2003 Edition

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, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.5% (male 3,052,005; female 2,903,007) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 11,099,907; female 10,984,903) 65 years and over: 12.9% (male 1,774,262; female 2,393,029) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish

Airports

1,389 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 245

total

507

under 914 m

80 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 149

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

882 1,524 to 2,437 m: 73 914 to 1,523 m: 363

under 914 m

446 (2002)

Area

land

9,093,507 sq km

total

9,984,670 sq km

water

891,163 sq km

Area - comparative

somewhat larger than the US

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. 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. Geography Canada

Birth rate

10.99 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$161.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 00/01 est.)

revenues

$178.6 billion

Capital

Ottawa

Climate

varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Coastline

202,080 km

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

Currency

Canadian dollar (CAD)

Currency code

CAD

Death rate

7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$1.9 billion $NA (2000)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Paul CELLUCCI

embassy

490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8

mailing address

P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430

telephone

[1] (613) 238-5335, 4470

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001

chief of mission

Ambassador Michael F. KERGIN

Disputes - international

managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; uncontested dispute with Denmark over Hans Island sovereignty in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Distribution of family income - Gini index

31.5 (1994)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $1.3 billion (1999)

Economy - overview

As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards. 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. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US. As a result of the close cross-border relationship, the economic sluggishness in the United States in 2001-02 had a negative impact on the Canadian economy. Real growth averaged nearly 3% during 1993-2000, but declined in 2001, with moderate recovery in 2002. Unemployment is up, with contraction in the manufacturing and natural resource sectors. Nevertheless, given its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid economic prospects. Two shadows loom, the first being the continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas, which has been raising the specter of a split in the federation. Another long-term concern is the flow south to the US of professionals lured by higher pay, lower taxes, and the immense high-tech infrastructure. A key strength in the economy is the substantial trade surplus.

Electricity - consumption

504.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

38.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

16.11 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

566.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

28%

hydro

57.9%

nuclear

12.9%

other

1.3% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Logan 5,959 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 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-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, 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

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Ethnic groups

British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26%

Exchange rates

Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.57 (2002), 1.55 (2001), 1.49 (2000), 1.49 (1999), 1.48 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Adrienne CLARKSON (since 7 October 1999)

elections

none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the governor general

head of government

Prime Minister Paul MARTIN (since 12 December 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Anne MCLELLAN (since 12 December 2003)

Exports

$260.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum

Exports - partners

US 87.7%, Japan 2%, UK 1.1% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 682-7726

[1] (613) 688-3097

consulate(s)

Miami, Princeton, San Francisco, and San Jose

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle

consulate(s) general

Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and Vancouver

telephone

[1] (202) 682-1740

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March Communications Canada

Flag description

two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width), with white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red and white Economy Canada

GDP

purchasing power parity - $934.1 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

2.3%

industry

26.5%

services

71.2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $29,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.3% (2002 est.)

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; approximately 85% of the population is concentrated within 300 km of the US border People Canada

Government type

confederation with parliamentary democracy

Heliports

12 (2002) Military Canada

Highways

paved

497,306 km (including 16,900 km of expressways)

total

1.408 million km

unpaved

911,494 km (2002)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

55,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

23.8% (1994)

lowest 10%

2.8%

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; transit point for heroin and cocaine entering the US market; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services sector This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$229 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods

Imports - partners

US 62.6%, China 4.6%, Japan 4.4% (2002)

Independence

1 July 1867 (from UK)

Industrial production growth rate

2.2% (2002 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

4.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

5.36 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.88 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.2% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURCA, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Internet country code

.ca

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

760 (2000 est.)

Internet users

16.84 million (2002) Transportation Canada

Irrigated land

7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada; Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Justice)

Labor force

16.4 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

services 74%, manufacturing 15%, construction 5%, agriculture 3%, other 3% (2000)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

8,893 km

Land use

arable land

4.94%

other

95.04% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0.02%

Languages

English 59.3% (official), French 23.2% (official), other 17.5%

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 (members appointed by the governor general with the advice of the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age; its normal limit is 105 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (301 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve for up to five-year terms)

election results

House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 41%, Canadian Alliance 26%, Bloc Quebecois 11%, New Democratic Party 9%, Progressive Conservative Party 12%; seats by party - Liberal Party 172, Canadian Alliance 66, Bloc Quebecois 38, New Democratic Party 13, Progressive Conservative Party 12; note - percent of vote by party as of January 2002 - Liberal Party 51%, Canadian Alliance 10%, Bloc Quebecois 10%, New Democratic Party 9%, Progressive Conservative Party 18%; seats by party - Liberal Party 172, Canadian Alliance 66, Bloc Quebecois 38, New Democratic Party 13, Progressive Conservative Party 12

elections

House of Commons - last held 27 November 2000 (next to be held by 2005)

Life expectancy at birth

female

83.38 years (2003 est.)

male

76.44 years

total population

79.83 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

NA% Government Canada

male

NA%

total population

97% (1986 est.)

Location

Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US

Map references

North America

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 NM

continental shelf

200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 NM

territorial sea

12 NM

Median age

female

38.8 years (2002)

male

36.9 years

total

37.8 years

Merchant marine

convenience

Germany 3, Monaco 16, United Kingdom 1, United States 1 (2002 est.)

note

includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

ships by type

barge carrier 1, bulk 64, cargo 11, chemical tanker 6, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 1, container 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 18, railcar carrier 2, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1

total

122 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,840,272 GRT/2,740,864 DWT

Military branches

Canadian Armed Forces (comprising Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air Command, Communications Command, Training Command)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$7.861 billion (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.1% (FY01/02) Transnational Issues Canada

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

8,391,120 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

7,158,016 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

16 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

216,488 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Nationality

adjective

Canadian

noun

Canadian(s)

Natural gas - consumption

82.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

109 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

4.46 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

186.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.691 trillion cu m (37257)

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

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

6.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

1.703 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

2.008 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

1.145 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

2.738 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

5.112 billion bbl (37257)

Pipelines

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

Political parties and leaders

Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Canadian Alliance [Stephen HARPER]; Liberal Party [Paul MARTIN]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]; Progressive Conservative Party [Peter MACKAY]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

32,207,113 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.94% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Becancour (Quebec), Churchill, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, New Westminster, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Saint John (New Brunswick), St. John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Sydney, Trois-Rivieres, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor

Radio broadcast stations

AM 535, FM 53, shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios

32.3 million (1997)

Railways

standard gauge

49,422 km 1.435-m gauge (129 km electrified) (2002)

total

49,422 km

Religions

Roman Catholic 46%, Protestant 36%, other 18%

note

based on the 1991 census

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations

general assessment

excellent service provided by modern technology

international

5 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Telephones - main lines in use

20,802,900 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular

8,751,300 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

21.5 million (1997)

Terrain

mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Total fertility rate

1.61 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

7.6% (2002 est.)

Waterways

3,000 km (including Saint Lawrence Seaway)