a treasure trove of natural resources that must be used with caution, love and intelligence.}}</ref>

A study published in 2011 revealed the impressive wealth of geomorphological and geological heritage on the Magdalen Islands.<ref>Massé M.-O., Morissette A., Hétu B., Tita G. et Vigneault B. (2011). Inventaire du patrimoine géomorphologique de l’archipel des Îles-de-la-Madeleine et identification des stratégies de valorisation géotouristique. Centre de recherche sur les milieux insulaires et maritimes (CERMIM), Îles-de-la-Madeleine (Québec), Rapport présenté à la Conférence régionale des élu(e)s Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, iv + 48 p. + annexes. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271767690_Inventaire_du_patrimoine_geomorphologique_de_l'archipel_des_Iles-de-la-Madeleine_et_identification_des_strategies_de_valorisation_geotouristique</ref> This study consisted in going back in time to trace the evolution of today's landscape through a network of historical sites, known as geomorphosites. Geomorphosites are a representation of a territory's geodiversity, which in turn refers to the diversity of the abiotic world.

==Coastal dynamics==
In the Magdalen Islands, the coastal dynamics are amplified by the wind, with waves most often {{convert|0.5|to|2|m|ft}} high breaking on the coast at a rate of four to seven seconds, depending on their height.

Adding up the many bays and indentations, the coastline is inordinately long: {{convert|385|km}} in all, more than 60% of which is sandy beaches, often topped by a dune. The territory is constantly changing, the unconsolidated deposits are expanding at the expense of the rocky cores they connect.<ref name="Coastal dynamics on the coasts of the islands">{{cite web |author1=Fortin, Jean-Charles |title=Histoire des Îles-de-la-Madeleine |url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2457491?docref=wwWcGKbTCKw4S0e3OfMpAg |website=Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec |publisher=Institut québécois de recherche sur la culture |access-date=4 April 2024 |pages= 50 of 407|language=fr |date=2003 |quote=An examination of the islands' cliffs reveals a world of fantasy: caves, towers, corbels, etc}}</ref> 

The red sandstone cliffs, the most widespread and friable, are rarely more than {{convert|30|m}} high. They are subject to rapid erosion (often more than {{convert|1|m|disp=comma}} per year) due to the action of frost, ice, waves and sea spray that make numerous openings while undermining their base. Erosion features and shapes such as caves, towers, and corbels.
<gallery widths="200" mode="packed" heights="150" caption="Diversity">
File: 960616 14 Cap Meules.jpg|[[Les_Îles-de-la-Madeleine,_Quebec#Cap-aux-Meules|Grindstone]], coast between L'Étang-du-Nord and Fatima.
File: 023_022_Corps_Mort.jpg|Corps-Mort,<ref name="Corps Mort, toponymy">{{cite web |title=Le Corps-Mort|url=https://toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=15131 |website=Commission de toponymie Québec |publisher=Government of Quebec |access-date=6 March 2024 |language=fr |date=1986-12-18 |quote=Deadman's Island ou Dead Bodys and Île du Mort.}}</ref> uninhabited rock, from the island of Havre-Aubert at low tide.
File:024_119_Sandy_Hook.jpg|Sandy Hook Dune,<ref name="Dune Sandy Hook toponymy">{{cite web |title=Dune Sandy Hook |url=https://toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=58100 |website=Commission de toponymie Québec |publisher=Government of Quebec |access-date=6 March 2024 |date=1968-12-05 |quote=Located at the eastern end of Île du Havre Aubert, in the Magdalen Islands}}</ref> a hook-shaped sand spit about {{convert|6|km|spell=in}}, Havre Aubert island
File:024 Ile Madeleine 098.jpg|[[Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec#Fatima|Fatima]], Butte du Vent (Hills)<ref name="Butte du Vent toponymy">{{cite web |title=Butte du Vent |url=https://toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=65350 |website=Commission de toponymie Quebec |publisher=Government of Quebec |access-date=4 March 2024 |language=fr |date=1971-11-18 |quote=The appellation underlines the strength of the almost constant offshore wind.}}</ref>
File:960618_16a_Anse_Cabane.jpg|[[Lighthouse]] of L'Anse-à-la-Cabane<ref name="Anse-à-la-Cabane lighthouse Toponymy">{{cite web |title=Anse-à-la-Cabane lighthouse |url=https://toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=431162 |website=Commission de toponymie Quebec |publisher=Government of Quebec |access-date=7 March 2024 |language=fr |date=2017-05-26 |quote=Built in 1870 and 1871, it was erected during the first wave of lighthouse construction to make navigation safe in the Gulf of St. Lawrence}}</ref> (hamlet), former name Millerand (hamlet), [[Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec#L'Île-du-Havre-Aubert_(Village)|Île du Havre Aubert (island)]]
File:023_019_Havre_Aubert.jpg|[[Coastal erosion|Shoreline erosion]] on a beach on Île du Havre Aubert (island)
File:022_127_Pointe_aux_Loups.jpg|Dune du Nord (dune), between Pointe-aux-Loups (hamlet) and [[Grosse-Île, Quebec|Grosse-Île]]
</gallery>
=== Piping plover (''Charadrius melodus'') ===
{{Main|Piping plover}}
In the 21st century, the islands' beaches provide a habitat for the [[List of Wildlife Species at Risk (Canada)#Endangered birds|endangered]] piping plover (''Charadrius melodus'').<ref name="Piping Plover melodus subspecies" /><ref name="Seabirds and Colonial Waterbirds">{{cite web |author1=Jean-François Rail |title=Seabirds and Colonial Waterbirds of the Magdalen Islands |url=https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2018/eccc/cw69-5/CW69-5-502-eng.pdf |website=Canadian Wildlife Service |publisher=Environment Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service |pages=74 |date=2009 |quote=community of seabirds that can be found nesting in the numerous and characteristic red sandstone cliffs, as well as on sandy islands in lagoons and rocky offshore islands}}</ref> 

