1997 Edition

Area

total: 9,976,140 sq km land: 9,220,970 sq km water: 755,170 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than US

Climate

varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Coastline

243,791 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Logan 5,950 m

Environment - current issues

air pollution and resulting 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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

60 00 N, 95 00 W

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 within 161 km of the US/Canada border

Irrigated land

7,100 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 5% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures : 3% forests and woodland: 54% other: 38% (1993 est.)

Location

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

Map references

North America

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Natural resources

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

Terrain

mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Age structure

0-14 years: 20% (male 3,101,968; female 2,957,927) 15-64 years: 68% (male 10,333,085; female 10,201,996) 65 years and over: 12% (male 1,583,643; female 2,158,715) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

12.4 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

7.23 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

British Isles origin 40%, French origin 27%, other European 20%, Amerindian 1.5%, other, mostly Asian 11.5%

Infant mortality rate

5.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

English (official), French (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.96 years male: 75.61 years female: 82.48 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Canadian(s) adjective: Canadian

Net migration rate

6.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

30,337,334 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

1.13% (1997 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 45%, United Church 12%, Anglican 8%, other 35% (1991)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population : 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.66 children born/woman (1997 est.)

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* note: the Northwest Territories will be split in two as of April 1999; the eastern section will be renamed Nunavut, the west is as yet unnamed

Constitution

17 April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the machinery of the government was set up in the British North America Act of 1867; charter of rights and unwritten customs

Country name

conventional long form : none conventional short form: Canada

Data code

CA

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) embassy : 100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1, Ottawa mailing address: P. O. Box 866, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430 telephone : [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission : Ambassador Raymond A. J. CHRETIEN chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001 telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Romeo LeBLANC (since 8 February 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Jean CHRETIEN (since 4 November 1993) cabinet : Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons is automatically designated by the governor general to become prime minister

FAX

[1] (202) 682-7726 consulate(s) general : Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle consulate(s): Cincinnati, Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Princeton, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose

[1] (613) 238-5720 consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and Vancouver

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

Government type

confederation with parliamentary democracy

Independence

1 July 1867 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE (observer), EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the prime minister through the governor general

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 or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (a body whose members are appointed to serve until reaching 75 years of age by the governor general and selected on the advice of the prime minister; its normal limit is 104 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (295 seats; note - number of seats will rise to 301 at the time of the next election; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Commons - last held 25 October 1993 (next to be held by 3 November 1998) election results: percent of votes by party - Liberal Party 41%, Reform Party 19%, Tories 16%, Bloc Quebecois 14%, New Democratic Party 7%, other 3%; seats by party - Liberal Party 177, Bloc Quebecois 53, Reform Party 52, New Democratic Party 9, Progressive Conservative Party 2, independents 2

National capital

Ottawa

National holiday

Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Political parties and leaders

Liberal Party [Jean CHRETIEN]; Bloc Quebecois [Michel GAUTHIER (until March 1997)]; Reform Party [Preston MANNING]; New Democratic Party [Alexa MCDONOUGH]; Progressive Conservative Party [Jean CHAREST]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; commercial fisheries provide annual catch of 1.5 million metric tons, of which 75% is exported

Budget

revenues: $94.3 billion expenditures: $115.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.7 billion (FY95/96 est.)

Currency

1 Canadian dollar (Can$) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$253 billion (1996)

Economic aid

donor: ODA, $1.6 billion (1995) note : ODA and OOF commitments, $10.1 billion (1986-91)

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. Canada started the 1990s in recession, and real rates of growth have averaged only 1.1% so far this decade. Because of slower growth, Canada still faces high unemployment - especially in Quebec and the Maritime Provinces - and a large public sector debt. With its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, however, Canada will enjoy better economic prospects in the future. The continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas is raising the possibility of a split in the confederation, making foreign investors somewhat edgy.

Electricity - capacity

113.65 million kW (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

16,137 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

547.9 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$1 - 1.3486 (January 1997), 1.3635 (1996), 1.37241 (1995), 1.3656 (1994), 1.2901 (1993), 1.2087 (1992)

Exports

total value: $195.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) 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

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $721 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 3% industry: 31% services : 66% (1996)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $25,000 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.4% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value: $169.5 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) 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

Industrial production growth rate

1.3% (1996)

Industries

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

Inflation rate - consumer price index

1.4% (1996)

Labor force

total: 15.1 million (1996) by occupation : services 74%, manufacturing 15%, agriculture 3%, construction 5%, other 3% (1994)

Unemployment rate

9.7% (December 1996)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 900, FM 29, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

excellent service provided by modern technology domestic : domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations international: 5 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region)

Telephones

15.3 million (1990)

Television broadcast stations

70 (repeaters 1,400) (1991)

Televisions

11.53 million (1983 est.)

Airports

1,139 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 816 over 3,047 m: 17 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m : 138 914 to 1,523 m: 229 under 914 m: 417 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 323 1,524 to 2,437 m: 55 914 to 1,523 m: 268 (1996 est.)

Heliports

17 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 1.021 million km paved: 358,371 km (including 19,000 km of expressways) unpaved: 662,629 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 60 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 557,941 GRT/775,391 DWT ships by type: bulk 14, cargo 9, chemical tanker 4, oil tanker 15, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 1, railcar carrier 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 2 note: does not include ships used exclusively in the Great Lakes (1996 est.)

Pipelines

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

Ports and harbors

Becancour (Quebec), Churchill, Halifax, Montreal, New Westminister, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Saint John (New Brunswick), Saint John's (Newfoundland), Seven Islands, Sydney, Three Rivers, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor

Railways

total: 70,176 km; note - there are two major transcontinental freight railway systems: Canadian National (privatized November 1995) and Canadian Pacific Railway; passenger service provided by government-operated firm VIA, which has no trackage of its own standard gauge: 70,000 km 1.435-m gauge (63 km electrified) narrow gauge: 176 km 0.914-m gauge (1995)

Waterways

3,000 km, including Saint Lawrence Seaway

Military branches

Canadian Armed Forces (includes Land Forces Command or LC, Maritime Command or MC, Air Command or AC, Communications Command or CC, Training Command or TC), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$9 billion (FY95/96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.6% (FY95/96)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 8,160,914 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males : 7,007,901 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

17 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 208,138 (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

maritime boundary disputes with the US (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Machias Seal Island); Saint Pierre and Miquelon is focus of maritime boundary dispute between Canada and France; in 1992 an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone area of 12,348 sq km to settle the dispute

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 ______________________________________________________________________ CAPE VERDE