Acadia (region)

Acadia is a North American cultural region in the Maritime provinces of Canada where approximately 300,000 French-speaking Acadians live. The region lacks clear or formal borders; it is usually considered to be the north and east of New Brunswick as well as a few isolated localities in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Some also include a few localities in Quebec and/or Maine.

The present-day region of Acadia's name echoes that of the historic colony of Acadia, a colony of New France which covered the Maritimes, and that was inhabited by Acadians until the Deportation of the Acadians. A few Acadians managed to escape the deportation by fleeing to the most rural parts of the old territory and re-settling there, which is mostly the North and East of New Brunswick today. Their descendants came to dominate these areas, leading to the emergence of modern-day Acadia.

Acadia has always been a poor region for a variety of reasons. For example, after the British conquest, a test oath was put in place, preventing Catholics from voting or being a candidate. The Acadians were also firmly opposed to the Confederation of Canada, which would severely affect the local economy. Furthermore, the lands of Acadia are not very fertile, making them a poor choice for agriculture. In the 1960s, the Quiet Revolution took place, which modernized and secularized Acadia. This not only allowed the socio-economic standing of Acadians to improve, but also created a national identity for Acadians. Symbols and institutions were created, and a desire to protect Acadian culture and the French language emerged. Today, rural exodus, anglicization and the aging of the population influence the demography of Acadia.