Cumberland County, Nova Scotia

Cumberland County
County

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Location of Cumberland County, Nova Scotia
Coordinates: 45°42′N 64°06′W / 45.7°N 64.1°W / 45.7; -64.1Coordinates: 45°42′N 64°06′W / 45.7°N 64.1°W / 45.7; -64.1
Country  Canada
Province  Nova Scotia
Towns Amherst / Oxford / Parrsboro
Established August 17, 1759
Incorporated April 17, 1879
Electoral Districts      
Federal
Cumberland—Colchester —Musquodoboit Valley
Provincial Cumberland North / Cumberland South
Government
 • Type Cumberland County Municipal Council
 • Warden Keith Hunter
 • MLA Terry E. Farrell (NSLP)
Jamie Baillie (PCNS)
 • MP Bill Casey (LPC)
Area[1]
 • Land 4,271.14 km2 (1,649.10 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1][2]
 • Total 31,353
 • Density 7.3/km2 (19/sq mi)
 • Change 2001-06 Decrease1.7%
 • Census divisions
 Subdivision A
 Subdivision B
 Subdivision C
 Subdivision D
 - Towns
 Amherst
 Oxford
 Parrsboro
2,261
3,781
5,525
4,454

9,505
1,178
1,401
Time zone AST (UTC-4)
 • Summer (DST) ADT (UTC-3)
Area code(s) 902
Dwellings 18,153
Median Income* $38,433 CDN
Website www.cumberland county.ns.ca
  • Median household income, 2005 (all households)

Cumberland County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.

History

The name Cumberland was applied by Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Monckton to the captured Fort Beauséjour on June 18, 1755 in honour of the third son of King George II, William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, victor at Culloden in 1746 and Commander in Chief of the British forces. The Mi'kmaq name for the area was "Kwesomalegek" meaning "hardwood point".

Cumberland County was founded on August 17, 1759. When the Township of Parrsboro was divided in 1840, one part was annexed to Cumberland County and the other part annexed to Colchester.

The dividing line between Cumberland and Colchester was established in 1840. In 1897, a portion of the boundary line between the Counties of Colchester and Cumberland was fixed and defined. The county thrived in the 19th century with the development of lumbering, shipbuilding and coal mining. Deforestation and rural outmigration in the 20th century led to the abandonment of some communities such as Eatonville and New Yarmouth.

Geography

Cumberland county landscape at Fraserville with Spencers Island in background

The county has a total area of 4,271.23 km2 (1,649.13 sq mi).

Cumberland County is rich in natural resources with extensive forest land supporting lumber mills and pulp contractors. It has many mineral resources, including 2 operating salt mines. Until the 1970s it also had several coal mines which extracted coal from seams that run from Joggins to River Hebert and on to Athol and Springhill.

Agriculture is concentrated on wild blueberry harvesting throughout the Cobequid Hills, as well as mixed farms located in the Tantramar Marshes region, the Northumberland Strait coastal plain, and the Wentworth Valley.

The northwestern edge of Cumberland County forms part of the Isthmus of Chignecto, the natural land bridge connecting the Nova Scotia peninsula to North America. As such, the county hosts several important transportation corridors, including Highway 104 (the Trans-Canada Highway) and CN Rail's Halifax-Montreal railway line.

Three towns are located in Cumberland County: Amherst, Parrsboro, and Oxford.

Demographics

Population trend[3][4]

Census Population Change (%)
2006 32,046 Decrease1.7%
2001 32,605 Decrease3.5%
1996 33,804 Decrease1.4%
1991 34,284 Decrease1.6%
1986 34,819 Decrease1.2%
1981 35,231 N/A
1941 39,476
1931 36,366
1921 41,191
1911 40,543
1901 36,168
1891 34,529
1881 27,368
1871 23,518 N/A

Mother tongue language (2011)[5]

Language Population Pct (%)
English only 29,645 97.32%
French only 370 1.21%
Non-official languages 345 1.13%
Multiple responses 100 0.33%

Ethnic Groups (2006)[6]

Ethnic Origin Population Pct (%)
Canadian 14,580 46.8%
English 12,385 39.7%
Scottish 9,870 31.7%
Irish 6,775 21.7%
French 4,730 15.2%
German 2,470 7.9%
Dutch (Netherlands) 1,045 3.4%
North American Indian 945 3.0%

Communities

For a list of communities in Cumberland County, see List of Communities

Incorporated communities

Census subdivisions

Major Highways

See also

References

  1. 1 2 2006 Statistics Canada Community Profile: Cumberland County, Nova Scotia
  2. ↑ Statistics Canada Population and dwelling counts, for Canada and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data
  3. ↑ Censuses 1871-1941
  4. ↑ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census
  5. ↑ Statistics Canada: 2011 census
  6. ↑ 2006 Statistics Canada Census Ethnocultural Portrait of Canada: Cumberland County, Nova Scotia
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cumberland County, Nova Scotia.


  New Brunswick
(Westmorland County)
Chignecto Bay Northumberland Strait
   Cumberland County  
Minas Basin Colchester County


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