1994 Edition

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*

Agriculture

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

Airports

total: 1,356 usable: 1,107 with permanent-surface runways: 458 with runways over 3,659 m: 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 29 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 326

Area

total area: 9,976,140 sq km land area: 9,220,970 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than US

Birth rate

14.1 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Branches

Canadian Armed Forces (including Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air Command, Communications Command, Training Command), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

Budget

revenues: $92.34 billion (Federal) expenditures: $123.04 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY93 est.)

Capital

Ottawa

Climate

varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Coastline

243,791 km

Constitution

amended British North America Act 1867 patriated to Canada 17 April 1982; charter of rights and unwritten customs

Currency

1 Canadian dollar (Can$) = 100 cents

Death rate

7.39 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $10.3 billion, 1.9% of GDP (FY93/94)

Digraph

CA

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond CHRETIEN chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001 telephone: (202) 682-1740

Economic aid

donor: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $7.2 billion

Electricity

capacity: 109,340,000 kW production: 493 billion kWh consumption per capita: 17,900 kWh (1992)

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 natural hazards: continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

Ethnic divisions

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

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)

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 cabinet: Federal Ministry; chosen by the prime minister from members of his own party sitting in Parliament

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

External debt

$435 billion (1993)

FAX

(202) 682-7726 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, and Seattle consulate(s): Cincinnati, Cleveland, Miami, Pittsburg, Princeton, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

(613) 238-5720 consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and Vancouver

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Flag

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

Highways

total: 884,272 km paved: 250,023 km unpaved: gravel 462,913 km; earth 171,336 km

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

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

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

Independence

1 July 1867 (from UK)

Industrial production

growth rate 3.5% (1993)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.9% (1993)

Inland waterways

3,000 km, including Saint Lawrence Seaway

International disputes

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

Irrigated land

8,400 sq km (1989 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Labor force

13.38 million by occupation: services 75%, manufacturing 14%, agriculture 4%, construction 3%, other 4% (1988)

Land boundaries

total 8,893 km, US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Land use

arable land: 5% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 35% other: 57%

Languages

English (official), French (official)

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

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament (Parlement)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.13 years male: 74.73 years female: 81.71 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1986) total population: 97% male: NA% female: NA%

Location

Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and North Pacific Ocean north of the US

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 7,508,590; fit for military service 6,482,267; reach military age (17) annually 191,850 (1994 est.)

Map references

Arctic Region, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Member of

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

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

Names

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Canada

National holiday

Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $617.7 billion (1993)

National product per capita

$22,200 (1993)

National product real growth rate

2.4% (1993)

Nationality

noun: Canadian(s) adjective: Canadian

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

5.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

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

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.

Pipelines

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

Political parties and leaders

Liberal Party, Jean CHRETIEN; Bloc Quebecois, Lucien BOUCHARD; Reform Party, Preston MANNING; New Democratic Party, Audrey McLAUGHLIN; Progressive Conservative Party, Jean CHAREST

Population

28,113,997 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

1.18% (1994 est.)

Ports

Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Saint John (New Brunswick), Saint John's (Newfoundland), Toronto, Vancouver

Railroads

146,444 km total; two major transcontinental freight railway systems - Canadian National (government owned) and Canadian Pacific Railway; passenger service - VIA (government operated); 158 km is electrified

Religions

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

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telecommunications

excellent service provided by modern media; 18.0 million telephones; broadcast stations - 900 AM, 29 FM, 53 (1,400 repeaters) TV; 5 coaxial submarine cables; over 300 earth stations operating in INTELSAT (including 4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and domestic systems

Terrain

mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Total fertility rate

1.84 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Type

confederation with parliamentary democracy

Unemployment rate

11% (December 1993)

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador James Johnston BLANCHARD embassy: 100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1, Ottawa mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430 telephone: (613) 238-5335 or 4470