Atlantic Canada is the portion of Eastern Canada closest to the Atlantic Ocean. It is comprised of four provinces: * Newfoundland and Labrador * New Brunswick * Nova Scotia * Prince Edward Island The area is slightly different than the area known as the Maritimes. The Maritimes are New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Due to Newfoundland (now known as Newfoundland and Labrador) having been a seperate dominion within the British Empire until joining Canada in 1949 as the tenth province, Newfoundland was traditionally excluded from this group.