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General Information About Canada
Canada has a very large and diverse range of geographic features. Canada is divided into 10 provinces and 2 territories. Canada stretches from the Pacific Ocean on the west, to the Atlantic Ocean on the east. Northern Canada reaches into the Arctic Circle, while southern Canada stretches below the northern points of the United States.
Covering most of the northern part of the North American continent and with an area larger than that of the United States, Canada has an extremely varied topography. In the east, the mountainous maritime provinces have an irregular coastline on the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic. The two principal river systems are the Mackenzie and the St. Lawrence. The St. Lawrence, with its tributaries, is navigable for over 1,900 mi (3,058 km). |
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Geography
Canada consists of 10 provinces and three territories in five main regions: the Atlantic region, Central Canada, the Prairies, the West Coast and the North. The culture and population are different in each region.
The Atlantic region consists of the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Activities such as fishing, farming, forestry, tourism and mining are important to the Atlantic economy.
Central Canada consists of the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. This is the most populated region of the country. Together, Ontario and Quebec produce more than three-quarters of all Canadian manufactured goods.
The Prairies include the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Much of the land is flat and fertile, excellent for farming and rich in energy resources. In western Alberta, the Prairies end and the Rocky Mountains begin. The Canadian Rockies include some of the largest peaks in North America.
On the West Coast, the province of British Columbia is famous for its mountain ranges and forests. Natural resources such as lumber and fish are important to the economy. Fruit farming is also a major industry, as is tourism.
The North consists of Canada's three territories: Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Together, they make up over one-third of Canada's land mass. Northern resources include oil, natural gas, gold, lead and zinc.
| Geography |
Canada |
| Geographic size |
3.9 million square miles |
| Capital |
Ottawa |
| Area |
9,984,670 sq km |
| Population |
28 million people |
| Location |
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 |
| Major cities |
Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Halifax |
Distances
Distances in Canada are measured in kilometres. Canada is over 7,000 kilometres from east to west. You would need seven days to drive from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Vancouver, British Columbia. By airplane, the same trip would take about seven hours.
Population
Canada has about 28 million people. More than 80 percent of all the people in Canada live in towns and cities within 250 kilometres of the United States border. Ottawa is Canada's capital city, with a population of nearly one million. It is located in the province of Ontario. Canada's largest cities are Toronto, Ontario (4.4 million people); Montréal, Quebec (3.4 million); and Vancouver, British Columbia (1.9 million).
The Francophone population
French is the mother tongue of 6.6 million Canadians. Most Francophones live in Quebec, but almost one million Francophones live in Canada's other provinces and territories. About 76 percent of Francophones living outside Quebec live in Ontario and New Brunswick. Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia each have approximately 50,000 Francophones, while Nova Scotia has 35,000 and Saskatchewan has fewer than 20,000. The areas with the smallest French-speaking populations are Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the three territories.
Economy
Canada has a diversified economy. Natural resources industries, such as forestry, mining, oil and gas extraction, farming and fishing, are important sources of jobs and export earnings. Canada is also a world leader in the fields of telecommunications, biotechnology, aerospace technologies and pharmaceuticals. More and more jobs involve work in service industries or in information technology. Along with the United States and Mexico, Canada is a partner in the North American Free Trade Agreement.
The economy of Canada is dominated by the service industry employing three quarters of the Canadian population. There is also a huge manufacturing sector in Canada. International trade constitutes a large part of the country's economy, with the United States as the main trading partner. Canada's economic welfare lies in its wealth of natural resources, strong manufacturing sector, sound financial and service sectors, innovative technologies and dynamic international trade relations.
Canada has one of the highest levels of economic freedom in the world. Today Canada closely resembles the U.S. in its market-oriented economic system, and pattern of production. International trade makes up a large part of the Canadian economy, particularly of its natural resources.
Canada has a decimal system of currency. The Canadian dollar is the basic unit of money. The most common paper bills are the $5, $10 and $20, but $50 and $100 bills are also used. Canadian coins include the penny (one cent), nickel (five cents), dime (10 cents), quarter (25 cents), loonie ($1) and toonie ($2).
Protecting the environment -- Sustainable development
Canada has a beautiful natural environment. Because we have lots of land and a small population, most of our country is wild and unspoiled. However, it is becoming harder to preserve our environment as our population and cities grow. Pollution helps cause large-scale environmental problems, such as acid rain. And as more people use and live in natural areas, threats to the environment increase.
Canadians are very concerned about environmental issues. They know that damage to the environment can be hard to fix.
Canadians know that economic growth is crucial for the future prosperity of Canada. But growth must be managed carefully so that it does not harm the environment. The Canadian government is committed to "sustainable development," which is economic growth that does not hurt the environment and helps people.
A healthy environment is important to quality of life. Everyone living in Canada should act in a responsible way, both toward the environment and within their community. This way, future Canadians have the opportunity to live in a country that is clean and prosperous. Both individuals and groups can help Canada develop in a sustainable way.
Here are a few things you can do to help protect quality of life:
- Our Housing Classifieds
- throw waste paper and other garbage in public garbage cans;
- compost, recycle and re-use as many products as possible, such as paper, glass and cans;
- conserve energy and water by turning off lights and taps when you are not using them;
- walk, join a car pool, or use a bicycle or public transit whenever possible;
- use products that are environmentally friendly;
- plant trees or grow a garden, but avoid using chemicals;
- never pour paint, oil or other harmful chemicals down sinks or toilets, into sewers or onto the ground (telephone your local government to find out where you can throw out these hazardous materials);
- volunteer with a local organization; and
- educate yourself and your children about environmental issues.
For further information, contact:
Environment Canada
Enquiry Centre
351 St. Joseph Boulevard
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0H3
Telephone: 1 (819) 997-2800
1 800 668-6767
(toll-free, within Canada)
Fax: 1 (819) 953-2225
E-mail: enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca
Web site: www.ec.gc.ca
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Living & Education in Canada
