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Introduction | Canada

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. 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.

Geography | Canada

Location: | 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 the conterminous US
Geographic coordinates: | 60 00 N, 95 00 W
Map references: | North America
Area: | total: 9,984,670 sq km land: 9,093,507 sq km water: 891,163 sq km
Area - comparative: | somewhat larger than the US
Land boundaries: | total: 8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)
Coastline: | 202,080 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower
Land use: | arable land: 4.96% permanent crops: 0.02% other: 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 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 east of the mountains
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-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: 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

People | Canada

Population: | 32,507,874 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 18.2% (male 3,038,800; female 2,890,579) 15-64 years: 68.7% (male 11,225,686; female 11,111,941) 65 years and over: 13% (male 1,807,472; female 2,433,396) (2004 est.)
Median age: | total: 38.2 years male: 37.2 years female: 39.2 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate: | 0.92% (2004 est.)
Birth rate: | 10.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate: | 7.67 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate: | 5.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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 (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 4.82 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 5.28 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 79.96 years male: 76.59 years female: 83.5 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.61 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 56,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 1,500 (2003 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 46%, Protestant 36%, other 18% note: based on the 1991 census
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

Government | Canada

Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Canada
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 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) elections: none; the monarchy 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 or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the governor general head of government: Prime Minister Paul MARTIN (since 12 December 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Anne MCLELLAN (since 12 December 2003) cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament
Legislative branch: | bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (members appointed by the governor general with the advice of the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age; its normal limit is 105 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve for up to five-year terms) elections: House of Commons - last held 28 June 2004 (next to be held by NA 2009) election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 36.7%, Conservative Party 29.6%, New Democratic Party 15.7%, Bloc Quebecois 12.4%, Greens 4.3%, independents 0.4%, other 0.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 134, Conservative Party 99, Bloc Quebecois 54, New Democratic Party 19, independent 2
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]; Conservative Party of Canada (a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party) [Stephen HARPER]; Liberal Party [Paul MARTIN]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | ACCT, AfDB, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Michael F. KERGIN chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001 FAX: [1] (202) 682-7726 telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle consulate(s): Anchorage, Denver, Houston, Philadelphia, Raleigh-Durham, San Diego, San Francisco (trade office), and San Jose (trade office)
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Paul CELLUCCI embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8 mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430 telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470 FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082 consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg
Flag description: | two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width), with white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red and white

Economy | Canada

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. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US. As a result of the close cross-border relationship, the economic sluggishness in the United States in 2001-02 had a negative impact on the Canadian economy. Real growth averaged nearly 3% during 1993-2000, but declined in 2001, with moderate recovery in 2002-03. Unemployment is up, with contraction in the manufacturing and natural resource sectors. Nevertheless, given its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid economic prospects. Solid fiscal management has produced a long-term budget surplus which is substantially reducing the national debt, although public debate continues over how to manage the rising cost of the publicly funded healthcare system. Trade accounts for roughly a third of GDP. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with its principal trading partner, the United States, which absorbs more than 85% of Canadian exports. Roughly 90% of the population lives within 160 kilometers of the US border.
GDP: | purchasing power parity - $958.7 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 1.7% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $29,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 2.2% industry: 29.2% services: 68.6% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 19.5% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line: | NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 31.5 (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 2.8% (2003 est.)
Labor force: | 17.04 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture 3%, manufacturing 15%, construction 5%, services 74%, other 3% (2000)
Unemployment rate: | 7.8% (2003 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $348.2 billion expenditures: $342.7 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
Public debt: | 77% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products: | wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish
Industries: | transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food products; wood and paper products; fish products, petroleum and natural gas
Industrial production growth rate: | 0.2% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production: | 566.3 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption: | 504.4 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: | 38.4 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports: | 16.11 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production: | 2.738 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 1.703 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: | 2.008 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports: | 1.145 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves: | 5.112 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production: | 186.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 82.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 109 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 4.46 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 1.691 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance: | $18.63 billion (2003)
Exports: | $279.3 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities: | motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum
Exports - partners: | US 86.6%, Japan 2.1%, UK 1.4% (2003)
Imports: | $240.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods
Imports - partners: | US 60.6%, China 5.6%, Japan 4.1% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: | $36.27 billion (2003)
Debt - external: | $1.9 billion (2000)
Economic aid - donor: | ODA, $1.3 billion (1999)
Currency: | Canadian dollar (CAD)
Currency code: | CAD
Exchange rates: | Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.4011 (2003), 1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000), 1.4857 (1999)
Fiscal year: | 1 April - 31 March

Communications | Canada

Telephones - main lines in use: | 19,950,900 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 13,221,800 (2003)
Telephone system: | general assessment: excellent service provided by modern technology domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations international: country code - 1-xxx; 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 hosts: | 3,210,081 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 760 (2000 est.)
Internet users: | 16.11 million (2002)

Transportation | Canada

Railways: | total: 48,909 km standard gauge: 48,909 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Highways: | total: 1,408,800 km paved: 497,306 km (including 16,900 km of expressways) unpaved: 911,494 km (2002)
Waterways: | 631 km note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2003)
Pipelines: | crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980 km (2003)
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: 119 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,784,229 GRT/2,657,499 DWT foreign-owned: Germany 3, Hong Kong 2, Monaco 18, United Kingdom 3, United States 2 registered in other countries: 43 (2004 est.) by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 59, cargo 13, chemical tanker 6, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 18, rail car carrier 1, roll on/roll off 11, short-sea/passenger 3, specialized tanker 1
Airports: | 1,357 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 503 over 3,047 m: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 245 under 914 m: 75 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 150
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 823 1,524 to 2,437 m: 67 914 to 1,523 m: 347 under 914 m: 409 (2004 est.)
Heliports: | 12 (2003 est.)

Military | Canada

Military branches: | Canadian Armed Forces: Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air Command
Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 16 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 8,417,314 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 7,176,642 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 214,623 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $9,801.7 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1.1% (2003)

Transnational Issues | Canada

Disputes - international: | managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; uncontested dispute with Denmark over Hans Island sovereignty in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland
Illicit drugs: | illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and export to US; 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; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services sector

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005