Canada Population: 34,568,211
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| 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 the world's longest unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care, education, social services, and economic competitiveness, as well as responding to the particular concerns of predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment. |
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| Geography | |
| Second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border; Canada has more fresh water than any other country and almost 9% of Canadian territory is water; Canada has at least 2 million and possibly over 3 million lakes - that is more than all other countries combined | |
| 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 |
| Geographic coordinates: | 60 00 N, 95 00 W |
| Area: | total: 9,984,670 sq km land: 9,093,507 sq km water: 891,163 sq km Size comparison: slightly larger than the US |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska) note: Canada is the World's largest country that borders only one country |
| Coastline: | 202,080 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin |
| 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, rare earth elements, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower |
| Land use: | arable land: 4.57% permanent crops: 0.65% other: 94.78% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 8,550 sq km (2003) |
| 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 east of the mountains volcanism: the vast majority of volcanoes in Western Canada's Coast Mountains remain dormant |
| Current Environment 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 |
| International Environment Agreements: | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Marine Life Conservation |
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| People | |
| Population: | 34,568,211 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 15.5% (male 2,753,263/female 2,617,600) 15-24 years: 12.9% (male 2,285,268/female 2,160,005) 25-54 years: 41.4% (male 7,253,587/female 7,067,997) 55-64 years: 13.3% (male 2,285,072/female 2,329,760) 65 years and over: 16.8% (male 2,574,216/female 3,241,443) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 41.2 years male: 40 years female: 42.4 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.784% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 10.28 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 8.09 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 5.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 81.48 years male: 78.89 years female: 84.21 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.59 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.3% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 68,000 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 1,000 (2009 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 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census) |
| Languages: | English (official) 58.8%, French (official) 21.6%, other 19.6% (2006 Census) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Canada |
| Government type: | a parliamentary democracy, a federation, and a constitutional monarchy |
| Capital: | name: Ottawa geographic coordinates: 45 25 N, 75 42 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November note: Canada is divided into six time zones |
| Administrative divisions: | 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* |
| Independence: | 1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK per Statute of Westminster) |
| National holiday: | Canada Day, 1 July (1867) |
| Constitution: | made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and traditions; the written part of the constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982, which transferred formal control over the constitution from Britain to Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as procedures for constitutional amendments |
| Legal system: | common law system except in Quebec where civil law based on the French civil code prevails |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | head of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General David JOHNSTON (since 1 October 2010) head of government: Prime Minister Stephen Joseph HARPER (since 6 February 2006) cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: 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 generally designated prime minister by the governor general |
| Legislative branch: | bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (105 seats; members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister and serve until 75 years of age) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve a maximum of four-year terms) elections: House of Commons - last held on 2 May 2011 (next to be held no later than 19 October 2015) election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Conservative Party 39.6%, New Democratic Party 30.6%, Liberal Party 18.9%, Bloc Quebecois 6%, Greens 3.9%; seats by party - Conservative Party 166, New Democratic Party 103, Liberal Party 34, Bloc Quebecois 4, Greens 1 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister); Federal Court of Canada; Federal Court of Appeal; Tax Court of Canada; Provincial/Territorial Courts (these are named variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queen's Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Justice) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Bloc Quebecois [Daniel PAILLE]; Conservative Party of Canada [Stephen HARPER]; Green Party [Elizabeth MAY]; Liberal Party [Robert RAE (interim)]; New Democratic Party [Thomas MULCAIR] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | other: agricultural sector; automobile industry; business groups; chemical industry; commercial banks; communications sector; energy industry; environmentalists; public administration groups; steel industry; trade unions |
| International organization participation: | ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-20, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Gary DOER chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001 telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740 FAX: [1] (202) 682-7726 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco/Silicon Valley, Seattle consulate(s): Anchorage, Houston, Palo Alto (CA), Philadelphia, Phoenix, Raleigh, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Tucson |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador David C. JACOBSON embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8 mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430; P.O. Box 866, Station B, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5T1 telephone: [1] (613) 688-5335 FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082 consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg |
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| Economy | |
