from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Canada
Introduction
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. Canada also faces
questions about integrity in government following
revelations regarding a corruption scandal in the
federal government that has helped revive the fortunes
of separatists in predominantly francophone Quebec.
Geography
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 60 00 N, 95 00 W
coordinates:
Map North America
references:
Area: total: 9,984,670 sq km
land: 9,093,507 sq km
water: 891,163 sq km
Area - somewhat larger than the US
comparative:
Land total: 8,893 km
boundaries: border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with
Alaska)
Coastline: 202,080 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the
continental margin
Climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic
in north
Terrain: mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in
southeast
Elevation lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m
Natural iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum,
resources: potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal,
petroleum, natural gas, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 4.57%
permanent crops: 0.65%
other: 94.78% (2005)
Irrigated 7,850 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to
hazards: 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 - air pollution and resulting acid rain severely
current affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting,
issues: 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 - party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
international Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
agreements: 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 - second-largest country in world (after Russia);
note: 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
Population: 33,098,932 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.6% (male 2,992,811/female 2,848,388)
15-64 years: 69% (male 11,482,452/female 11,368,286)
65 years and over: 13.3% (male 1,883,008/female
2,523,987) (2006 est.)
Median age: total: 38.9 years
male: 37.8 years
female: 39.9 years (2006 est.)
Population 0.88% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 10.78 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 5.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
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: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 5.15 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 4.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 80.22 years
expectancy at male: 76.86 years
birth: female: 83.74 years (2006 est.)
Total 1.61 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.3% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 56,000 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - 1,500 (2003 est.)
deaths:
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 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including
United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%,
Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other
and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census)
Languages: English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%,
other 17.5%
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Canada
Government constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary
type: democracy and a federation
Capital: name: Ottawa
geographic coordinates: 45 25 N, 75 40 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in
March; ends first Sunday in November
note: Canada is divided into six time zones
Administrative 10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British
divisions: 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 Canada Day, 1 July (1867)
holiday:
Constitution: made up of unwritten and written acts, customs,
judicial decisions, and traditions; the written part of
the constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 29
March 1867, which created a federation of four
provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982,
which transferred formal control over the constitution
from Britain to Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of
Rights and Freedoms as well as procedures for
constitutional amendments
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 chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
branch: 1952), represented by Governor General Michaelle JEAN
(since 27 September 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Stephen HARPER
(since 6 February 2006)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister
usually from among the members of his own party sitting
in Parliament
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
Legislative bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the
branch: 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 23 January 2006
(next to be held in 2011)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by
party - Conservative Party 36.3%, Liberal Party 30.2%,
New Democratic Party 17.5%, Bloc Quebecois 10.5%,
Greens 4.5%, other 1%; seats by party - Conservative
Party 124, Liberal Party 103, New Democratic Party 29,
Bloc Quebecois 51, other 1
Judicial Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the
branch: 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 Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of
parties and Canada (a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the
leaders: Progressive Conservative Party) [Stephen HARPER]; Green
Party [Elizabeth MAY]; Liberal Party [Bill GRAHAM]; New
Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACCT, AfDB, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN
organization (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE
participation: (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, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH,
MONUC, NAFTA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD,
OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI
(observer), UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Michael WILSON
representation chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC
in the US: 20001
telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
FAX: [1] (202) 682-7701
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo,
Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami,
Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, San Diego, San
Francisco, Seattle, Tucson
consulate(s): Anchorage, Houston, Philadelphia,
Princeton (New Jersey), Raleigh, San Jose (California)
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador David H. WILKINS
representation embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8
from the US: 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 two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half
description: 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
Economy - As an affluent, high-tech industrial society in the
overview: trillion dollar class, Canada resembles the US in its
market-oriented economic system, pattern of production,
and affluent 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.
Given its great natural resources, skilled labor force,
and modern capital plant, Canada enjoys solid economic
prospects. Top-notch fiscal management has produced
consecutive balanced budgets since 1997, although
public debate continues over how to manage the rising
cost of the publicly funded healthcare system. Exports
account for roughly a third of GDP. Canada enjoys a
substantial trade surplus with its principal trading
partner, the US, which absorbs more than 85% of
Canadian exports. Canada is the US' largest foreign
supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and
electric power.
