World Countries Info > Canada > Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver
A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a
self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown.
Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the
US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Its paramount
political problem continues to be the relationship of the province of Quebec,
with its French-speaking residents and unique culture, to the remainder of the
country.
Geography of Canada
|
Location:
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Northern North America,
bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on
the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous
US |
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Geographic coordinates:
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60 00 N, 95 00 W |
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Area:
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total: 9,976,140 sq
km
land: 9,220,970 sq km
water: 755,170 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
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somewhat larger than the US |
|
Land boundaries:
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total: 8,893 km
border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska) |
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Coastline:
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202,080 km |
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24
NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental
margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
|
Climate:
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varies from temperate in
south to subarctic and arctic in north |
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Terrain:
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mostly plains with
mountains in west and lowlands in southeast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m |
|
Natural resources:
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iron ore, nickel, zinc,
copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber,
wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land: 4.94%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 95.04% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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7,200 sq km (1998 est.) |
|
Natural hazards:
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continuous permafrost in
north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of
the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the
Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the
country's rain and snow east of the mountains |
|
Environment - current issues:
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air pollution and resulting
acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting,
coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural
and forest productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to
agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities |
|
Geography - note:
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second-largest country in
world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north
polar route; approximately 85% of the population is concentrated within
300 km of the US border
|
Population of Canada
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Population:
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32,507,874 (July 2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 18.2% (male 3,038,800;
female 2,890,579)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 11,225,686; female 11,111,941)
65 years and over: 13% (male 1,807,472; female 2,433,396) (2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 38.2 years
male: 37.2 years
female: 39.2 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.92% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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10.91 births/1,000 |
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Death rate:
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7.67 deaths/1,000 |
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Net migration rate:
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5.96 migrant(s)/1,000 |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 4.82 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 5.28 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 79.96 years
male: 76.59 years
female: 83.5 years (2004 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.61 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.3% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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55,000 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 500 (2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
|
noun: Canadian(s)
adjective: Canadian |
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Ethnic groups:
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British Isles origin 28%, French origin
23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed
background 26% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 46%, Protestant 36%, other
18%
note: based on the 1991 census |
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Languages:
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English 59.3% (official), French 23.2%
(official), other 17.5% |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 97% (1986 est.)
|
Government
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Canada |
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Government type:
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confederation with parliamentary democracy |
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Capital:
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Ottawa |
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Administrative divisions:
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10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta,
British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest
Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan,
Yukon Territory* |
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Independence:
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1 July 1867 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Canada Day, 1 July (1867) |
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Constitution:
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17 April 1982 (Constitution Act);
originally, the machinery of the government was set up in the British North America Act of
1867; charter of rights and unwritten customs |
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Legal system:
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based on English common law, except in
Quebec, where civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
(since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Adrienne CLARKSON (since 7
October 1999)
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the
monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year term; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the
House of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the governor general
head of government: Prime Minister Paul MARTIN (since 12 December 2003); Deputy
Prime Minister Anne MCLELLAN (since 12 December 2003)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among the members of
his own party sitting in Parliament |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists
of the Senate or Senat (members appointed by the governor general with the advice of the
prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age; its normal limit is 105 senators)
and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (301 seats; members elected by direct,
popular vote to serve for up to five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held 27 November 2000 (next to be held by NA
2005)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 41%,
Canadian Alliance 26%, Bloc Quebecois 11%, New Democratic Party 9%, Progressive
Conservative Party 12%; seats by party - Liberal Party 172, Canadian Alliance 66, Bloc
Quebecois 38, New Democratic Party 13, Progressive Conservative Party 12; note - seats by
party as of December 2003 - Liberal Party 170, Canadian Alliance 59, Bloc Quebecois 33,
New Democratic Party 14, Progressive Conservative Party 18, Independent 4, vacant seats 3 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court of Canada (judges are
appointed by the prime minister through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada;
Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court of Appeal,
Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Justice) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE];
Conservative Party of Canada (a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive
Conservative Party) [Stephen HARPER]; Liberal Party [Paul MARTIN]; New Democratic Party
[Jack LAYTON] |
Economy
As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the US
in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living
standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and
service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one
primarily industrial and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the
1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a
dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US. As a result of the
close cross-border relationship, the economic sluggishness in the United States in
2001-02 had a negative impact on the Canadian economy. Real growth averaged nearly 3%
during 1993-2000, but declined in 2001, with moderate recovery in 2002-03. Unemployment
is up, with contraction in the manufacturing and natural resource sectors. Nevertheless,
given its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant Canada
enjoys solid economic prospects. Two shadows loom, the first being the continuing
constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas, which has been
raising the specter of a split in the federation. Another long-term concern is the flow
south to the US of professionals lured by higher pay, lower taxes, and the immense
high-tech infrastructure. A key strength in the economy is the substantial trade
surplus. Roughly 90% of the population lives within 160 kilometers of the US border.
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $957.7 billion
(2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1.6% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $29,700 (2003
est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 26%
services: 71.8% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% (1998 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 23.8% (1994) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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31.5 (1994) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.8% (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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16.4 million (2001 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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services 74%, manufacturing 15%,
construction 5%, agriculture 3%, other 3% (2000) |
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Unemployment rate:
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7.7% (2003 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $178.6 billion
expenditures: $161.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.) |
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Industries:
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transportation equipment, chemicals,
processed and unprocessed minerals, food products; wood and paper products; fish products,
petroleum, natural gas, tourism |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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0% (2003 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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566.3 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 28%
hydro: 57.9%
other: 1.3% (2001)
nuclear: 12.9% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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504.4 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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38.4 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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16.11 billion kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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2.738 million bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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1.703 million bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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2.008 million bbl/day (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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1.145 million bbl/day (2001) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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5.112 billion bbl (1 January 2002) |
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Natural gas - production:
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186.8 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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82.25 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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109 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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4.46 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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1.691 trillion cu m (1 January 2002) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits,
vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish |
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Exports:
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$279.3 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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motor vehicles and parts, industrial
machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood
pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum |
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Exports - partners:
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US 87.7%, Japan 2%, UK 1.1% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$240.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and
parts, crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods |
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Imports - partners:
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US 62.6%, China 4.6%, Japan 4.4% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$1.9 billion (2000) |
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Economic aid - donor:
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ODA, $1.3 billion (1999) |
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Currency:
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Canadian dollar (CAD) |
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Currency code:
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CAD |
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Exchange rates:
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Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.4
(2003), 1.57 (2002), 1.55 (2001), 1.49 (2000), 1.49 (1999) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
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