Map of Canada

The Country and it's People

Canada is the second largest country in the world with an area of 3,849,674 square miles or  9,970,610 square kilometers.  Canadians understand that Canada is a land of many cultures. In part, this is because Canada is a country made up of many peoples from different countries all over the world. It has been said that Canada is a "nation of immigrants", because most of  Canadians  share common immigrant origins.

Geography

Canada is located in the continent of North America. The country stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. The Arctic Ocean is north and the United States is south. Diversity is the keynote of Canada's geography, which includes fertile plains suitable for agriculture, vast mountain ranges, lakes and rivers. Wilderness forests give way to Arctic tundra in the Far North.

Flag of Canada

National Anthem

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Provinces and Cities 

Canada has 10 provinces and 3 territories. To learn more about these, click on the link below. You will need an internet connection to be able to use these links.

1. Newfoundland

2. Prince Edward Island

3. Nova Scotia

4. New Brunswick

5. Quebec

6. Ontario

7. Manitoba

8. Saskatchewan

9. Alberta

10. British Columbia

11. Nunavut - territory

12. Northwest Territories - - territory

13. Yukon - - territory

The largest cities of Canada are Toronto (Ontario), Montreal (Quebec), Vancouver ( British Columbia), Ottawa (Ontario and Edmonton (Alberta)

Capital

The capital is Ottawa located in the province of Ontario.

Languages

The Official Languages Act makes French and English the official languages of Canada. English is spoken by about 59% of Canadians while 23% of the populations speaks  French. Some 18% have either more than one mother tongue or a mother tongue other than English or French, such as Chinese, Italian, German, Polish, Spanish, Portuguese,  Ukrainian, Arabic, Dutch, Tagalog, Greek, Vietnamese, Cree, Inuktitut, or other languages.

Population

Canada's population by the end of 2001 is over 30 Million.

Government

Canada is a Constitutional Monarchy (we recognize the Queen of England in our Constitution, however, she does play a role in government) and a federal state with a democratic Parliament. The Parliament of Canada, in the nation's capital, Ottawa, consists of the House of Commons, whose members are elected, and the Senate, whose members are appointed. On average, members of Parliament are elected every four years. Our current Prime Minister is Jean Chretien.

Currency 

The money used in Canada is also called a dollar $. Don't confuse this with the American Dollar. Canada has its own currency that is separate and distinct from the USA. If you want to know the conversion of  Canadian Dollar to US or US Dollar  to Canadian, you can check your local newspaper or inquire from any banking institution. The Canadian dollar is divided into 100 cents.

Standard of Living

Canadians enjoy one of the best standards of living in the world. Canada ranks sixth in the world in terms of standard of living,  after the United States, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Germany, and Japan. Canada's rank among nations tends to rise even higher in assessments that consider GDP per capita along with other factors  that contribute to "quality of life."

Health and Welfare

Most health services in Canada is free. It is consider to have one of the best and most advanced health facilities in the world today. Canada has an extensive social security network, including an old age pension, a family allowance, unemployment insurance and welfare.

Education

Canada has one of the best educational system school in the world today. Canada's public school is free to the public up to the secondary level. Various government loans and assistance are available to students in university.

Students go to school that may include 6 to 8 years at elementary level, 4 or 5 years of secondary school and 3 or 4 years at the university undergraduate level.

Sports

Canada's most popular sports include ice skating, swimming, ice hockey, cross-country and alpine skiing, baseball, tennis, basketball and golf. Ice hockey and lacrosse are considered as Canada's national sports.

Weather 

There are many weather variations in this huge country, ranging from the permanently frozen icecaps north of the 70th parallel to the luxuriant vegetation of British Columbia's west coast. Canada's most populous regions, which lie in the country's south along the U.S. border, enjoy four distinct seasons. Here daytime summer temperatures can rise to 35ºC and higher, while lows of -25ºC are not uncommon in winter. More moderate temperatures are the norm in spring and fall.