| 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 an unfortified border. Its paramount political
problem continues to be the relationship of the province of
Quebec, with its French-speaking residents and unique
culture, to the remainder of the country. |
| Location: |
Northern North
America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and North
Pacific Ocean, north of the conterminous US |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
60 00 N, 95 00 W |
| Map
references: |
North America |
| Area: |
total:
9,976,140 sq km
land: 9,220,970 sq km
water: 755,170 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly larger
than the US |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
8,893 km
border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477
km with Alaska) |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous
zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the
continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| 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, silver, fish,
timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
5%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 3%
forests and woodland: 54%
other: 38% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
7,100 sq km (1993
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 |
| 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-Sulphur
85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation |
| Geography
- note: |
second-largest
country in world (after Russia); strategic location between
Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 85% of
the population is concentrated within 300 km of the
US/Canada border |
| Population: |
31,592,805 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
18.95% (male 3,067,102; female 2,918,839)
15-64 years: 68.28% (male 10,846,151; female
10,725,800)
65 years and over: 12.77% (male 1,715,071;
female 2,319,842) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
0.99% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
11.21
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
7.47 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
6.13 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 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 (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
5.02 deaths/1,000
live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 79.56 years
male: 76.16 years
female: 83.13 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.6 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.3% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
49,000 (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
400 (1999 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%, Protestant 40%, other 18% |
| Languages: |
English 59.3%
(official), French 23.2% (official), 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: |
confederation
with parliamentary democracy |
| Administrative
divisions: |
10 provinces and
3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New
Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories*, Nova
Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec,
Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory* |
| Independence: |
1 July 1867 (from
UK) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence
Day/Canada Day, 1 July (1867) |
| Constitution: |
17 April 1982
(Constitution Act); originally, the machinery of the
government was set up in the British North America Act of
1867; charter of rights and unwritten customs |
| 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 Adrienne CLARKSON (since 7
October 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean
CHRETIEN (since 4 November 1993)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime
minister from among the members of his own party sitting in
Parliament
elections: none; the monarch 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 in
the House of Commons is automatically designated by the
governor general to become prime minister |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral
Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (a
body whose members are appointed to serve until reaching 75
years of age by the governor general and selected on the
advice of the prime minister; its normal limit is 104
senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes
(301 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held 27
November 2000 (next to be held 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party as
of January 2001 - Liberal Party 42%, Canadian Alliance 22%,
Bloc Quebecois 13%, New Democratic Party 4%, Progressive
Conservative Party 4%; seats by party as of January 2001 -
Liberal Party 172, Canadian Alliance 66, Bloc Quebecois 38,
New Democratic Party 13, Progressive Conservative Party 12 |
| 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]; Canadian Alliance [Stockwell DAY]; Liberal
Party [Jean CHRETIEN]; New Democratic Party [Alexa
MCDONOUGH]; Progressive Conservative Party [Joe CLARK] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB,
APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue
partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional),
CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating
state), FAO, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURCA,
MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIKOM,
UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Michael KERGIN
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, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New
York, and Seattle
consulate(s): Miami, Princeton, San Francisco,
and San Jose |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Gordon D. GIFFIN
embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N
1G8
mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY
13669-0430
telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470
FAX: [1] (613) 238-5720
consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax,
Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and Vancouver |
| Flag
description: |
three vertical
bands of red (hoist side), white (double width, square), and
red with a red maple leaf centered in the white band |
| Economy
- overview: |
As an affluent,
high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles
the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of
production, and high 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. Real
rates of growth have averaged nearly 3.0% since 1993.
Unemployment is falling and government budget surpluses are
being partially devoted to reducing the large public sector
debt. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and 1994
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which included
Mexico) have touched off a dramatic increase in trade and
economic integration with the US. With its great natural
resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant
Canada enjoys solid economic prospects. Two shadows loom,
the first being the continuing constitutional impasse
between English- and French-speaking areas, which has been
raising the possibility of a split in the federation.
