Canada ( Canada) is a country in 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 t. Canada geographic coordinates 60 00 N, 95 00 W; area 891,163 sq km; area comparative somewhat larger than the US; land boundaries US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska); coastline 202,080 km; maritime claims 20; 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 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 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 th; 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 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;

introduction

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 an unfortified border. Canada's paramount political problem is meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and education services after a decade of budget cuts. The issue of reconciling Quebec's francophone heritage with the majority anglophone Canadian population has moved to the back burner in recent years; support for separatism abated after the Quebec government's referendum on independence failed to pass in October of 1995. government type confederation with parliamentary democracy; 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 17 April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the machinery of government was set up in the British North America Act of 1867; charter of rights and u; 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;

people

Canada population 32,805,041 (July 2005 est.); age structure 13.2% (male 1,842,496/female 2,475,488) (2005 est.); median age 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 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.); infant mortality rate 5.21 deaths/1,000 live births; life expectancy at birth 83.63 years (2005 est.); total fertility rate 1.61 children born/woman (2005 est.); hiv adult rate 0.3% (2003 est.); hiv people with aids 56,000 (2003 est.); hiv deaths 1,500 (2003 est.); nationality 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 46%, Protestant 36%, other 18% based on the 1991 census; languages English 59.3% (official), French 23.2% (official), other 17.5%; literacy NA%;

Regions

Cities