| As an affluent, high-tech industrial society in the trillion-dollar class, Canada resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and affluent 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 its principal trading partner. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with the US, which absorbs about three-fourths of Canadian exports each year. Canada is the US's largest foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and electric power. Given its great natural resources, highly skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada enjoyed solid economic growth from 1993 through 2007. Buffeted by the global economiccrisis, the economy dropped into a sharp recession in the final months of 2008, and Ottawa posted its first fiscal deficit in 2009 after 12 years of surplus. Canada's major banks, however, emerged from the financial crisis of 2008-09 among the strongest in the world, owing to the financial sector's tradition of conservative lending practices and strong capitalization. Canada achieved marginal growth in 2010-12 and plans to balance the budget by 2015. In addition, the country's petroleum sector is rapidly becoming an even larger economic driver with Alberta's oil sands significantly boosting Canada's proven oil reserves, ranking the country third in the world behind Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.446 trillion (2012 est.) $1.418 trillion (2011 est.) $1.385 trillion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $1.77 trillion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 1.9% (2012 est.) 2.4% (2011 est.) 3.2% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $41,500 (2012 est.) $41,200 (2011 est.) $40,600 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 1.8% industry: 28.6% services: 69.6% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 18.85 million (2012 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 2% manufacturing: 13% construction: 6% services: 76% other: 3% (2006 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 7.3% (2012 est.) 7.5% (2011 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 9.4% note: this figure is the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO), a calculation that results in higher figures than found in many comparable economies; Canada does not have an official poverty line (2008) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 24.8% (2000) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 32.1 (2005) 31.5 (1994) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.8% (2012 est.) 2.9% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 23.7% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $679.3 billion expenditures: $746.8 billion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 84.1% of GDP (2012 est.) 87.4% of GDP (2011 est.) note: figures are for gross general government debt, as opposed to net federal debt; gross general government debt includes both intragovernmental debt and the debt of public entities at the sub-national level |
| Agriculture - products: | wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; fish; forest products |
| Industries: | transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, fish products, petroleum and natural gas |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 3.7% (2011 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 580.6 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 504.8 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 43.91 billion kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 18.79 billion kWh (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 160.1 billion cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 103.3 billion cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 92.72 billion cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 30.49 billion cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 1.727 trillion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$59.92 billion (2012 est.) -$48.91 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $481.7 billion (2012 est.) $463.1 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum |
| Exports - partners: | US 73.7%, UK 4.2% (2011) |
| Imports: | $480.9 billion (2012 est.) $460.7 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods |
| Imports - partners: | US 49.5%, China 10.8%, Mexico 5.5% (2011) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $65.82 billion (31 December 2011 est.) $57.15 billion (2010 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $1.181 trillion (30 June 2011) $1.009 trillion (30 June 2010) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $624.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $576.6 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $703 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $650.4 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $1.907 trillion (31 December 2011) $2.16 trillion (31 December 2010) $1.681 trillion (31 December 2009) |
| Exchange rates: | Canadian dollars (CAD) per US dollar - 1.001 (2012 est.) 0.9895 (2011 est.) 1.0302 (2010 est.) 1.1431 (2009) 1.0364 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | 1 April - 31 March |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 18.201 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 16 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 27.387 million (2011) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: excellent service provided by modern technology domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations international: country code - 1; submarine cables provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean, and 2 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2011) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .ca |
| Internet hosts: | 8.743 million (2012) |
| Internet users: | 26.96 million (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 1,453 (2012) country comparison to the world: 4 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 522 over 3,047 m: 19 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 148 914 to 1,523 m: 257 under 914 m: 78 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 931 1,524 to 2,437 m: 72 914 to 1,523 m: 387 under 914 m: 472 (2012) |
| Heliports: | 27 (2012) |
| Pipelines: | gas 835 km; liquid petroleum gas 75,000 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 46,552 km standard gauge: 46,552 km 1.435-m gauge (2008) |
| Roadways: | total: 1,042,300 km paved: 415,600 km (includes 17,000 km of expressways) unpaved: 626,700 km (2008) |
| Waterways: | 636 km (Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States) (2011) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 181 by type: bulk carrier 62, cargo 15, carrier 1, chemical tanker 15, combination ore/oil 1, container 2, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 63, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 6 foreign-owned: 19 (Estonia 1, France 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 4, Sweden 2, US 10) registered in other countries: 225 (Australia 5, Bahamas 96, Barbados 11, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 2, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 77, Liberia 2, Malta 5, Marshall Islands 8, Norway 1, Panama 6, Spain 4, Vanuatu 5) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Fraser River Port, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, Port-Cartier, Quebec City, Saint John (New Brunswick), Sept-Isles, Vancouver oil terminals: Lower Lakes terminal |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Canadian Forces: Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force, Canada Command (homeland security) (2011) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 17 years of age for voluntary male and female military service (with parental consent); 16 years of age for Reserve and Military College applicants; Canadian citizenship or permanent residence status required; maximum 34 years of age; service obligation 3-9 years (2012) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 8,031,266 females age 16-49: 7,755,550 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 6,633,472 females age 16-49: 6,389,669 (2010 est.) |
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