Another long-term concern is the flow south to the US of
professional persons lured by higher pay, lower taxes, and
the immense high-tech infrastructure. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $774.7 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
4.3% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $24,800 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
3%
industry: 31%
services: 66% (2000 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
2.8%
highest 10%: 23.8% (1994) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
2.6% (2000) |
| Labor
force: |
16.1 million
(2000) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
services 74%,
manufacturing 15%, construction 5%, agriculture 3%, other 3%
(2000) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
6.8% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$126.1 billion
expenditures: $125.3 billion, including capital
expenditures of $14.8 billion (2000) |
| Industries: |
processed and
unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper
products, transportation equipment, chemicals, fish
products, petroleum and natural gas |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
4.5% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
567.193 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
26.38%
hydro: 60%
nuclear: 12.31%
other: 1.31% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
497.532 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
42.911 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
12.953 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
wheat, barley,
oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest
products; fish |
| Exports: |
$272.3 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
motor vehicles
and parts, newsprint, wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum,
machinery, natural gas, aluminum, telecommunications
equipment, electricity |
| Exports
- partners: |
US 86%, Japan 3%,
UK, Germany, South Korea, Netherlands, China (1999) |
| Imports: |
$238.2 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and
equipment, crude oil, chemicals, motor vehicles and parts,
durable consumer goods, electricity |
| Imports
- partners: |
US 76%, Japan 3%,
UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$1.9 billion
(2000) |
| Economic
aid - donor: |
ODA, $1.3 billion
(1999) |
| Currency: |
Canadian dollar
(CAD) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Canadian dollars
per US dollar - 1.5032 (January 2001), 1.4851 (2000), 1.4857
(1999), 1.4835 (1998), 1.3846 (1997), 1.3635 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 April - 31
March |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
18.5 million
(1999) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
4.207 million
(1997) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: excellent service provided by modern
technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with about
300 earth stations
international: 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 535, FM 53,
shortwave 6 (1998) |
| Radios: |
32.3 million
(1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
80 (plus many
repeaters) (1997) |
| Televisions: |
21.5 million
(1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.ca |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
760 (2000 est.) |
| Internet
users: |
13.28 million
(1999) |
| Railways: |
total:
36,114 km; note - there are two major transcontinental
freight railway systems: Canadian National (privatized
November 1995) and Canadian Pacific Railway; passenger
service provided by government-operated firm VIA, which has
no trackage of its own
standard gauge: 36,114 km 1.435-m gauge (156 km
electrified) (1998) |
| Highways: |
total:
901,902 km
paved: 318,371 km (including 16,571 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 583,531 km (1999) |
| Waterways: |
3,000 km
(including Saint Lawrence Seaway) |
| Pipelines: |
crude and refined
oil 23,564 km; natural gas 74,980 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Becancour
(Quebec), Churchill, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, New
Westminster, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Saint John (New
Brunswick), St. John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Sydney,
Trois-Rivieres, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
121 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,767,259 GRT/2,633,290
DWT
ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 67, cargo
13, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 1, passenger 3,
passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 17, railcar carrier 2,
roll on/roll off 7, short-sea passenger 3, specialized
tanker 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports: |
1,417 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
517
over 3,047 m: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 151
914 to 1,523 m: 244
under 914 m: 89 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
900
1,524 to 2,437 m: 74
914 to 1,523 m: 362
under 914 m: 464 (2000 est.) |
| Heliports: |
18 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Canadian Forces
(includes Land Forces Command or LC, Maritime Command or MC,
Air Command or AC, Communications Command or CC, Training
Command or TC), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
17 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 8,325,084 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 7,114,851 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
215,627 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$7.5 billion
(FY00/01) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.3% (FY00/01) |
| Disputes
- international: |
maritime boundary
disputes with the US (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait
of Juan de Fuca, Machias Seal Island) |
| Illicit
drugs: |
illicit producer
of cannabis for the domestic drug market; use of hydroponics
technology permits growers to plant large quantities of
high-quality marijuana indoors; transit point for heroin and
cocaine entering the US market |
|
