Final answer:
The smallest physiographic region in Canada is the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Lowlands, a highly populated and industrial area compared to other larger and less hospitable Canadian regions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The smallest physiographic region in Canada is the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Lowlands. This region is a small but highly significant area located along the St. Lawrence River and around the Great Lakes. It stands out as one of Canada's most densely populated and industrialized regions, contrasting with vast areas of more rugged and less hospitable terrain found in other regions of the country such as the Canadian Shield or the Cordillera. The Hudson Bay Lowlands, the Arctic, and the Cordillera are larger in comparison to the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Lowlands.