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.

Map reference: Arctic Region, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total area total: 9,976,140 km²
Land: 9,220,970 km²

Land boundaries: total 8,893 km, US 8,893 km (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

Climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Terrain: mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

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

Land use
Arable land: 5%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 3%
Forest and woodland: 35%
Other: 57%

Irrigated land: 8,400 km² (1989 est.)

Natural hazards: continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development

Geography
Note: second-largest country in world (after Russia; strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; nearly 90% of the population is concentrated in the region near the US/Canada border

Population: 28,113,997 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 1.18% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Canadian(s)

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

Languages: English (official), French (official)

Religions: Roman Catholic 46%, United Church 16%, Anglican 10%, other 28%

Population growth rate: 1.18% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 14.1 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 7.39 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 5.11 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Environment
Current issues: acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities

Infant mortality rate: 6.9 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.13 years
Male: 74.73 years
Female: 81.71 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.84 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1986)
Total population: 97%
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

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*

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Raymond John HNATYSHYN (since 29 January 1990)
Head of government: Prime Minister Jean CHRETIEN (since 4 November 1993) was elected on 25 October 1993, replacing Kim CAMBELL; Deputy Prime Minister Sheila COPPS

Legislative branch: Canadian Armed Forces (including Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air Command, Communications Command, Training Command), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
Senate Senat: consisting of a body whose members are appointed to serve until 75 years of age by the governor general and selected on the advice of the prime minister; its normal limit 104 senators
House of Commons Chambre des Communes: elections last held 25 October 1993 (next to be held by NA October 1998); results - number of votes by percent NA; seats - (295 total) Liberal Party 178, Bloc Quebecois 54, Reform Party 52, New Democratic Party 8, Progressive Conservative Party 2, independents 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), 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, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, ONUSAL, PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMOZ, UNOMUR, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WIPO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador James Johnston BLANCHARD
From the us chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,001
From the us telephone: (613) 238-5,335 or 4,470
From the us fax: (613) 238-5,720
From the us consulates general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and Vancouver
From the us consulates: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Miami, Pittsburg, Princeton, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
From the us embassy: 100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1, Ottawa
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 5,000, Ogdensburg, NY 13,669-0430

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

Economy 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, although the country still faces high unemployment and a growing debt. Moreover, the continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas has observers discussing a possible split in the confederation; foreign investors have become edgy.

Real gdp growth rate: 2.4% (1993)

Real gdp per capita: $22,200 (1993)

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: 3.5% (1993)

Labor force: 13.38 million
By occupation services: 75%
By occupation manufacturing: 14%
By occupation agriculture: 4%
By occupation construction: 3%
By occupation other: 4% (1988)

Unemployment rate: 11% (December 1993)

Budget: revenues:$92.34 billion (Federal)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Exports: $133.9 billion (f.o.b., 1993)
Commodities: 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: $125.3 billion (c.i.f., 1993)
Commodities: crude oil, chemicals, motor vehicles and parts, durable consumer goods, electronic computers; telecommunications equipment and parts
Partners: US, Japan, UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea

Debt external: $435 billion (1993)

Exchange rates: Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$1 - 1.3174 (January 1994), 1.2901 (1993), 1.2087 (1992), 1.1457 (1991), 1.1668 (1990), 1.1840 (1989)

Electricity
Capacity: 109,340,000 kW
Production: 493 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 17,900 kWh (1992)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: exchange rate conversion - $10.3 billion, 1.9% of GDP (FY93/94)

Airports: 1,356
Usable: 1,107
With permanentsurface runways: 458
With runways over 3659 m: 4
With runways 2440-3659 m: 29
With runways 1220-2439 m: 326

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

Waterways: 3,000 km, including Saint Lawrence Seaway

Merchant marine: 59 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 448,357 GRT/639,319 DWT, bulk 9, cargo 8, chemical tanker 4, container 1, oil tanker 22, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, railcar carrier 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 2
Note: does not include ships used exclusively in the Great Lakes

Disputes international: maritime boundary disputes with the US; Saint Pierre and Miquelon is focus of maritime boundary dispute between Canada and France

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