Statistical information Canada 1992
Canada in the World
Canada - Introduction 1992
top of pageBackground: 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.
Canada - Geography 1992
top of pageLocation
Geographic coordinates
Map reference
Area
Total: 9,976,140 km²
Land: 9,220,970 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than US
Land boundaries: 8,893 km with US (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)
Coastline: 243,791 km
Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: maritime boundary disputes with the US
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
Land use: arable land: 5%; permanent crops: NEGL%; meadows and pastures 3%; forest and woodland 35%; other 57%; includes NEGL% irrigated
Irrigated land
Major rivers
Major watersheds area km²
Total water withdrawal
Total renewable water resources
Natural hazards
Geography
Canada - People 1992
top of pagePopulation: 27,351,509 (July 1992), growth rate 1.3% (1992)
Nationality: noun - Canadian(s; adjective - Canadian
Ethnic groups:
British Isles origin 40%, French origin 27%, other
European 20%, indigenous Indian and Eskimo 1.5%
European 20%, indigenous Indian and Eskimo 1.5%
Languages: English and French (both official)
Religions: Roman Catholic 46%, United Church 16%, Anglican 10%
Demographic profile
Age structure
Age structure
Dependency ratios
Median age
Population growth rate
Birth rate: 14 births/1000 population (1992)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1000 population (1992)
Net migration rate: 6 migrants/1000 population (1992)
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
Current issues note: second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route
Air pollutants
Sex ratio
Mothers mean age at first birth
Maternal mortality ratio
Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 81 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1992)
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% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1981 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Youth unemployment
Canada - Government 1992
top of pageCountry name
Conventional long form: none
Government type: confederation with parliamentary democracy
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*
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 at age 18
House of Commons:
last held 21 November 1988 (next to be held by
November 1993); results - Progressive Conservative Party 43.0%, Liberal
Party 32%, New Democratic Party 20%, other 5%; seats - (295 total)
Progressive Conservative Party 159, Liberal Party 80, New Democratic Party 44, independents 12
November 1993); results - Progressive Conservative Party 43.0%, Liberal
Party 32%, New Democratic Party 20%, other 5%; seats - (295 total)
Progressive Conservative Party 159, Liberal Party 80, New Democratic Party 44, independents 12
Communists: 3,000
Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Parlement) consists of an upper house or Senate (Senat) and a lower house or House of Commons (Chambre des Communes)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders
International organization participation:
ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS,
C, CCC, CDB, COCOM, CP, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, GATT,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,
INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIIMOG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
C, CCC, CDB, COCOM, CP, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, GATT,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,
INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIIMOG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Derek BURNEY; Chancery at 501
Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,001; telephone (202) 682-1740; there are Canadian Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago,
Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York,
Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle
Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,001; telephone (202) 682-1740; there are Canadian Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago,
Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York,
Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle
US:
Ambassador Peter TEELEY; Embassy at 100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1,
Ottawa (mailing address is P. O. Box 5,000, Ogdensburg, NY 13,669-0430); telephone (613) 238-5,335 or (613) 238-4,470; FAX (613) 238-5,720; there are US
Consulates General in Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and
Vancouver
Ottawa (mailing address is P. O. Box 5,000, Ogdensburg, NY 13,669-0430); telephone (613) 238-5,335 or (613) 238-4,470; FAX (613) 238-5,720; there are US
Consulates General in Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and
Vancouver
Diplomatic representation
Flag description
: three vertical bands of red (hoist side), white (double width, square), and red with a red maple leaf centered in the white bandNational symbols
National anthem
National heritage
Canada - Economy 1992
top of pageEconomy overview:
As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the US in per capita output, market-oriented economic system, and pattern of production. 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. In the 1980s, Canada registered one of the highest rates of real growth among the
OECD nations, averaging about 3.2%. With its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada has excellent economic prospects. However, the continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas has observers discussing a possible split in the confederation; foreign investors are becoming edgy.
OECD nations, averaging about 3.2%. With its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada has excellent economic prospects. However, the continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas has observers discussing a possible split in the confederation; foreign investors are becoming edgy.