Many of the piping plover's nesting areas are subject to human disturbance or other threats, and it is now considered an endangered or threatened species in all parts of its range. During courtship, males perform display flights over breeding territory, with slow wingbeats and piping call notes. On the ground, males approach females, stand upright with neck stretched, and rapidly stamp their feet with an odd high-stepping gait. Usually, the nest has four eggs, sometimes two or three, and rarely five; the eggs are pale buff, spotted with black and dark brown. Their incubation period lasts 26 to 28 days.

The plover's diet includes insects, marine worms, and [[crustacean]]s; the young feed themselves. At first, both parents brood their young during cool weather, and within a few days, female birds depart, leaving males to care for young.<ref name="Piping Plover Audubon" />
<gallery widths="200" mode="packed" heights="120" caption="Piping plover">
File:960528 17 nid pluvier.jpg|Nest of the [[piping plover]]<ref name="Piping Plover melodus subspecies">{{cite web |title=Recovery Strategy (Amended) and Action Plan for the Piping Plover melodus subspecies (Charadrius melodus melodus) in Canada |url=https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2022/eccc/En3-4-9-2022-eng.pdf|website=Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=5 March 2024 |pages=134 |date=2022 |quote=Piping Plover is a small, stocky shorebird that depends on its cryptic coloration to avoid predators}}</ref><ref name="Piping Plover Audubon">{{cite web |title=Piping Plover |url=https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/piping-plover |publisher=Audubon |access-date=5 March 2024 |date=2024 |quote=Many of its nesting areas are subject to human disturbance or other threats, and it is now considered an endangered or threatened species in all parts of its range.}}</ref> on a beach of Île de la [[Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec#Grande-Entrée|Grande-Entrée]]
File:Piping Plovers (23072794576).jpg|Adult and chicks 
File:14th Place - Piping Plover on the Fly (7488340326).jpg|On the fly
File:Piping Plover (12776646935).jpg|Adult
</gallery>

=== Rochers aux Oiseaux (Bird Rocks) ===
{{Main|Rochers aux Oiseaux}}
The [[Rochers aux Oiseaux]] ({{langx|en| Bird Rocks}}) include the Bird Rock and the Margaulx Rock; these rocks emerge in the Gulf of St. Lawrence about {{convert|30|km|0}} from Grosse-Île. On June 25, 1534, [[Jacques Cartier]] discovered these rocks, which he named the Îles de Margaulx because of the myriad [[gannet]]s ({{langx|fr| margaulx}}), [[razorbill]]s, and [[great auk]]s (now extinct) that were found there. In 1919 Brother [[Marie-Victorin Kirouac|Marie-Victorin]] used the name Rochers aux Oiseaux during his visit to the Rocks; since 1974, the [[Canadian Wildlife Service]] has made them a [[List of Migratory Bird Sanctuaries of Canada|Migratory Bird Sanctuary]].<ref name="Les rochers aux Oiseaux Birds Canada">{{cite web |title=Les rochers aux Oiseaux |url=https://www.ibacanada.ca/site.jsp?siteID=QC006&lang=en |publisher=Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas in Canada |access-date=2 March 2024 |quote=Oil pollution is also a concern due to the proximity of the islands to the main shipping route that leads to the St. Lawrence seaway.}}</ref>
* Bird Rock is {{convert|300|m|0}} long by {{convert|150|m|0}} wide and {{convert|30|m|0}}  high, and forms a kind of red [[sandstone]] citadel that is practically inaccessible but inhabited by thousands of birds and a lighthouse that is now automated. 
* Margaulx Rock is {{convert|1.3|km|0}} to the northwest, and refers to three small cays.<ref name="Rochers aux Oiseaux toponymy">{{cite web |title=Rochers aux Oiseaux |url=https://toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=45308 |website=Commission de toponymie Quebec |publisher=Government of Quebec |access-date=2 March 2024 |date=1968-12-05 |quote=In 1919, Brother Marie-Victorin used this name during his visit to Les Rochers}}</ref>

