Map of Canada | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, from 1867 on Canada has enjoyed de facto independence while retaining, even to the present day, certain formal 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. Its paramount political problem continues to be the relationship of the province of Quebec, with its French-speaking residents and unique culture, to the remainder of the country.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries: 8,893 km with US (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Coastline: 243,791 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 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

Natural resources: nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, crude oil, natural gas

Land use: 5% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 3% meadows and pastures; 35% forest and woodland; 57% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: second-largest country in world (after USSR; strategic location between USSR and US via north polar route


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Population: 26,310,836 (July 1989), growth rate 0.8% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Canadian(s; adjective - Canadian

Ethnic groups: 40% British Isles origin, 27% French origin, 20% other European, 1.5% indigenous Indian and Eskimo

Languages: English and French (both official)

Religions: 46% Roman Catholic, 16% United Church, 10% Anglican

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 14 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: 2 migrants/1000 population (1989)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: 80% of population concentrated within 160 km of US border; continuous permafrost in north a serious obstacle to development

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 81 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1989)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 99%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: none

Government type: federal state recognizing Elizabeth II as sovereign

Capital: Ottawa

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces and 2 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Dependent areas

Independence: 1 July 1867 (from UK)

National holiday: Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Constitution: amended British North America Act 1867 patriated to Canada 17 April 1982; 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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal over age 18

Executive branch: Chief of State - Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Jeanne SAUVE (since 14 May 1984; Head of Government - Prime Minister (Martin) Brian MULRONEY (since 4 September 1984; Deputy Prime Minister Donald Frank MAZANKOWSKI (since NA 19 )

Legislative branch: Mobile Command, Maritime Command, Air Command, Communications Command, Canadian Forces Europe, Training Commands

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ADB, CCC, Colombo Plan, Commonwealth, DAC, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICES, ICO, ICRC, IDA, IDB - Inter-American Development Bank, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ISO, ITC, ITU, IWC - International Whaling Commission, IWC - International Wheat Council, La Francophonie, NATO, OAS (observer), OECD, PAHO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG

Diplomatic representation
In the us:

Flag description: three vertical bands of red (hoist side), white (double width, square), and red with a red maple leaf centered in the white band

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Canada ranks seventh in the world in total GNP, and is one of the largest producers and exporters of both grains and minerals. The mineral industry has been a major factor in Canada's economic development. Over the past 30 years, the impressive growth of the manufacturing sector has transformed the nation from a rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban; the industrial sector employs about 25% of the labor force. Since 1983 Canada has registered one of the highest rates of growth among the OECD nations, annually averaging nearly 4% for 1984-87.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: livestock, grains (principally wheat), dairy products, feedgrains, oilseeds, tobacco

Industries: processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, transportation equipment, chemicals, fish products, petroleum and natural gas

Industrial production growth rate: 5.7% (1988)

Labor force: 13,380,000; services 75%, manufacturing 14%, agriculture 4%, construction 3%, other 4% (1988)

Unemployment rate: 7.8% (1988)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $75.2 billion; expenditures $89.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8 billion (FY88)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $111.5 billion (f.o.b., 1988)
Commodities: newsprint, wood pulp, timber, grain, crude petroleum, natural gas, ferrous and nonferrous ores, motor vehicles
Partners: US, Japan, UK, FRG, other EC, USSR

Imports: $102.1 billion (c.i.f., 1988)
Commodities: processed foods, beverages, crude petroleum, chemicals, industrial machinery, motor vehicles, durable consumer goods, electronic computers
Partners: US, Japan, UK, FRG, other EC, Taiwan, South Korea, Mexico

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $18.8 billion (1986)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$1 - 1.1914 (January 1989), 1.2307 (1988), 1.3260 (1987), 1.3895 (1986)


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Electricity
Capacity: 100,737,000 kW capacity; 468,388 million kWh produced, 17,950 kWh per capita (1988)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $9.615 billion, 9.3% of central government budget (FY88 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1,254 total, 1,026 usable; 431 with permanent-surface runways; 4 with runways over 3,659 m; 30 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 312 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Heliports

Pipelines: oil, 23,564 km total crude and refined; natural gas, 74,980 km

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 3,000 km, including St. Lawrence Seaway

Merchant marine: 85 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 662,067 GRT/936,017 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 6 short-sea passenger, 2 passenger-cargo, 13 cargo, 2 railcar carrier, 1 refrigerated cargo, 8 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 container, 30 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 5 chemical tanker, 1 specialized carrier, 14 bulk

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: maritime boundary disputes with France (St. Pierre and Miquelon) and US

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs