|
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 |
|
Map references:
|
North
America Map |
|
Area:
|
total: 9,984,670 sq
km
land: 9,093,507 sq km
water: 891,163 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
somewhat larger than the US |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total: 8,893 km
border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska) |
|
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, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife,
coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower |
|
Land use:
|
arable land: 4.96%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 95.02% (2001) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
7,200 sq km (1998 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 east of the mountains |
|
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-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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 |
|
Geography - note:
|
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 |
|
Population:
|
32,805,041 (July 2005 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 17.9% (male
3,016,032/female 2,869,244)
15-64 years: 68.9% (male 11,357,425/female 11,244,356)
65 years and over: 13.2% (male 1,842,496/female 2,475,488) (2005
est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total: 38.54 years
male: 37.54 years
female: 39.56 years (2005 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
0.9% (2005 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
10.84 births/1,000 population
(2005 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
7.73 deaths/1,000 population
(2005 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
5.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2005 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 (2005 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total: 4.75 deaths/1,000
live births
male: 5.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 80.1
years
male: 76.73 years
female: 83.63 years (2005 est.) |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
1.61 children born/woman (2005
est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.3% (2003 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
56,000 (2003 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
1,500 (2003 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% (including 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) 59.3%,
French (official) 23.2%, 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:
|
a constitutional monarchy
that is also a parliamentary democracy and a federation |
|
Capital:
|
Ottawa |
|
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 Territory* |
|
Independence:
|
1 July 1867 (union of British
North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (independence recognized) |
|
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:
|
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 |
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of state: Queen
ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Michaelle
Jean (since 27 October 2005)
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
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 |
|
Legislative branch:
|
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 (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve
for up to five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held 28 June 2004 (next to
be held by NA 2009)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party
- Liberal Party 36.7%, Conservative Party 29.6%, New Democratic Party 15.7%,
Bloc Quebecois 12.4%, Greens 4.3%, independents 0.4%, other 0.9%; seats
by party - Liberal Party 134, Conservative Party 99, Bloc Quebecois 54,
New Democratic Party 19, independent 2 |
|
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 parties and leaders:
|
Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE];
Conservative Party of Canada (a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the
Progressive Conservative Party) [Stephen HARPER]; Green Party [Jim HARRIS];
Liberal Party [Paul MARTIN]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON] |
|
International organization participation:
|
ACCT, AfDB, APEC, ARF, AsDB,
ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer),
EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (guest),
NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
chief of mission: Ambassador
Francis Joseph MCKENNA
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, Phoenix, San
Diego, and Seattle
consulate(s): Anchorage, Houston, Philadelphia, Princeton, Raleigh,
San Francisco, and San Jose |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
chief of mission: Ambassador
David H. WILKINS
embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8
mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430
telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470
FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082
consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto,
Vancouver, Winnipeg |
|
Flag description:
|
two vertical bands of red
(hoist and fly side, half width), with white square between them; an 11-pointed
red maple leaf is centered in the white square; the official colors of
Canada are red and white |
|
Economy - overview:
|
As an affluent, high-tech
industrial society, newly entered in the trillion dollar class, Canada
closely 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. Given
its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant
Canada enjoys solid economic prospects. Solid fiscal management has produced
a long-term budget surplus which is substantially reducing the national
debt, although public debate continues over how to manage the rising cost
of the publicly funded healthcare system. Exports account for roughly a
third of GDP. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with its principal
trading partner, the United States, which absorbs more than 85% of Canadian
exports. |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity):