<gallery widths="200" mode="packed" heights="150" caption="Bird Rocks Migratory Bird Sanctuary">
File: 960616 24 Rochers aux Oiseauxaa.jpg|[[Lighthouse]], keepers' house, and outbuildings
File: 960618 01a Rochers aux Oiseaux aa.jpg|Red sandstone citadel
File: 960618 02a Rochers aux Oiseauxa.jpg|Support one of the six [[Northern gannet]] colonies in North America<ref name="Les rochers aux Oiseaux Birds Canada" />
</gallery>

=== Pointe de l'Est National Wildlife Area ===
The Pointe de l'Est National Wildlife Area<ref>[https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/national-wildlife-areas/locations/pointe-est.html  Pointe de l'Est National Wildlife Area]</ref> is located on [[Grosse-Île, Quebec|La Grosse Île]] and the reserve occupies an area of {{convert|748|ha|0}} in the village of the same name. It offers landscapes characteristic of the Islands: a reddish rocky core, coastal belts reshaped by the wind into dunes, moors, huge beaches and freshwater, saltwater or brackish water ponds. The reserve has six hiking trails from {{convert|0.6|to|1.8|km|yd}} in length: L'Échouerie, Le Rabougri, La Camarine, La Lande, Le Mitan, Le Bol-à-Soupe.<ref name="Pointe-de-l'Est National Wildlife Refuge">{{cite web |title=Pointe-de-l'Est National Wildlife Refuge |url=https://baliseqc.ca/3S/explorer/iles-de-la-madeleine/reserve-nationale-de-faune-de-la-pointe-de-lest-LR0253?lat=47.59574558307245&lng=-61.47537231445313&zoom=12 |publisher=Balise |access-date=2 March 2024 |language=fr |date=2023 |quote=6 trails from 0.6 to 1.8 km, reference directory for Pointe-de-l'Est National Wildlife Refuge}}</ref>

<gallery widths="200" mode="packed" heights="200" caption=" Grande Échouerie Beach Trail Flora">
File:960624 27 7 8a Echouerie.jpg|[[Dune]]s and [[beach]]es
File:Vaccinium_macrocarpon_960627_19aa.jpg|''[[Vaccinium macrocarpon]]'' - Large cranberry.
File:Abies_balsamea_960627_24a.jpg|''[[Abies balsamea]]'' - Balsam fir.
File:Sarracenia_purpurea_960530_05a_001.jpg|''[[Sarracenia purpurea]]'' - Purple pitcher plant.
</gallery>

==Nomenclature==
Owing to the succession of French and English influences, it is not surprising that each of the islands has several names.

The names used by the [[Acadians]] of the archipelago are as follows: Grande-Entrée island (Coffin), Boudreau island, Cap de l'Est island, Grosse-Île, Pointe-aux-Loups island, Havre-aux-Maisons island (Alright or House Harbour), [[Cap-aux-Meules, Quebec|Cap-aux-Meules]] (Grindstone) island, Havre-Aubert island (Amherst), Corps-Mort island (Deadman), and Entrée islands. Uninhabited islets as [[Rochers aux Oiseaux|Bird Rocks]] and [[Brion Island]] complete the archipelago.<ref name="Magdalen Islands geological report" />

==Geography==

While the Îles de la Madeleine are a land area of {{convert|205.53|km2|sqmi}} in the province of [[Quebec|Québec]], they are in fact closer to the [[Maritime provinces]] and [[Newfoundland]] than to the [[Gaspé Peninsula]] on the Québec mainland. The Mi'kmaq consider the islands a part of the [[Epekwitk]] aq [[Pictou|Piktuk]] district of [[Mi'kma'ki]]—the traditional territory of the [[Mi'kmaq|Mi'kmaq Nation]]—and call the islands '''Menagoesenog'''.

Administratively, the islands are part of the [[Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine]] region in the Canadian province of [[Quebec|Québec]]. The islands form the [[territory equivalent to a regional county municipality]] (TE) and the [[census geographic units of Canada|census division]] (CD) of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Their geographical code is 01.

The islands are also coextensive with the [[urban agglomeration of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine]], which is divided into two municipalities: [[Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine,_Quebec|Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine]] ([[Statistics Canada|2011 census]] pop. 12,291), the central municipality, and [[Grosse-Île, Quebec|Grosse-Île]] (pop. 490). Their mayors are Gaétan Richard and Rose Elmonde Clarke, respectively.

[[File:Madeleine, Quebec, Canada - TG087990.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.3]]
Within the area known as [[Wabanaki_Confederacy|Dawnland]], these islands were once called ''Menquit'' by the [[Mi'kmaq|Mi'kmaw Nation]], meaning "islands battered by waves." Around the mid 19th century as [[Mi'kmaq language|Mi'kmawi'simk]] (the Mi'kmaw language) shifted, the name changed to become ''Menagoesenog'' reflecting islands "battered by the surf." Although not a distinct district within [[Mi'kma'ki]], the archipelago falls within the territorial bounds of the Mi'kmaw homeland.

