Magdalen Islands

The Magdalen Islands (French, Îles de la Madeleine) are an archipelago in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in Canada. Though closer to Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, the islands belong to Quebec. There are nine major islands - Alright, Amherst, Brion, Coffin, East, Entry, Grindstone, Grosse, and Wolf - and numerous islets.

Jacques Cartier was the first European to visit the islands, in 1534. The archipelago now supports a population of 13,991 (1991), largely Quebecois, whose main occupations include fishing and sealing.