|
$1.023 trillion (2004 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
2.4% (2004 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power parity -
$31,500 (2004 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 2.3%
industry: 26.4%
services: 71.3% (2004 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
17.37 million (2004) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture 3%, manufacturing
15%, construction 5%, services 74%, other 3% (2000) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
7% (2004) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
NA |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 23.8% (1994) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
|
31.5 (1994) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
1.9% (2004 est.) |
|
Investment (gross fixed):
|
19.4% of GDP (2004 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $151 billion
expenditures: $144 billion, including capital expenditures of
NA (2004 est.) |
|
Public debt:
|
NA (2004 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco,
fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish |
|
Industries:
|
transportation equipment,
chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food products; wood and
paper products; fish products, petroleum and natural gas |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
2% (2004 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
548.9 billion kWh (2002) |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
487.3 billion kWh (2002) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
36.13 billion kWh (2002) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
13 billion kWh (2002) |
|
Oil - production:
|
3.11 million bbl/day (2004
est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
2.2 million bbl/day (2003
est.) |
|
Oil - exports:
|
1.37 million bbl/day (2004) |
|
Oil - imports:
|
987,000 bbl/day (2004) |
|
Oil - proved reserves:
|
178.9 billion bbl including
shale oil (2004 est.) |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
165.8 billion cu m (2003 est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
55.8 billion cu m (2003 est.) |
|
Natural gas - exports:
|
91.52 billion cu m (2003 est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports:
|
8.73 billion cu m (2003 est.) |
|
Natural gas - proved reserves:
|
1.691 trillion cu m (2004) |
|
Current account balance:
|
$28.2 billion (2004 est.) |
|
Exports:
|
$315.6 billion f.o.b. (2004
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 85.2%, Japan 2.1%, UK 1.6%
(2004) |
|
Imports:
|
$256.1 billion f.o.b. (2004
est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
machinery and equipment, motor
vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer
goods |
|
Imports - partners:
|
US 58.9%, China 6.8%, Mexico
3.8% (2004) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
|
$36.27 billion (2003) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$570 billion (2004) |
|
Economic aid - donor:
|
ODA, $2 billion (2004) |
|
Currency (code):
|
Canadian dollar (CAD) |
|
Exchange rates:
|
Canadian dollars per US dollar
- 1.301 (2004), 1.4011 (2003), 1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
1 April - 31 March |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
19,950,900 (2003) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
13,221,800 (2003) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general assessment:
excellent service provided by modern technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
international: country code - 1-xxx; 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 245, FM 582, shortwave
6 (2004) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
80 (plus many repeaters) (1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.ca |
|
Internet hosts:
|
3,210,081 (2003) |
|
Internet users:
|
16.11 million (2002) |
|
Railways:
|
total: 48,683 km
standard gauge: 48,683 km 1.435-m gauge (2004) |
|
Highways:
|
total: 1,408,800 km
paved: 497,306 km (including 16,900 km of expressways)
unpaved: 911,494 km (2002) |
|
Waterways:
|
631 km
note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint
Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2003) |
|
Pipelines:
|
crude and refined oil 23,564
km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980 km (2003) |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Fraser River Port, Goderich,
Montreal, Port Cartier, Quebec, Saint John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles,
Vancouver |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 169 ships (1,000
GRT or over) 1,784,229 GRT/2,657,499 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 49, chemical tanker 6, combination
ore/oil 1, container 1, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 65, petroleum tanker
13, roll on/roll off 6
foreign-owned: 6 (France 1, Germany 3, United States 2)
registered in other countries: 112 (2005) |
|
Airports:
|
1,326 (2004 est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 503
over 3,047 m: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 150
914 to 1,523 m: 245
under 914 m: 75 (2004 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 823
1,524 to 2,437 m: 67
914 to 1,523 m: 347
under 914 m: 409 (2004 est.) |
|
Heliports:
|
319 (2004) |
|
Military branches:
|
Canadian Armed Forces: Land
Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air Command, Canada Command (homeland
security) to be operational in early 2006 (2005) |
|
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
|
16 years of age for voluntary
military service; women comprise some 11% of Canada's armed forces (2001) |
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males age 16-49: 8,216,510
(2005 est.) |
|
Military manpower - fit for military service:
|
males age 16-49: 6,740,490
(2005 est.) |
|
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
|
males: 223,821 (2005
est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$9,801.7 million (2003) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
1.1% (2003) |
|
Canada