== Demographics ==
=== Population ===
{{Canada census
 |location=Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec
 |2011_population=12,781 |2011_pop_delta=-2.4 |2011_land_area=205.40 |2011_pop_density=62.2
 |2011_median_age=48.1 |2011_median_age_m=47.9 |2011_median_age_f=48.4
 |2011_total_pvt_dwell=6,153 |2011_mean_hh_income=52,267 |2011_access_date=2014-02-23
 |2006_population=13,091 | 2006_pop_delta=+2.1 | 2006_land_area=205.40 | 2006_pop_density=63.7
 |2006_median_age=44.5 | 2006_median_age_m=44.1 | 2006_median_age_f=44.9
 |2006_total_pvt_dwell=5,838 | 2006_mean_hh_income=47,914 | 2006_access_date=2014-02-23
 |2001_population=12,824 | 2001_pop_delta=-7.1 | 2001_land_area=205.53 | 2001_pop_density=62.4
 |2001_median_age=41.1 | 2001_median_age_m=41.0 | 2001_median_age_f=41.2
 |2001_total_pvt_dwell=5,289 |2001_mean_hh_income=40,996 | 2001_access_date=2014-02-23
 |notes=
}}

{{Historical populations|width=60%
| title= <small>Historical Census Data - Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec</small><ref name="scpast">Statistics Canada: [[Canada 1996 Census|1996]], [[Canada 2001 Census|2001]], [[Canada 2006 Census|2006]], [[Canada 2011 Census|2011]] census</ref>
| percentages = 
| shading = off
| align = none
| cols = 3
| 1991 |13991
| 1996 |13802
| 2001 |12824
| 2006 |13091
| 2011 |12781
}}

===Language===
{| class="wikitable"
!colspan="19"|Canada Census Mother Tongue - Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec<ref name="scpast"/>
|-
! Census
|
! Total
|colspan="1"| 
!colspan="3"|{{center|French}}
|colspan="1"|
!colspan="3"|{{center|English}}
|colspan="1"|
!colspan="3"|{{center|French & English}}
|colspan="1"|
!colspan="3"|{{center|Other}}
|-
! Year
|
! Responses
| 
! Count
! Trend
! Pop %
|
! Count
! Trend
! Pop %
|
! Count
! Trend
! Pop %
|
! Count
! Trend
! Pop %
|-
| {{center|[[2011 Canadian census|2011]]}}
|
| {{center|12,660}}
|
| 11,900
| {{decrease}} 1.1%
| 94.00%
|
| 695
| {{decrease}} 16.3%
| 5.49%
|
| 40
| {{decrease}} 20.0%
| 0.32%
|
| 25
| {{decrease}} 61.5%
| 0.20%
|-
| {{center|[[2006 Canadian census|2006]]}}
|
| {{center|12,975}}
|
| 12,030
| {{increase}} 1.9%
| 92.72%
|
| 830
| {{increase}} 16.9%
| 6.40%
|
| 50
| {{increase}} 100.0%
| 0.38%
|
| 65
| {{increase}} 37.5%
| 0.50%
|-
| {{center|[[2001 Canadian census|2001]]}}
|
| {{center|12,575}}
|
| 11,800	
| {{decrease}} 8.7%
| 93.84%
|
| 710
| {{decrease}} 0.7%
| 5.65%
|
| 25	
| {{decrease}} 58.3%
| 0.20%
|
| 40
| {{increase}}33.3%
| 0.32%
|-
| {{center|[[1996 Canadian census|1996]]}}
|
| {{center|13,730}}
|
| 12,925	
| n/a
| 94.13%
|
| 715
| n/a
| 5.21%
|
| 60
| n/a
| 0.44%
|
| 30
| n/a
| 0.22%
|}

==Climate==
The maritime climate of the Îles de la Madeleine is markedly different from that of the mainland. The huge water masses that circle the archipelago both temper the weather and create milder conditions in each season. On the islands, winter is mild, spring is cool, summer has a few heat waves, and fall is typically warm. The Îles de la Madeleine have the least annual frost in Quebec. The warm breezes of summer persist well into September and sometimes early October.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tourismeilesdelamadeleine.com/en/discover-the-islands/useful-informations/climate/|title=Climate &#124; Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine}}</ref> However, under the [[Köppen climate classification]] its climate is [[humid continental climate|humid continental]] (Dfb) because its winters average far below freezing by maritime standards. [[Seasonal lag]] is strong because of the freezing water and the time that it takes for the gulf to warm up again. Also, in winter, [[sea ice]] occasionally forms, impeding offshore communications and activities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.peicanada.com/eastern_graphic/news/article_a16a259e-0731-5305-889f-bb3e4328ad59.html|title=Magdalen Islands ferry stuck - most ice in two decades|publisher=Pei Canada|date=7 March 2014|access-date=18 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/bad-season-seal-hunt-magdalen-islands-1.4526262|title=Bad season seal hunt in Magdalen Islands|publisher=CBC|date=8 February 2018|access-date=18 February 2019|last=Page|first=Julia}}</ref>

