European settlers

The first European visitors to Nova Scotia were Norse explorers, in the early eleventh century.

In 1497 the adventurer John Cabot passed through the area, and he remarked on the rich fishing grounds of Nova Scotia.

The French settled an area that they called Acadia in the seventeenth century. This included all of Nova Scotia plus parts of New Brunswick and Quebec in Canada and Maine in the USA. The British soon followed the French, also attracted by rich fishing grounds and valuable furs.

In the 1700s the French and British, old enemies, disputed over ownership of the area. The feuding continued until, finally, the British gained control. In the mid-1700s the British, deciding that the Acadians were a threat, expelled all who refused to swear allegiance to Britain. Once the British had established firm control of the province, the Acadians were allowed to return. With them came settlers from Germany, Ireland, Scotland and England.

More British arrived in 1783. They were called Loyalists — people loyal to Britain who did not want to live in the newly independent USA. The province's population doubled.

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Recent arrivals

Today, nearly a quarter of Nova Scotia's 940 000 people recognise Britain as their country of ethnic origin. Many others have French or European origins.

After the War of 1812, several thousand black people settled in Nova Scotia. In 1996 more than 18 000 people reported having black origins.

Other residents have German, Dutch, Polish, Italian, Jewish and Lebanese backgrounds. More recently, immigrants have included Chinese, African, Asian and central European peoples.

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