GDP $1.111 trillion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $1.035 trillion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 2.9% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $33,900 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 2.2%
composition by industry: 29.4%
sector: services: 68.4% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 16.3 million (December 2005)
Labor force - agriculture 2%, manufacturing 14%, construction 5%,
by occupation: services 75%, other 3% (2004)
Unemployment 6.8% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population 15.9%; note - this figure is the Low Income Cut-Off
below poverty (LICO), a calculation that results in higher figures
line: than found in many comparable economies; Canada does
not have an official poverty line (2003)
Household lowest 10%: 2.8%
income or highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 33.1 (1998)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 2.2% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 20.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $159.6 billion
expenditures: $152.6 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2004)
Public debt: 69.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables;
products: 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 2.6% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 566.3 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 28%
production by hydro: 57.9%
source: nuclear: 12.9%
other: 1.3% (2001)
Electricity - 520.9 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 22 billion kWh (2004)
exports:
Electricity - 33 billion kWh (2004)
imports:
Oil - 2.4 million bbl/day (2004)
production:
Oil - 2.3 million bbl/day (2004)
consumption:
Oil - exports: 1.6 million bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports: 963,000 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved 178.9 billion bbl
reserves: note: includes oil sands (2004 est.)
Natural gas - 165.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 90.95 billion cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 91.52 billion cu m (2003 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 8.73 billion cu m (2003 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 1.673 trillion cu m (2004)
proved
reserves:
Current $24.96 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $364.8 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery,
commodities: aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemicals,
plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude
petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum
Exports - US 84.2%, Japan 2.1%, UK 1.8% (2005)
partners:
Imports: $317.7 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts,
commodities: crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer
goods
Imports - US 56.7%, China 7.8%, Mexico 3.8% (2005)
partners:
Reserves of $33.02 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $439.8 billion (30 November 2005)
external:
Economic aid - ODA, $2.6 billion (2004)
donor:
Currency Canadian dollar (CAD)
(code):
Currency code: CAD
Exchange Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.2118 (2005), 1.301
rates: (2004), 1.4011 (2003), 1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications
Telephones - 18.276 million (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 16.6 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: excellent service provided by
system: 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 AM 245, FM 582, shortwave 6 (2004)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 32.3 million (1997)
Television 80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 21.5 million (1997)
Internet .ca
country code:
Internet 3,934,223 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 760 (2000 est.)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 21.9 million (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 1,337 (2006)
Airports - total: 509
with paved over 3,047 m: 18
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 151
914 to 1,523 m: 248
under 914 m: 77 (2006)
Airports - total: 828
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 66
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 355
under 914 m: 407 (2006)
Heliports: 319 (2006)
Pipelines: crude and reined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas
74,980 km (2005)
Railways: total: 48,467 km
standard gauge: 48,467 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 1,042,300 km
paved: 415,600 km (including 17,000 km of expressways)
unpaved: 626,700 km (2005)
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)
Merchant total: 173 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,129,243 GRT/
marine: 2,716,340 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 62, cargo 10, chemical tanker 9,
container 2, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 63, petroleum
tanker 13, roll on/roll off 8
foreign-owned: 7 (Germany 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 1,
US 2)
registered in other countries: 111 (Australia 1,
Bahamas 18, Barbados 8, Cambodia 6, Cyprus 2, Denmark
1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 28, Liberia 2, Malta 18,
Marshall Islands 6, Panama 4, Russia 1, Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines 6, US 4, Vanuatu 5) (2006)
Ports and Fraser River Port, Halifax, Montreal, Port Cartier,
terminals: Quebec, Saint John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles,
Vancouver
Military
Military Canadian Forces: Land Forces Command, Maritime Command,
branches: Air Command, Canada Command (homeland security) (2006)
Military 16 years of age for voluntary military service; women
service age comprise approximately 11% of Canada's armed forces
and (2001)
obligation:
Manpower males age 16-49: 8,216,510
available for females age 16-49: 8,034,939 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 16-49: 6,740,490
for military females age 16-49: 6,580,868 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 223,821
reaching females age 16-49: 212,900 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $9,801.7 million (2003)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 1.1% (2003)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon
international: Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and
around the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock;
working toward greater cooperation with US in
monitoring people and commodities crossing the border;
uncontested sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans
Island 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
ecstasy entering the US market; vulnerable to narcotics
money laundering because of its mature financial
services sector