The highest temperature ever recorded was {{convert|31.1|C|0}} on 31 July 1949.<ref name="Grindstone Island"/> The lowest temperature ever recorded was {{convert|-27.2|C|0}} on 14 February 1891.<ref name="Grindstone Island"/>

The Îles de la Madeleine have warmed 2.3&nbsp;°C (4&nbsp;°F) in the late 19th century, twice the global average. As a result, the residents are facing a growing number of problems, as extreme climate change transforms the land and water around them. The sea ice that used to encase and protect the islands from most winter storms is shrinking at a rate of about {{convert|1,437|sqkm|abbr=on}} annually.  Parts of the shoreline have eroded into the sea at a rate as much as {{convert|4.3|m}} per year in the 2010s. Important roads are at risk of washouts, and important infrastructure, including the hospital and city hall, sit near deteriorating cliffs. Recently the sea has been rising at a rate of {{convert|7|mm|abbr=on}} per decade, threatening to contaminate freshwater aquifers.<ref name=Dennis>Dennis, B. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/world/climate-environment/canada-quebec-islands-climate-change/ ''The ice used to protect them. Now their island is crumbling into the sea.''] Washington Post, 31 October 2019.</ref>

{{Weather box
|location = [[Îles-de-la-Madeleine Airport]], 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1890–present{{efn|Climate data was recorded on [[Grindstone Island (Magdalen Islands)|Grindstone Island]] in the community of [[Cap-aux-Meules, Quebec|Cap-aux-Meules]] from August 1890 to February 1983 and at [[Îles-de-la-Madeleine Airport]] from May 1983 to present.}}
|width = 100%
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan maximum humidex = 13.6
|Feb maximum humidex = 7.7
|Mar maximum humidex = 11.1
|Apr maximum humidex = 16.8
|May maximum humidex = 25.0
|Jun maximum humidex = 32.8
|Jul maximum humidex = 37.0
|Aug maximum humidex = 37.1
|Sep maximum humidex = 33.5
|Oct maximum humidex = 26.3 
|Nov maximum humidex = 20.4
|Dec maximum humidex = 13.7
|Jan record high C = 12.3
|Feb record high C = 9.0
|Mar record high C = 12.0
|Apr record high C = 17.2
|May record high C = 25.4
|Jun record high C = 28.9
|Jul record high C = 31.1
|Aug record high C = 30.6
|Sep record high C = 28.3
|Oct record high C = 21.6
|Nov record high C = 20.4
|Dec record high C = 13.1
|year record high C = 31.1
|Jan high C = -2.5
|Feb high C = -3.6
|Mar high C = -0.7
|Apr high C = 4.1
|May high C = 10.4
|Jun high C = 15.9
|Jul high C = 20.8
|Aug high C = 21.3
|Sep high C = 17.3
|Oct high C = 11.4
|Nov high C = 6.1
|Dec high C = 1.1
|year high C = 8.5
|Jan mean C = -5.5
|Feb mean C = -6.8
|Mar mean C = -3.6
|Apr mean C = 1.5
|May mean C = 7.1
|Jun mean C = 12.5
|Jul mean C = 17.7
|Aug mean C = 18.4
|Sep mean C = 14.5
|Oct mean C = 9.0
|Nov mean C = 3.7
|Dec mean C = -1.3
|year mean C = 5.6
|Jan low C = -8.4
|Feb low C = -10.1
|Mar low C = -6.4
|Apr low C = -1.2
|May low C = 3.7
|Jun low C = 9.1
|Jul low C = 14.6
|Aug low C = 15.4
|Sep low C = 11.7
|Oct low C = 6.4
|Nov low C = 1.3
|Dec low C = -3.6
|year low C = 2.7
|Jan record low C = -26.5
|Feb record low C = -27.2
|Mar record low C = -26.1
|Apr record low C = -12.9
|May record low C = -6.1
|Jun record low C = 0.0
|Jul record low C = 1.8
|Aug record low C = 3.9
|Sep record low C = -1.1
|Oct record low C = -5.6
|Nov record low C = -12.8
|Dec record low C = -24.4
|year record low C = -27.2
|Jan chill = -42.1
|Feb chill = -41.3
|Mar chill = -37.1
|Apr chill = -23.2
|May chill = -10.2
|Jun chill = 0.0
|Jul chill = 0.0
|Aug chill = 0.0
|Sep chill = 0.0
|Oct chill = -8.6
|Nov chill = -21.2
|Dec chill = -32.8
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 92.8
|Feb precipitation mm = 74.3
|Mar precipitation mm = 75.8
|Apr precipitation mm = 71.2
|May precipitation mm = 79.4
|Jun precipitation mm = 74.7
|Jul precipitation mm = 84.0
|Aug precipitation mm = 77.7
|Sep precipitation mm = 96.9
|Oct precipitation mm = 107.8
|Nov precipitation mm = 99.3
|Dec precipitation mm = 103.7
|year precipitation mm = 1037.7
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 37.1
|Feb rain mm = 27.4
|Mar rain mm = 39.0
|Apr rain mm = 56.7
|May rain mm = 82.0
|Jun rain mm = 76.3
|Jul rain mm = 75.5
|Aug rain mm = 84.2
|Sep rain mm = 95.8
|Oct rain mm = 93.3
|Nov rain mm = 91.6
|Dec rain mm = 43.6
|year rain mm = 802.6
|Jan snow cm = 61.1
|Feb snow cm = 47.5
|Mar snow cm = 37.0
|Apr snow cm = 17.0
|May snow cm = 4.5
|Jun snow cm = 0.0
|Jul snow cm = 0.0
|Aug snow cm = 0.0
|Sep snow cm = 0.0
|Oct snow cm = 0.7
|Nov snow cm = 17.3
|Dec snow cm = 51.7
|year snow cm = 236.8
|unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 22.5
|Feb precipitation days = 16.8
|Mar precipitation days = 16.7
|Apr precipitation days = 13.7
|May precipitation days = 14.2
|Jun precipitation days = 11.4
|Jul precipitation days = 13.4
|Aug precipitation days = 12.0
|Sep precipitation days = 12.3
|Oct precipitation days = 16.7
|Nov precipitation days = 17.5
|Dec precipitation days = 21.0
|year precipitation days = 188.0
|unit rain days = 0.2 mm
|Jan rain days = 5.6
|Feb rain days = 4.3
|Mar rain days = 7.3
|Apr rain days = 10.6
|May rain days = 14.1
|Jun rain days = 12.3
|Jul rain days = 13.1
|Aug rain days = 12.5
|Sep rain days = 13.1
|Oct rain days = 17.2
|Nov rain days = 14.1
|Dec rain days = 7.2
|year rain days = 131.2
|unit snow days = 0.2 cm
|Jan snow days = 20.2
|Feb snow days = 14.4
|Mar snow days = 12.3
|Apr snow days = 6.1
|May snow days = 0.95
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.61
|Nov snow days = 7.8
|Dec snow days = 17.9
|year snow days = 80.2
|time day = 1300 LST
|humidity colour = green
|Jan humidity = 81.8
|Feb humidity = 80.8
|Mar humidity = 79.8
|Apr humidity = 77.1
|May humidity = 73.5
|Jun humidity = 74.2
|Jul humidity = 74.8
|Aug humidity = 73.5
|Sep humidity = 74.2
|Oct humidity = 75.5
|Nov humidity = 78.1
|Dec humidity = 80.8
|year humidity = 77.0
|Jan dew point C = -8.3
|Feb dew point C = -8.9
|Mar dew point C = -5.0
|Apr dew point C = -1.1
|May dew point C = 3.3
|Jun dew point C = 9.3
|Jul dew point C = 13.8
|Aug dew point C = 13.6
|Sep dew point C = 9.7
|Oct dew point C = 4.5
|Nov dew point C = 0.5
|Dec dew point C = -4.8
|Jan sun = 62.6
|Feb sun = 110.1
|Mar sun = 126.3
|Apr sun = 142.7
|May sun = 206.5
|Jun sun = 237.4
|Jul sun = 247.0
|Aug sun = 237.0
|Sep sun = 162.4
|Oct sun = 114.1
|Nov sun = 68.5
|Dec sun = 34.2
|year sun = 1748.8
|source 1 = [[Environment Canada]][[Environment and Climate Change Canada]]<ref name="normals9120b">{{cite web 
|publisher = [[Environment and Climate Change Canada]] 
|url = https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=QC&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=103000000&dispBack=0
|title = Îles-de-la-Madeleine (Composite Station Threads)
|work = Canadian Climate Normals 1991-2020 Data
|access-date = November 17, 2025
|url-status = live 
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231226054336/https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=QC&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=103000000&dispBack=0
|archive-date = 26 December 2023}}</ref> (rain/rain days, snow/snow days, humidex, wind chill 1981–2010)<ref name="Îles-de-la-Madeleine A">{{cite web 
|url = https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=QC&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=5748&dispBack=0
|title = Historical Data - Climate - Environment and Climate Change Canada 
|website = climate.weather.gc.ca 
|date = 31 October 2011
|access-date = 23 June 2016
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231226055319/https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=QC&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=5748&dispBack=0
|archive-date = 26 December 2023}}</ref><ref name="Grindstone Island">{{cite web 
|url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1961_1990_e.html?searchType=stnName&txtStationName=grindstone&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=1129&dispBack=1 
|title = Canadian Climate Normals 1961-1990 Station Data - Climate - Environment and Climate Change Canada 
|website = climate.weather.gc.ca 
|date = 9 February 2011
|access-date = 23 June 2016
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231226054453/https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1961_1990_e.html?searchType=stnName&txtStationName=grindstone&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=1129&dispBack=1
|archive-date = 26 December 2023}}</ref> (dew point, and sun 1951–1980)<ref name=humiditynormals>
{{cite web
|publisher = Environment Canada
|url = https://climate.weather.gc.ca/doc/En56-60-8-1984.pdf
|title = Canadian Climate Normals 1951–1980 Volume 8: Atmospheric, Pressure, Temperature and Humidity
|access-date = August 11, 2023
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230809040423/https://climate.weather.gc.ca/doc/En56-60-8-1984.pdf
|archive-date = 2023-08-09}}</ref><ref name=sunnormals>
{{cite web
|publisher = Environment Canada
|url = https://collaboration.cmc.ec.gc.ca/cmc/climate/1951-80Normals/En56-60-7-1982.pdf
|title = Canadian Climate Normals 1951–1980 Volume 7: Bright Sunshine
|access-date = November 17, 2025}}</ref>
}}

