gander

CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD

BACKGROUNDER

(BY THE GANDER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE)

The Town of Gander is located in central Newfoundland and is a major service centre for the area.  It is a young town, both historically and demographically, with approximately 50% of Gander's population falling between the ages of 20 and 44.  The Town itself has developed into a truly full service international community of more than 10,000 people influenced by virtually all cultures and nationalities. The main economic industries for the Town of Gander are in the areas of transportation, communications, public administration, and defense.  In addition, a large portion of the economy in Gander is driven by the service industry as it is central to a service area consisting of some 96,000 people within a 100 km radius, including 149 communities. 

Historically, Gander's beginnings date back to 1936 when the construction of the international airport began. On January 11, 1938, the first airplane landed at Gander.  It was Fox Moth VO-ADE, operated by Imperial Airways for the Newfoundland Government and flown by Captain Douglas Fraser. Thus, Gander International Airport had its beginning.  Because of its strategic location in northeastern Newfoundland, Gander has always been a main refueling base for transatlantic flights operating between Europe and North America.  Presently, there are two runways in operation at Gander.  Runway 13-31 is 8,900 feet, and runway 04-22 measures 10,500 feet in length.  One of the most modern airports in the world, Gander International Airport has seen many changes and has become a name known all over the aeronautical world. It is the North Atlantic Centre for communications and air traffic control. Gander is proud of its history and deserving of its name -

 CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD.

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Revised: March 19, 2006

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