Background: A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867, while retaining ties to the British crown. Canada gained legislative independence from Britain in 1931 and formalized its constitutional independence from the UK when it passed the Canada Act in 1982. Economically and technologically, the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across the world's longest international border. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care, education, social services, and economic competitiveness, as well as responding to the particular concerns of predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment.

Area
Total: 9,984,670 km²
Land: 9,093,507 km²
Water: 891,163 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than the US

Land boundaries
Total: 8,892 km
Border countries (2): (2) US 8,891 km; (includes 2,475 km; with Alaska) Denmark (Greenland) 1.3 km

Coastline: 202,080 km
Note: the Canadian Arctic Archipelago -- consisting of 36,563 islands, several of them among the world's largest -- gives Canada the longest coastline in the world

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

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

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

Elevation
Highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m
Lowest point: Atlantic/Pacific/Arctic Oceans 0 m
Mean elevation: 487 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 6.5% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 4.3% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 2.1% (2023 est.)
Forest: 42% (2023 est.)
Other: 51.4% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 9,045 km² (2015)

Major rivers: Mackenzie - 4,241 km; Yukon river source (shared with the US [m]) - 3,185 km; Saint Lawrence river mouth (shared with US) - 3,058 km; Nelson - 2,570 km; Columbia river source (shared with the US [m]) - 1,953 km; Churchill - 1,600 km; Fraser - 1,368 km; Ottawa - 1,271 km; Athabasca - 1,231 km; North Saskatchewan - 1,220 km; Liard - 1,115 km
Note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Natural hazards: continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains
Volcanism: the vast majority of volcanoes in Western Canada's Coast Mountains remain dormant

Geography
Note note 1: second-largest country in the world (after Russia) and largest in the Americas; strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km (100 mi) of the US border
Note note 2: Canada has more fresh water than any other country, and almost 9% of Canadian territory is water; Canada has at least 2 million and possibly over 3 million lakes, more than all other countries combined

Population
Total: 38,794,813 (2024 est.)
Male: 19,234,729
Female: 19,560,084
Distribution: vast majority of the population lives in a discontinuous band within approximately 300 km (186 mi) of the southern border with the United States; the most populated province is Ontario, followed by Quebec and British Columbia
Growth rate: 0.71% (2024 est.)

Languages: English (official) 87.1%, French (official) 29.1%, Chinese languages 4.2%, Spanish 3.2%, Punjabi 2.6%, Arabic 2.4%, Tagalog 2.3%, Italian 1.5% (2022 est.)
Major-language sample(s): ; The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English); The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

Religions: Christian 53.3%, Muslim 4.9%, Hindu 2.3%, Sikh 2.1%, Buddhist 1%, Jewish 0.9%, Traditional (North American Indigenous) 0.2%, other religions and traditional spirituality 0.6%, none 34.6% (2021 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.5% (male 3,098,478/female 2,929,148)
15-64 years: 63.4% (male 12,382,422/female 12,227,512)
65 years and over: 21% (2024 est.) (male 3,753,829/female 4,403,424)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 56.8 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 23.9 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 32.9 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 3 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 42.6 years (2024 est.)
Male: 41.4 years
Female: 43.8 years

Population growth rate: 0.71% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 10 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: vast majority of the population lives in a discontinuous band within approximately 300 km (186 mi) of the southern border with the United States; the most populated province is Ontario, followed by Quebec and British Columbia

Urbanization
Urban population: 81.9% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.95% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 6.372 million Toronto, 4.308 million Montreal, 2.657 million Vancouver, 1.640 million Calgary, 1.544 million Edmonton, 1.437 million OTTAWA (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 12 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 84.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 81.9 years
Female: 86.6 years

Total fertility rate: 1.58 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 1.4% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 1.4% of population (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 6.5% (2024 est.); 5.5% (2023 est.); 5.3% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Ottawa
Geographic coordinates: 45 25 N, 75 42 W
Time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
Time zone note: Canada has six time zones
Etymology: the city lies on the south bank of the Ottawa River, from which it derives its name; the river name comes from the Algonquin word adawe, meaning 'to trade'

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Québec, Saskatchewan, Yukon*

Legal system: common law system except in Quebec, where civil law based on the French civil code prevails

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Executive branch
Chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Mary SIMON (since 26 July 2021)
Head of government: Prime Minister Mark CARNEY (since 14 March 2025)
Cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from among members of his/her own party sitting in Parliament
Election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a 5-year term; after legislative elections, the governor general usually designates the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the House of Commons as prime minister
Note: the governor general position is largely ceremonial

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Parliament of Canada - Parlement du Canada
Legislative structure: bicameral

Flag description: two vertical bands of red on each side, with a white square between them; a large 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered in the white square

National anthem
Title: 'God Save the King'
Lyrics/music: unknown
History: royal anthem, as a Commonwealth country

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 22 (10 cultural, 11 natural, 1 mixed) (2021)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 1.5% (2024 est.); 1.5% (2023 est.); 4.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 1.5% (2024 est.); 1.5% (2023 est.); 4.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 54.4% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 20.9% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 22.9% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 33.3% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -33.3% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.6% (2021 est.)
Industry: 25.3% (2021 est.)
Services: 66.4% (2021 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: 0% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 22.868 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 6.5% (2024 est.); 5.5% (2023 est.); 5.3% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 6.5% (2024 est.); 5.5% (2023 est.); 5.3% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $428.312 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $417.421 billion (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 13.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $727.831 billion (2024 est.); $724.754 billion (2023 est.); $743.782 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: crude petroleum, cars, gold, natural gas, refined petroleum (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $733.778 billion (2024 est.); $723.399 billion (2023 est.); $731.058 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: cars, trucks, vehicle parts/accessories, refined petroleum, crude petroleum (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 161.988 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 555.683 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 49.444 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 21.77 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 31.784 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 18.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 13.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 58.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Production: 50.687 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 20.092 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 35.447 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 7.03 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 6.582 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 5.688 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 2.377 million bbl/day (2024 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 170.3 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 194.105 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 131.887 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Exports: 82.537 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 29.058 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 2.067 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 585.853 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 32.486 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 294.196 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 259.171 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 311.599 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 10.897 million (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 36.5 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 91 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 94% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 17 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2025 est.); 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.); 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Airports: 1,459 (2025)

Heliports: 506 (2025)

Railways
Total: 49,422 km (2021) note: 129 km electrified (2021)
Standard gauge: 49,422 km (2021) 1.435-m gauge

Merchant marine
Total: 716 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 22, container ship 1, general cargo 78, oil tanker 15, other 600