About Canada
Destination Canada, a Nations Online country profile of the second-largest country in the world. Canada occupies most of the northern part of North America. The country is bounded by the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, the North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north. It borders Alaska (USA) in the west, and twelve US states of the continental part of the United States in the south. Its border with its southern neighbour runs mainly along the 45th parallel (north). It is the world’s longest international border between two countries (8,891 km (5,525 mi)).
Canada shares maritime borders with Greenland (an autonomous territory of Denmark) and Saint Pierre and Miquelon, a small island territory that belongs to France. The country occupies an area of 9,984,670 km², making it the largest country in the Western Hemisphere. Compared, it is slightly larger than the US, or 18 times the size of France.
Government
Canada is a federation of ten provinces (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan) and three territories (Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut). Formally considered a constitutional monarchy, Canada is governed by its own House of Commons. While the governor-general is officially the representative of Queen Elizabeth II, in reality the governor-general acts only on the advice of the Canadian prime minister.
Culture
The odds are that if you like movies, you’re already familiar with some of Canada’s cultural exports. Many of the world’s most famous and beloved actors come from Canada, although their Canadian heritage is sometimes forgotten by the greater public. Michael J. Fox, William Shatner, and Dan Akyroyd are just some of the many icons of “American” film and television that come from Canada. For that matter, you may have seen a great deal of Canada without even knowing it; due to production and filming costs, many films set in the United States are actually filmed across the border in Canada’s own lovely towns and cities. Canada does have its own robust film industry, and Canadian programming is regularly exported to the United States and other Anglophone countries.
Canadian music is equally prominent on the world stage. Canadians figure among the most influential musicians in practically all genres of music; some stars include Leonard Cohen, Rush, and Neil Young, among others.
Canada’s most enduring cultural export, though, is the sport of ice hockey. Beginning with various stick-and-ball games played by the country’s early settlers (especially young men trying to channel some energy and aggression) and by the First Nations of Canada, the modern sport of ice hockey was properly developed around the turn of the 20th century. By 1917 the NHL was formed in Canada, and by 1924 it expanded into the U.S. with the addition of the Boston Bruins. It became a permanent fixture of the Winter Olympics that same year. It is now the most popular winter sport in the world.
Economy
Canada is one of the world’s leading economies, driven largely by Canada’s incredible wealth of natural resources. Despite having little over a tenth the population of the United States, Canada produces more energy than its large neighbour. This low population and high energy production makes Canada a major economic power, helped along by a healthy services industry and strong tech and automotive industries.
Canada
Canada is a country in the northern part of North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 million square kilometres, making it the world’s second-largest country by total area.
- A Federal State (10 Provinces and 3 Territories)
- Cultural Diversity
- High Public Safety
- High Happiness Index— Excellent Social Welfare
- Fabulous Educational Environment
- Clean Water and Fresh Air
- Relatively feasible Immigration Opportunities
- One of the best cities in the world
- Fabulous natural environment with mountains and lakes
- Safe and clean
- Mild and liveable weather
- Very multicultural
- Excellent transportation system