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!