Canada Facts
Canada is the
second largest country in the world, with only Russia
outsizing us. We have six time zones: Pacific, Mountain,
Central, Eastern, Atlantic and Newfoundland
time.
We cover 9,984,670
square kilometers, of which 9,093,507 sq. km. is land and
891,163 sq. km is water. We have 1/10
of the world's forests, and nearly 1/4 of the world's
fresh water.
From Victoria on
the west coast to St Johns on the east, the distance
is 7,604 kilometres, (4,725
mi). OurTrans Canada
Highway is the longest national highway in the
world.
We have the
world's longest coastline - bordered on the west by
the Pacific, on the east by the Atlantic and on the north
by the Arctic Ocean, our total
coastline is 202,080 km.
On the south, and
on the north-west corner, we are bordered by the United
States. The Canada/US contiguous states border is 6,416
km long, but we also share a northern border with Alaska,
which is 2,477 km long. (Unfortunately, we do not share a
border with Hawaii).
We have roughly 3
people per square kilometre, giving us the fourth lowest
population density in the world.
The July 2007
population estimate was 33,390,141, with about 90%
of us concentrated within 160 km of the USA border. That
leaves a lot of land for wildlife! In 2005 the
percentage of land use was: arable cropland 5.2%, leaving
94.7% classed as 'other' - forests, water, tundra and
arctic areas.
We have two
official languages: English spoken by 59.3% and French
spoken by 23.2%. Other languages spoken: 17.5%. Our
literacy rate, those 15 and over who can read, is
99%.

Canada is made up
of ten provinces:
British Columbia - Alberta - Saskatchewan - Manitoba - Ontario - Quebec - New Brunswick - Nova Scotia - Prince Edward Island -
Newfoundland
& Labrador
And three northern
territories:
Yukon - Northwest Territories -
Nunavut
Canada Tourism
Links
Currency
Converter
Find out the
current exchange rate between Canadian dollars and other world
currencies.
Attractions
Canada
Government program aimed at informing Canadians about
national parks, historical sites, museums, and other national
attractions.
Canada for
Visitors
Includes a variety
of useful
information
Canadian Tourism
Commission
(613)
946-1000
Myths About
Canada
- No, we are not part of the United States,
and are not American
- No, we don't all live in igloos and drive
dog sleds
- No, we do not have winter 11 months of
the year. Yes it gets cold, but Canada does enjoy four
seasons and hot summers, which can reach temperatures above
35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees
Fahrenheit)
- Just because we live in Canada does not
mean we know Mary/Jane Jones/Smith in Toronto or
Newfoundland or Calgary, so please don't
ask
- There is no such language as Canadian. We
generally speak English, although according to some in the
United States, it sounds like we have a British accent. And
to those from England, we sound American... (unless we live
in Quebec, where they speak French a
lot)
- It's pronounced 'zed' not
'zee'
- We don't all say "eh" or "aboot". Some of
us do, but we're a big country with many different peoples
who speak different languages with different
dialects
- Not everyone in Quebec speaks French,
although most of the population is Francophone and many are
bilingual
- Our policemen are not all Mounties
dressed in red coats. Our provincial and municipal police
dress in their own uniforms, and the Mounties only don
their red serge uniforms for special
occasions
Above statistics, map and flag courtesy of
Statistics Canada and the CIA Factbook. Myths came out of our
heads!
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