| Background: |
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. |
| Location: |
Northern
North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and
North Pacific Ocean, north of the conterminous US |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
60 00 N, 95
00 W |
| Map
references: |
North America |
| Area: |
total:
9,976,140 sq km
land: 9,220,970 sq km
water: 755,170 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly
larger than the US |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
8,893 km
border countries: US 8,893 km (includes
2,477 km with Alaska) |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous
zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of
the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
varies from
temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north |
| Terrain: |
mostly plains
with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest
point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m |
| Natural
resources: |
iron ore,
nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash,
silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural
gas, hydropower |
| Land
use: |
arable
land: 5%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 3%
forests and woodland: 54%
other: 38% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
7,100 sq km
(1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
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 |
| Environment
- current issues: |
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 |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur
85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation |
| Geography
- note: |
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/Canada border |
| Population: |
31,592,805
(July 2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14
years: 18.95% (male 3,067,102; female
2,918,839)
15-64 years: 68.28% (male 10,846,151;
female 10,725,800)
65 years and over: 12.77% (male 1,715,071;
female 2,319,842) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
0.99% (2001
est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
11.21
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
7.47
deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
6.13
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
5.02
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 79.56 years
male: 76.16 years
female: 83.13 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.6 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.3% (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
49,000 (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
400 (1999
est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Canadian(s)
adjective: Canadian |
| Ethnic
groups: |
British Isles
origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%,
Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%,
mixed background 26% |
| Religions: |
Roman
Catholic 42%, Protestant 40%, other 18% |
| Languages: |
English 59.3%
(official), French 23.2% (official), other 17.5% |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% (1986 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA% |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Canada |
| Government
type: |
confederation
with parliamentary democracy |
| Administrative
divisions: |
10 provinces
and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba,
New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories*,
Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,
Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory* |
| Independence: |
1 July 2020
(from UK) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence
Day/Canada Day, 1 July (1867) |
| Constitution: |
17 April 2020
(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 |
| Legal
system: |
based on
English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law
system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of
age; universal |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral
Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat
(a body whose members are appointed to serve until
reaching 75 years of age by the governor general and
selected on the advice of the prime minister; its normal
limit is 104 senators) and the House of Commons or
Chambre des Communes (301 seats; members elected by
direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held 27
November 2000 (next to be held 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party
as of January 2001 - Liberal Party 42%, Canadian
Alliance 22%, Bloc Quebecois 13%, New Democratic Party
4%, Progressive Conservative Party 4%; seats by party as
of January 2001 - Liberal Party 172, Canadian Alliance
66, Bloc Quebecois 38, New Democratic Party 13,
Progressive Conservative Party 12 |
| Judicial
branch: |
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) |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
ABEDA, ACCT,
AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN
(dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB
(non-regional), CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC,
ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURCA, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest),
NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC |
| Flag
description: |
three
vertical bands of red (hoist side), white (double width,
square), and red with a red maple leaf centered in the
white band |
| Economy
- overview: |
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. Real rates of growth
have averaged nearly 3.0% since 1993. Unemployment is
falling and government budget surpluses are being
partially devoted to reducing the large public sector
debt. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and
1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which
included Mexico) have touched off a dramatic increase in
trade and economic integration with the US. With 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
possibility of a split in the federation. Another
long-term concern is the flow south to the US of
professional persons lured by higher pay, lower taxes,
and the immense high-tech infrastructure. |
| GDP: |
purchasing
power parity - $774.7 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
4.3% (2000
est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing
power parity - $24,800 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
3%
industry: 31%
services: 66% (2000 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest
10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 23.8% (1994) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
2.6% (2000) |
| Labor
force: |
16.1 million
(2000) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
services 74%,
manufacturing 15%, construction 5%, agriculture 3%,
other 3% (2000) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
6.8% (2000
est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$126.1 billion
expenditures: $125.3 billion, including
capital expenditures of $14.8 billion (2000) |
| Industries: |
processed and
unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper
products, transportation equipment, chemicals, fish
products, petroleum and natural gas |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
4.5% (2000
est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
567.193
billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil
fuel: 26.38%
hydro: 60%
nuclear: 12.31%
other: 1.31% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
497.532
billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
42.911
billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
12.953
billion kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
wheat,
barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy
products; forest products; fish |
| Exports: |
$272.3
billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
motor
vehicles and parts, newsprint, wood pulp, timber, crude
petroleum, machinery, natural gas, aluminum,
telecommunications equipment, electricity |
| Exports
- partners: |
US 86%, Japan
3%, UK, Germany, South Korea, Netherlands, China (1999) |
| Imports: |
$238.2
billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and
equipment, crude oil, chemicals, motor vehicles and
parts, durable consumer goods, electricity |
| Imports
- partners: |
US 76%, Japan
3%, UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea
(1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$1.9 billion
(2000) |
| Economic
aid - donor: |
ODA, $1.3
billion (1999) |
| Currency: |
Canadian
dollar (CAD) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Canadian
dollars per US dollar - 1.5032 (January 2001), 1.4851
(2000), 1.4857 (1999), 1.4835 (1998), 1.3846 (1997),
1.3635 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 April - 31
March |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
18.5 million
(1999) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
4.207 million
(1997) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: excellent service provided by
modern technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with
about 300 earth stations
international: 5 coaxial submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean
and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean
region) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 535, FM
53, shortwave 6 (1998) |
| Radios: |
32.3 million
(1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
80 (plus many
repeaters) (1997) |
| Televisions: |
21.5 million
(1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.ca |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
760 (2000
est.) |
| Internet
users: |
13.28 million
(1999) |
| Railways: |
total:
36,114 km; note - there are two major transcontinental
freight railway systems: Canadian National (privatized
November 1995) and Canadian Pacific Railway; passenger
service provided by government-operated firm VIA, which
has no trackage of its own
standard gauge: 36,114 km 1.435-m gauge
(156 km electrified) (1998) |
| Highways: |
total:
901,902 km
paved: 318,371 km (including 16,571 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 583,531 km (1999) |
| Waterways: |
3,000 km
(including Saint Lawrence Seaway) |
| Pipelines: |
crude and
refined oil 23,564 km; natural gas 74,980 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Becancour
(Quebec), Churchill, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, New
Westminster, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Saint John (New
Brunswick), St. John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles,
Sydney, Trois-Rivieres, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vancouver,
Windsor |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
121 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,767,259 GRT/2,633,290
DWT
ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 67,
cargo 13, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 1,
passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 17,
railcar carrier 2, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea
passenger 3, specialized tanker 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports: |
1,417 (2000
est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
517
over 3,047 m: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 151
914 to 1,523 m: 244
under 914 m: 89 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
900
1,524 to 2,437 m: 74
914 to 1,523 m: 362
under 914 m: 464 (2000 est.) |
| Heliports: |
18 (2000
est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Canadian
Forces (includes Land Forces Command or LC, Maritime
Command or MC, Air Command or AC, Communications Command
or CC, Training Command or TC), Royal Canadian Mounted
Police (RCMP) |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
17
years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 8,325,084 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 7,114,851 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
215,627 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$7.5 billion
(FY00/01) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.3%
(FY00/01) |
|