GDP: purchasing power equivalent - $521.5 billion, per capita $19,400; real growth rate -1.1% (1991 est.)
Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real gdp growth rate
Real gdp per capita ppp
Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end use
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture products: accounts for about 3% of GDP; one of the world's major producers and exporters of grain (wheat and barley; key source of US agricultural imports; large forest resources cover 35% of total land area; commercial fisheries provide annual catch of 1.5 million metric tons, of which 75% is exported
Industries: processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, transportation equipment, chemicals, fish products, petroleum and natural gas
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate -3.8% (August 1991; accounts for 34% of GDP
Labor force: 13,380,000; services 75%, manufacturing 14%, agriculture 4%, construction 3%, other 4% (1988)
Organized labor: 30.6% of labor force; 39.6% of nonagricultural paid workers
Labor force
Unemployment rate: 10.3% (November 1991)
Youth unemployment
Population below poverty line
Gini index
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Distribution of family income gini index
Budget: revenues $111.8 billion; expenditures $138.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY90 est.)
Public debt
Taxes and other revenues
Revenue
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Current account balance
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: $124.0 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: newsprint, wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, machinery, natural gas, aluminum, motor vehicles and parts; telecommunications equipment
Partners: US, Japan, UK, Germany, South Korea, Netherlands, China
Imports: $118 billion (c.i.f., 1991)
Commodoties: crude petroleum, chemicals, motor vehicles and parts, durable consumer goods, electronic computers; telecommunications equipment and parts
Partners: US, Japan, UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Debt external
Stock of direct foreign investment at home
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad
Exchange rates: Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$1 - 1.1565 (January 1992), 1.1457 (1991), 1.1668 (1990), 1.1840 (1989), 1.2307 (1988), 1.3260 (1987)
Canada - Energy 1992
top of pageElectricity access
Electricity production: 106,464,000 kW capacity; 479,600 million kWh produced, 17,872 kWh per capita (1991)
Electricity consumption
Electricity exports
Electricity imports
Electricity installed generating capacity
Electricity transmission distribution losses
Electricity generation sources
Petroleum
Refined petroleum
Natural gas
Carbon dioxide emissions
Energy consumption per capita
Canada - Communication 1992
top of pageTelephones fixed lines
Telephones mobile cellular
Telephone system
Broadcast media
Internet country code
Internet users
Broadband fixed subscriptions
Canada - Military 1992
top of pageMilitary expenditures
Percent of gdp:
exchange rate conversion - $11.4 billion, 1.7% of
GDP (FY91); $10.5 billion, NA% of GDP (FY 92)
GDP (FY91); $10.5 billion, NA% of GDP (FY 92)
Military and security forces
Military service age and obligation
Space program
Terrorist groups
Canada - Transportation 1992
top of pageNational air transport system
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Airports:
1,416 total, 1,168 usable; 455 with permanent-surface runways; 4
with runways over 3,659 m; 30
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 338
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
with runways over 3,659 m; 30
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 338
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Airports with paved runways
Airports with unpaved runways
Heliports
Pipelines: crude and refined oil 23,564 km; natural gas 74,980 km
Railways
Roadways
Waterways: 3,000 km, including Saint Lawrence Seaway
Merchant marine:
70 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 500,904
GRT/727,118 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 3 short-sea passenger, 2 passenger-cargo, 10 cargo, 2 railcar carrier, 1 refrigerated cargo, 8 roll-on/roll-off, 1 container, 28 petroleum tanker, 5 chemical tanker, 1 specialized tanker, 8 bulk; note - does not include ships used exclusively in the Great Lakes
GRT/727,118 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 3 short-sea passenger, 2 passenger-cargo, 10 cargo, 2 railcar carrier, 1 refrigerated cargo, 8 roll-on/roll-off, 1 container, 28 petroleum tanker, 5 chemical tanker, 1 specialized tanker, 8 bulk; note - does not include ships used exclusively in the Great Lakes
Civil air: 636 major transport aircraft; Air Canada is the major carrier
Ports and terminals
Canada - Transnational issues 1992
top of pageDisputes international
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; growing role as a transit point for heroin and cocaine entering the US market