== Erosion ==
Several news articles in 2019 pointed out that erosion of the coastline had already become a significant issue. Researchers have found that the amount has doubled since 2005, and was averaging {{convert|0.5|m|0}} per year. Recent events that added to the problem included a significant windstorm in November&nbsp;2018 and the [[Hurricane Dorian|post-tropical storm Dorian]] that hit the islands in September&nbsp;2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longform/the-disappearing-islands |title=The disappearing islands |date=15 October 2019 |work=CBC News |last=Leavitt |first=Sarah |access-date=5 January 2020 |quote=For decades, efforts have been underway to tame the effects of erosion on the Magdalen Islands, an archipelago in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. But the effects of climate change left these tiny islands vulnerable when it came to facing two powerful and unpredictable storms in less than a year.}}</ref>

A report in ''[[The Washington Post]]'' in late October&nbsp;2019 also indicated that increasing temperatures have led to reduced ice cover over the years, leading to less protection from winter storms. "That ice has been disappearing ... [and the] sea-level rise, have caused the islands to crumble into the sea".
<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/podcasts/post-reports/the-canadian-islands-crumbling-into-the-sea/ |title=The Canadian islands crumbling into the sea |last=Dennis |first=Brady |date=31 October 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=5 January 2020 |quote="They're in the middle of this gulf, which used to be covered with ice for a large part of the winter and kind of protected these islands from the winter storms"}}</ref>

Researchers have found that the rise in sea levels has been approximately double that of the global norm and that the sea ice is shrinking at approximately 12% per decade. A November&nbsp;2019 report from ''The Washington Post'' provided these specifics about the effects of erosion:<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thespec.com/news-story/9672840-once-protected-by-ice-canada-s-crumbling-magdalen-islands-face-disaster/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107151650/https://www.thespec.com/news-story/9672840-once-protected-by-ice-canada-s-crumbling-magdalen-islands-face-disaster/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 7, 2019 |title=Once protected by ice, Canada's crumbling Magdalen Islands face disaster |date=1 November 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=5 January 2020 |quote="Season after season, storm after storm, it is becoming clearer that the sea, which has always sustained these islands, is now their greatest threat"}}</ref><blockquote>"Some parts of the shoreline have lost as much as {{convert|14|ft|0}} per year to the sea over the past decade. Key roads face perpetual risk of washing out. The hospital and the city hall sit alarmingly close to deteriorating cliffs. Rising waters threaten to contaminate aquifers used for drinking water ... Nearly a dozen homes on the islands have been relocated, and most everyone expects that number to grow."</blockquote> The sole benefit has been the increase in lobster yields on the islands, at least double what was the norm in the past.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

==Economy==
===Tourism===
[[File:Magdalen-cliffside.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Cliffs along the shore of Grosse Île]]
[[Tourism]] is a major component of the islands' economy, as they have many kilometres (miles) of white sand beaches and steadily-eroding sandstone cliffs. Also, they are a destination for [[bicycle]] camping, [[sea kayaking]], [[windsurfing]], and [[kitesurfing]]. During the winter months, beginning in mid-February, [[ecotourism|ecotourists]] visit to observe newborn and young [[harp seal]] pups on the [[pack ice]] in the [[Gulf of St. Lawrence]], which surrounds the islands.{{Citation needed|date = July 2013}} However the ice cover has reduced recently and the observation "season" has been cancelled several times.

===Industry===
The island is home to [[Canadian Salt Company]] Seleine Mines, which produces [[road salt]] for use in [[Quebec]], [[Atlantic Canada]] and the United States' eastern seaboard.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.windsorsalt.com/careers/sites_quebec.html |title=Québec |publisher=Windsor Salt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718060813/http://www.windsorsalt.com/careers/sites_quebec.html |archive-date=2011-07-18 }}</ref> Opened in 1982, the salt mine and plant is located in Grosse-Île and extracts salt from an underground mine {{convert|30|m|ft}} below Grande-Entrée Lagoon. It produces {{convert|1,000,000|t}} of salt, and employs 200 people.

