Located in the heart of the Thousand Islands, St. Lawrence Islands National Park, with about 9 square kilometres of land area, is the smallest in the Canadian system. Primarily a water-based park, its 21 granite islands and numerous tiny islets are a unique river landscape strewn along 80 kilometres of the upper St. Lawrence River between Kingston and Brockville. Known as the Frontenac Axis, it joins the Canadian Shield of northern Ontario with the Adirondack Mountains to the south. At the centre of this narrow strip, the islands' relatively mild climate and watery environment nurtures a variety of diverse plant and wildlife species. A spectacular view of the park is attainable from the Thousand Islands Parkway, which runs the full length of the park. Formally established in 1914, the first Canadian national park east of the Rocky Mountains, the park has a rich natural and cultural history.