Moncton's sophisticated atmosphere, its array of amenities and attractions and its booming economy belie its small size.

LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION

Known as "the Hub of the Maritimes," Moncton sits on the banks of the Petitcodiac River in southeastern New Brunswick, at the geographic centre of Canada's Maritime Provinces. As a major junction point for railways, highways, including the trans-Canada, it is a major transportation and distribution centre for goods shipped in and out of the Maritime provinces. It's also at the junction of New Brunswick's English-speaking and French-speaking regions, making it one of the most bilingual places in Canada's only officially bilingual province.

CLIMATE

Moncton lies in New Brunswick's "snow belt" and receives around 1,200 millimetres of precipitation every year, much of that in the form of snow. This makes for ideal conditions for winter sports of all kinds. Cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and skating can be enjoyed throughout much of the winter. January temperatures average -8° C. In summer, Monctonians flock to the warm waters of Parlée Beach on the Northumberland Strait at nearby Shediac. Summers are pleasantly warm and not often humid. July temperatures average 19° C.

ECONOMY

Moncton is often cited as a miracle of economic recovery. The city was dealt a devastating blow several years ago by the closing of its two biggest employers--the Canadian National Railways maintenance yards and the Eaton's catalogue-shopping warehouse. Moncton survived, and thrived, by becoming the call-centre capital of Canada. Banks and other large national and multi-national companies have established offices that handle customer phone calls and telemarketing. The large bilingual community and the low cost of real estate make Moncton an ideal choice for this and other industries. Textiles, food processing and the manufacturing of wood products, farm machinery and auto parts are also important economic contributors.

PEOPLE

The English-Acadian mix gives Moncton a distinct cultural character. It is not uncommon to hear residents switch between speaking French and English in the same conversation, a dialect known locally as "Franglais". Anglophones account for 64.5 percent of Moncton's population, while francophones make up 30.5 percent.

CULTURE AND RECREATION

The area in and around Moncton is recognized for two gravity-defying natural phenomena-the tidal bore and Magnetic Hill. Twice every day, the tidal bore, a wave powered by the world's highest tides in the nearby Bay of Fundy, pushes upstream against the Petitcodiac River's current, and swells the river by up to 7.5 metres higher than at low tide. The wave itself can reach a height of six metres. Magnetic Hill is a natural optical illusion that makes cars seem to magically roll uphill. The Magnetic Hill area has been developed as a small theme park, complete with water slides, mini-golf and bumper boats.

Moncton is also a regional shopping hub, drawing bargain seekers from as far away as Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Its downtown features shops, cafés, restaurants, nightclubs. Dominating the skyline are the ritzy Hotel Beausejour and a former CN telecommunications tower that looks something like a miniature version of Toronto's CN Tower. Outside the downtown area, Champlain Place, one of the biggest shopping malls in Atlantic Canada, features many large chain stores. Crystal Palace-a hotel and indoor theme park-includes a roller coaster and movie theatres. The Capitol Theatre, one of only eight such theatres left in Canada, is an elegant entertainment venue restored to its 1922 state - a showcase for local, Canadian and international talent.