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| About
Canada |
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Canada
is a sovereign state in northern North America, the northern-most
country in the world, and the second largest in total area.
Bordering the United States, its territorial claims extend
north into the Arctic Ocean as far as the North Pole. Canada
is a federation of ten provinces and three |
territories,
governed as a parliamentary representative democracy. Initially
constituted through the British North America Act of 1867
and styled as the Dominion of Canada, Canada retains a constitutional
monarchy, recognizing Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state
with the title Queen of Canada. Canada's official languages
are English and French. Its official population estimate for
April 2005 is 32.2 million people.
Overview
The capital of Canada is Ottawa, home of the nation's Parliament.
Both the Governor General of Canada, who exercises the personal
prerogatives delegated by the monarch, and the Prime Minister,
who is the head of government, has official residences in
Ottawa.
Originally a union of former French and British colonies,
Canada is a Commonwealth Realm, and a member of La Francophonie
and the Commonwealth of Nations. Canada is officially bilingual:
• French is the majority language of Quebec, and is
widely spoken in New Brunswick; it is also spoken in Eastern
Ontario and in specific communities throughout Atlantic Canada
and the West.
• English is the majority language elsewhere with the
exception of certain communities, and the territory of Nunavut
where the majority of the population speak Inuktitut.
Canada has been voted as one of the most popular country to
live in. In a survey of 130 cities, the Economist Intelligence
Unit rated Vancouver, together with Melbourne as the best
cities in the world to live, with Toronto joint fourth and
Montreal coming in as joint eighth.
Canada benefits from opening its doors to skilled workers,
entrepreneurs, refugees and the relatives of people already
settled in this country. Their energy and activity have traditionally
stimulated the social, cultural and economic life. Canada,
historically is a nation of immigrate, has one of the most
positive immigration policies in the world.
International Comparisons
Source: CIA – The World Factbook / www.nationmaster.com
(crime rate & education) Currency: US$
* Average years of schooling of adults are the years of formal
schooling received, on average, by adults over age 15.
** Crime Rate – Prisoners per 100,000 people
Canada is a technologically advanced and industrialized nation,
largely self-sufficient in energy due to its relatively large
deposits of fossil fuels, nuclear energy generation, and hydroelectric
power capabilities. Its economy has traditionally relied heavily
on the abundance of natural resources and trade, particularly
with the United States, with which it has a long, extensive
relationship (see U.S.-Canada relations). Although the modern
Canadian economy has become widely diversified, exploitations
of natural resources remain an important driving force of
many of country's regional economies.
Canada has 10 provinces and 3 territories.
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Economy
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As
an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely
resembles the United States 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. Energy
self-sufficient, Canada has vast deposits of natural gas on
the east coast and in the three western provinces, and a plethora
of other natural resources.
The 1989 Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and 1994 North
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which included 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 downturn in the United States in 2001 had a negative
impact on the Canadian economy, but less than expected. Real
growth averaged nearly 3% from 1993 to 2000, but declined in
2001.
As of 2003, unemployment was up, with contraction in the manufacturing
and natural resource sectors. Canada has successfully avoided
economic recession after 2001 and has maintained the best economic
growth rates in the G8
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group of nations. With its great natural
resources, skilled labour force, and modern capital plant,
Canada enjoys solid economic prospects.
Demographics
The 2001 census recorded 30,007,094 people,
and as of April 2005 the population has been estimated by
Statistics Canada as 32.2 million people.
In the 2001 Canadian National Census, respondents reported
their ethnic origins 39.42% of respondents identified their
ethnic origin as "Canadian". Most of these are believed
to be from the British, Irish and French heritage of earlier
immigrants. 20.17% identified their ethnic origin as English;
15.75% as French, 14.03% as Scottish, 12.90% as Irish.
Numerous other groups were also reported (but only German
(9.25%) and Italian (4.29%) were reported by more than 4%
of respondents.
The total non-white ("visible minority" population
is 13% of the Canadian population (this does not include First
Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples).
Culture
Canadian culture has been heavily influenced by British and
French cultures and traditions as a result of its colonial
past. In addition, Canadian culture has also been influenced
by American culture partially because of the close proximity
of the two countries and partially because of the migration
of people, ideas, capital and politics across the border.
Despite these inherited British, French and American traditions,
Canadian culture has developed many unique characteristics.
In many respects, a more robust and distinct Canadian culture
has developed in recent years, partially because of the civic
nationalism that pervaded Canada in the years leading up to
and following the Canadian Centennial in 1967, and also due
to a focus on programs to support Canadian culture and the
arts by the federal government.
Early Europeans helped form the basis of Canadian culture.
During their colonization of Canada settlers wrote a great
deal of folklore about the land around them. The tales of
Paul Bunyan are a product of French-Canadian folklore and
the style of jigs from Newfoundland found their origins in
Ireland.
Many American movies, authors, TV shows and musicians are
equally popular in Canada and vice-versa across the border.
Most cultural products of these types are now increasingly
marketed towards a unified "North American" market,
and not specifically a Canadian or American one.
The United States and Canadian governments share a variety
of close working partnerships in matters of trade, economics,
and legal concerns.
As Canada and the United States have grown closer, many Canadians
have developed complex feelings and concerns, regarding what
make Canada a "distinct" nation within North America.
The large American cultural presence in Canada has prompted
some fears of a "cultural takeover," and has initiated
the establishment of many laws and government institutions
to protect Canadian culture. Much of Canadian culture remains
defined in contrast to American culture.
In recent years, Canada has increasingly distinguished itself
from the United States by both more liberal social policy
and more conservative fiscal policy. Canadian governments
(and to a large extent, the Canadian people) support issues
such as universal health care, gay marriage and decriminalization
of marijuana. At the same time, they have supported balanced
budgets, tax cuts, and free trade. Canadians also tend to
live in or near very large urban areas such as Toronto, Montreal,
Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary, and Edmonton.
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