Tourism is the fifth-largest industry in Quebec. Some 29,000 companies are involved in the industry, generating 130,000 direct and 48,000 indirect jobs. In 2006, Quebec welcomed 3.2 million foreign tourists, most of them from the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Mexico and Japan. Quebec's French heritage sets the province apart from the most of Canada and the United States, as well as Mexico. The province has preserved its Francophone culture with a European feel. Location of Quebec Quebec is located in the northeast portion of North American and occupies an area of 1,667,926 km2 (643,820 sq. mi.). It is the largest province in Canada with three times as much area as France. It borders on the United States to the south and Ontario to the west. Over 90% of its territory is made up of the Canadian Shield. Most of its population lives in the area surrounding the St. Lawrence River in what is commonly called the St. Lawrence Lowlands. The Appalachian Mountains occupy the southern portion of Quebec. Culture and language Language Largely French in terms of language and culture, Quebec has preserved its Francophone heritage in the midst of a strong Anglophone culture. French is the mother tongue of 82% of Quebecers, and English is the mother tongue of 10% of the population. The remaining 8% is divided among some 30 languages such as, in order of importance, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Greek. Over 40% of the population is bilingual. In major cities like Montreal, this percentage is as high as 64%, and 16% of the population speaks a third language. Culture Quebecers enjoy dining and celebrating, which is clear from the many festivities that take place in Quebec. They also enjoy literature, the performing arts, painting, sculpture and fine crafts. Quebec talent has made its mark on the world, such as Cirque du Soleil, Céline Dion, and Jacques Villeneuve. Tourist regions Quebec is made up of 21 tourist regions: Abitibi-Témiscamingue Baie-James (James Bay) Bas-Saint-Laurent Centre-du-Québec Charlevoix Chaudière-Appalaches Duplessis Eastern Townships Gaspésie Îles-de-la-Madeleine (Magdalen Island) Lanaudière Laurentides Laval Manicouagan Mauricie Montérégie Montréal Nunavik Outaouais Capitale-Nationale Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Major cities The two largest cities in Quebec are Montreal and Quebec City. Four ways to discover Quebec Quebec offers four different tourist experiences, each with a wide range of activities. The City Experience Montreal The only Francophone metropolis in North America, Montreal is also the second largest Francophone