This physiographic region is divided into three areas, the West St. Lawrence Lowlands, the Central St. Lawrence Lowlands and the East St. Lawrence Lowlands. As the name implies, the topography of this region is very slightly undulating with low plateaux and plains. The Appalachian region is located between the St. Lawrence Lowlands to the northwest and the Atlantic Ocean to the East and southeast. The tectonic movements, produced between 480 and 280 million years ago, explain the presence of this mountain region. The Arctic Lowlands lie mostly on Bank Island, Victoria Island and western Baffin Island.
Fjords are present and are spectacular marks of the glaciation.
The High Arctic Islands region extends onto Ellesmere Island and Queen Elizabeth Islands. These islands form a desert of mostly bare rock and soil with some patches of vegetation on moist sites. The richness of tundra vegetation decreases towards the north. The permafrost is a typical characteristic of this soil and can be several feet thick. Western High Arctic Eastern High Arctic Glacier Information last updated January 20, 1999.