The western Labrador interior is boggy with scrubby forests and thin soil. The bedrock holds a large amount of iron ore. Thicker soils have been left by glaciers in the east. These support rich evergreen forests.
Because the Labrador interior is far from the ocean, the climate varies greatly. Winters are very cold. January temperatures average around –22° C. Summers are short but warm. July temperatures range from 13°–16°C.
Most people in the Labrador interior live in one of five large towns. Wabush (pop. 2300) and Labrador City (pop. 9100) are iron-mining towns. The Town of Churchill Falls (pop. 650) supports a large hydro dam. The population of Happy Valley / Goose Bay in 2001 was 7969. Many of these people work at the military base and airport. The Labrador interior has also supported forestry from time to time.