Facts about Canada

Facts about Canada

The Government of Canada maintains quite a comprehensive site describing Canada's history, government, economy, geography, national symbols, and lots more. Looking for maps? Try the National Atlas of Canada .

Statistics

Statistics Canada is the best place to find out statistical information about Canada and Canadians. StatsCan is far more comprehensive an organization than the US Census Bureau. Some key differences between Canada and the States:

• Canada has a lower infant mortality rate and a longer life expectancy.
• Almost ten times as many people live in the States.

  Population of Canada, 2002:  31,185,815
  Population of the US, 2002: 287,075,978

• Canada has 9,976,100 square kilometers; the United States has 9,372,600.
• Canada spends more of its gross domestic product (GDP) on education and less on health care than the United States.

A bit about government and politics

What Americans expect because they're Americans: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

What Canadians expect because they're Canadians: peace, order, and good government

• The capital of Canada is Ottawa, Ontario.
• Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth is Canada's Head of State and the Queen of Canada. Her representative in Canada is the Governor General, currently Adrienne Clarkson.
• Canada has a Parliament, not a Congress.
• Parliament is divided into two chambers, the Senate and the House of Commons. Everyone in the Senate is appointed. Everyone in the House of Commons is elected.
• The head of the majority party in Commons is the nation's prime minister and the Head of Government (currently Jean Chrétien, of the Liberal party). The deputy prime minister is Herb Gray.
• Instead of government bureaus, Canada has ministries.
• There are several major political parties, the biggest of which are as follows:
  • Liberal Party of Canada
  • Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
  • New Democratic Party of Canada
  • Canadian Alliance Party of Canada
  • Bloc Québecois (a separatist party present only in Québec)
  More about these and other parties, national, regional, and provincial, is available on the Canadian Political Parties/Partis politiques canadiens Web site.

That's the very basics. You can find out more at the "Government at a Glance" section of the Canadian government's Web site.

Random facts

• Canada has more donut shops per capita than the United States does.
• Canada's national animal is the beaver
• Canada's two official sports are lacrosse and hockey.
• Canada's national colors are red and white.
• Canadians consume more Kraft Dinner (aka Kraft Macaroni & Cheese) per capita than any other nationality on earth.
• Canada has the cheapest internet access on the earth
• Canada has the 2nd most % of population on the internet

Provinces and territories

Canada's land is divided into ten provinces and three territories, in five regions:

Atlantic Canada

Newfoundland and Labrador

The Maritimes

• Nova Scotia
• Prince Edward Island
• New Brunswick

Central Canada

Québec

Ontario

The prairies

Manitoba

Saskatchewan

The eastern part of Alberta

Western Canada

Western Alberta

British Columbia

The north

Yukon

Nunavut

Northwest Territories

Many of Canada's cities and provinces have nicknames:

Toronto

T.O., The Big Smoke, Hogtown, Torana

Vancouver (sometimes all of B.C.)

Lotusland, Hongcouver (referring to the large number of immigrants from Hong Kong)

Calgary

Cowtown

Edmonton

Deadmonton, Edmonchuk (referring to the large number of Ukranian families there)

Hamilton

Steeltown

Ottawa

Bytown (after Colonel By)

Sault Ste. Marie

The Soo

Winnipeg

The Peg, Winnepago, Winterpeg

Newfoundland

The Rock

St. Catharines

St. Kits

Published on: 2004-08-05 (43357 reads)