Canada General Information

Official Name: Known commonly as Canada.

Capital city: Ottawa, is the Capital of Canada, is situated on the North American continent, in the Province of Ontario. It is bordered by the Ottawa River to the north, while the historic Rideau River and Rideau Canal meander north to south through the city.

Location: Canada is located in North America. The country is bound on the north by the Arctic Ocean; by the Atlantic Ocean on the east; by the United States on the south; by the Pacific Ocean and Alaska and on the west.

Size: The total land area of Canada is 9,984,670 square kilometers and this ranks 8th globally. It is slightly larger than USA.

Climate: The climate of Canada varies from temperate in the southern region to sub arctic and arctic in northern region. Canada's climate is influenced by latitude and topography. The north of Canada has harsh Arctic and sub-Arctic climates, which is why most Canadians live in the southern part of the country.

Population: Canada has an estimated population of 33.5 million people and ranks 39th globally. There is a population growth rate of 0.817%.

Life expectancy at birth: The average life expectancy at birth for Canada is 81.23 years, ranking at 8th globally. Females have a longer average life span at 83.91 years, while Males average at 78.69 years from birth.

Prevalence of HIV/AIDS: The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Canada is approximately 0.4%, placing 80th globally. This means that around 73,000 people are living with the disease in the country.

Major Illnesses: The risk of major infectious disease in Canada is fairly low. However, precautions should be taken on diseases such as Swine Flu and seasonal influenza like illnesses.

Ethnic Groups: Canada has a diverse ethnic background. The country is comprised of mainly British Isles origin at 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other 6% (mostly Asian, African and Arab) and also mixed background at 26%.

Languages: Canada is a bilingual country. The official languages in Canada are both English and French, accounting for 59.3% and 23.2% respectively. Other languages account for 17.5% of the population.

Religion: There are various religions in Canada. The major religion is Roman Catholic, accounting for 42.6% of the population. Other religions include Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Islam 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8% and none 16%.

Government: Canada is a constitutional monarchy with a federal system, a parliamentary government and strong democratic traditions. The monarch of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is also the monarch of Canada and is represented in the country by the office of governor general. The country has three levels of government: federal, provincial and municipal (cities and towns). The government is elected by the citizens of Canada. Powers and responsibilities are divided between the federal government and the 10 provincial governments.

Head of State: Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada is the Head of State. The Queen's powers are exercised by the Governor General of Canada, Michaëlle Jean except when the Queen is in Canada. The Queen holds no political power in Canadian politics.

Head of Government: The head of the government in Canada is the Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, who is elected by the Governor General along with their cabinet.

Military: Canadian military forces include Land Forces Command (LFC), Maritime Command (MARCOM), Air Command (AIRCOM), and Canada Command (homeland security). The suitable age for voluntary military service for male and female is 17 years of age (with parental consent).

Economy: Canada's economy is both mature and diverse. The country has an advanced services sector, an abundance of natural resources, in addition to sound management and free trade agreements. Canada has moved away from agriculture as the primary national industry and has placed increased emphasis on the service sector, which now accounts for 69.1% of GDP. This industry is very diverse and includes the retail sector, financial services, real estate, education, health, high-tech, entertainment and tourism. Canada signed a free trade agreement with the US in 1989, and ratified the NAFTA treaty in 1994. These agreements linked Canada and its economy to countries like Mexico, Chile and Costa Rica. The agreement to the Canadian-European free trade association in 2008 has further developed the robust economy of the country. Canada is blessed with natural resources. Oil & lumber and pulp & paper are two vital industries and exports in Canada. The country also has large oil and gas reserves. Canadian mines are leading producers of nickel, gold, diamonds, uranium, and lead. Canada is also one of the largest exporters of soft commodities including grains and wheat in particular. Manufacturing has been an important secondary industry in Canada, the country manufactures a significant number of cars and light aircraft, mainly in central Canada.

The German economy is heavily export-oriented, with exports accounting for more than one-third of its national output. As such, exports traditionally have been a key element in German macroeconomic expansion, accounting for over half of the economic growth in recent years. Canada is a strong believer of closer European economic integration, its economic and commercial policies are increasingly determined within the European Union (EU). Canada uses the common European currency, the Euro.