Although fishing is a traditional occupation, [[lobster]] have become a more lucrative local business. It was once common for lobstermen to haul in {{convert|15,000|lb}} during a nine-week season that begins each spring, but now it is not unusual to bring home twice that amount, or more.<ref name=Dennis/> This may be due to [[climate change]] that has warmed the surrounding waters to some extent, yielded increasing lobster harvests. An identification guide for
marine fishes of the estuary and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence was completed in 2008.<ref name="Identification guide for marine fishes of the estuary and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence">{{cite web |first1=C. |last1=Nozères |first2=D.|last2=Archambault |first3=P.-M. |last3=Chouinard |first4=J. |last4=Gauthier |first5=R. |last5=Miller |first6=E. |last6=Parent |first7=P. |last7=Schwab |first8=L. |last8=Savard |first9=J.-D. |last9=Dutil |title=Identification guide for marine fishes of the estuary and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence and sampling protocols used during trawl surveys between 2004 and 2008 |url=https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2010/mpo-dfo/Fs97-6-2866.pdf |publisher=Regional Science Branch Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute |access-date=8 April 2024 |language=en, fr |date=2010 |quote=Important source of information on the status of marine resources harvested in the estuary and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence.}}</ref>

=== Energy ===
The islands currently generate electricity at the Cap-aux-Meules oil-fired thermal power plant. The 67 MW plant generates 125,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases per year, or about 40% of [[Hydro-Québec]]'s direct emissions. Hydro-Québec plans to build an undersea [[HVDC]] cable from the mainland 225 km (140 miles) away, connecting the islands to the main grid upon completion in 2027. The plan will cost $2.3 billion over 40 years, saving approximately 12%, and reduce emissions by 94%.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ICI.Radio-Canada.ca |first=Zone Environnement- |title=225 kilomètres de câbles entre la Gaspésie et les Îles-de-la-Madeleine |url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1838995/hydro-quebec-cable-sous-marins-iles-madeleine-electricite-environnement |access-date=2023-04-11 |website=Radio-Canada.ca |date=11 November 2021 |language=fr-ca}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of regional county municipalities and equivalent territories in Quebec]]
* [[Quebec Route 199]], the only provincial highway on the islands
* [[Coopérative de transport maritime et aérien]], the ferry company serving the Magdalen Islands
* [[Maritime Quebec]]
* [[List of Quebec regions]]
* [[Coins of the Magdalen Islands]] (numismatic history).
* [[List of islands of Quebec]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

== External links ==
{{Wikivoyage|Îles-de-la-Madeleine}}
{{Commons category}}
*[https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/346215533.pdf,  The Wabanaki Confederacy], Willard Walker, 1998, Part of the Indigenous Studies Commons, p. 31 
* [https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2457491?docref=wwWcGKbTCKw4S0e3OfMpAg Histoire des Îles-de-la-Madeleine], Fortin, Jean-Charles, Larocque, Paul, 2003, 407 p,  Collections de BAnQ (French). 
* [https://www.quebecmaritime.ca/en/what-to-do/bird-watching Bird Watching], The maritime regions of Quebec are home to hundreds of species of birds 
* [https://www.muniles.ca/loisirs-et-culture/vie-culturelle-et-bibliotheques/patrimoine/ Municipalité des Îles-de-la-Madeleine], official site
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928192457/http://www.gaspesia.com/ville.php Municipalités et villes de la Gaspésie]
* [http://www.tourismeilesdelamadeleine.com Magdalen Islands tourist association]
* [http://www.ilesdelamadeleine.com/ The official tourist site of the islands]
* [http://www.quebecweb.com/tourisme/ilemadeleine/introang.html Quebec tourism information on the Magdalen Islands] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060317181331/http://www.quebecweb.com/tourisme/ilemadeleine/introang.html |date=2006-03-17 }} including a map (with the French names)
* [https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/national-wildlife-areas/locations/pointe-est.html Pointe de l'Est National Wildlife Area], official site

{{Magdalen Islands}}
{{Geographic location
 | title = '''Adjacent counties and equivalent territories'''
 | Centre    = Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine TE
 | North     = ''[[Gulf of Saint Lawrence]]''
 | Northeast = 
 | East      = ''[[Gulf of Saint Lawrence]]''
 | Southeast = 
 | South     = ''[[Gulf of Saint Lawrence]]''
 | Southwest = 
 | West      = ''[[Gulf of Saint Lawrence]]'' <br /> [[Le Rocher-Percé Regional County Municipality|Le Rocher-Percé RCM]]
 | Northwest = 
}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Magdalen Islands| ]]
[[Category:Archipelagoes of Canada]]
[[Category:Archipelagoes of the Atlantic Ocean]]
[[Category:Canada geography articles needing translation from French Wikipedia]]
[[Category:Coastal islands of Quebec]]
[[Category:Landforms of Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine]]
[[Category:Territories equivalent to a regional county municipality]]
[[Category:Census divisions of Quebec]]