page_title: Thompson, Manitoba
section_title: Geography
hierarchical_section_title: Thompson, Manitoba / Geography
caption_attribution_description: English: Boreal forest on a rocky outcrop on the Canadian Shield.
context_page_description: Thompson is the largest city in the Northern Region of Manitoba and is situated along the Burntwood River, 761 kilometers north of Winnipeg. Originally founded in 1956 as a mining town, Thompson now primarily serves as the "Hub of the North", providing goods and services to the surrounding communities.
  Thompson's trade area is larger than New Mexico yet contains just over 50,000 residents, with many of the smaller communities accessible only by air or winter road. Despite Thompson's isolated location in the heart of Canada's boreal forest, Thompson is directly connected to Winnipeg via paved highway, railroad, and Thompson Airport. Thompson also has modern amenities and a large retail scene, including half a dozen shopping malls and several large chain stores.
  Thompson's natural and undisturbed surroundings makes it a popular community with outdoor enthusiasts: the largest marina in Manitoba is located just 38 km south in Paint Lake Provincial Park, hundreds of kilometers of snowmobile trails are maintained by the Thompson Trailbreakers, and the lack of light pollution and Thompson's northern latitude allows for occasional viewing of the northern lights.
context_section_description: Thompson covers an area of 20.79 square kilometers (8.03 square miles) and is located on the Precambrian Canadian Shield.
  The city is surrounded by boreal forest and bordered on the west and north by the Burntwood River.
caption: The soil on the Canadian Shield is relatively shallow but still supports large trees; rocky outcrops can be commonly found around Thompson, especially near lakes and rivers.
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