2015 Edition

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 the world's longest unfortified 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

land

9,093,507 sq km

total

9,984,670 sq km

water

891,163 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than the US

Climate

varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Coastline

202,080 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Logan 5,959 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity; air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; 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-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Marine Life Conservation

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

1,589 cu m/yr (2010)

total

42.2 cu km/yr (20%/70%/10%)

Geographic coordinates

60 00 N, 95 00 W

Geography - note

second-largest country in 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; 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 - that is more than all other countries combined

Irrigated land

8,699 sq km (2004)

Land boundaries

border countries (1)

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

note

Canada is the world's largest country that borders only one country

total

8,893 km

Land use

arable land 4.7%; permanent crops 0.5%; permanent pasture 1.6%

agricultural land

6.8%

forest

34.1%

other

59.1% (2011 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

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

Natural resources

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

Terrain

mostly plains with mountains in west, lowlands in southeast

Total renewable water resources

2,902 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

15.46% (male 2,781,043/female 2,644,008)

15-24 years

12.39% (male 2,236,425/female 2,111,681)

25-54 years

40.69% (male 7,239,027/female 7,041,886)

55-64 years

13.74% (male 2,389,423/female 2,433,621)

65 years and over

17.73% (male 2,766,909/female 3,455,813) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

10.28 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Death rate

8.42 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

23.8%

potential support ratio

4.2% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

47.3%

youth dependency ratio

23.5%

Drinking water source

urban: 100% of population

rural: 99% of population

total: 99.8% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 1% of population

total: 0.2% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

5.3% of GDP (2011)

Ethnic groups

Canadian 32.2%, English 19.8%, French 15.5%, Scottish 14.4%, Irish 13.8%, German 9.8%, Italian 4.5%, Chinese 4.5%, North American Indian 4.2%, other 50.9%

note

percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one ethnic origin (2011 est.)

Health expenditures

10.9% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 400 (2013 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Hospital bed density

2.7 beds/1,000 population (2010)

Infant mortality rate

female

4.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

4.97 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.65 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English (official) 58.7%, French (official) 22%, Punjabi 1.4%, Italian 1.3%, Spanish 1.3%, German 1.3%, Cantonese 1.2%, Tagalog 1.2%, Arabic 1.1%, other 10.5% (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

female

84.52 years (2015 est.)

male

79.15 years

total population

81.76 years

Major urban areas - population

Toronto 5.993 million; Montreal 3.981 million; Vancouver 2.485 million; Calgary 1.337 million; OTTAWA (capital) 1.326 million; Edmonton 1.272 million (2015)

Median age

female

42.9 years (2014 est.)

male

40.4 years

total

41.7 years

Nationality

adjective

Canadian

noun

Canadian(s)

Net migration rate

5.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

30.1% (2014)

Physicians density

2.07 physicians/1,000 population (2010)

Population

35,099,836 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

0.75% (2015 est.)

Religions

Catholic 40.6% (includes Roman Catholic 38.8%, Orthodox 1.6%, other Catholic .2%), Protestant 20.3% (includes United Church 6.1%, Anglican 5%, Baptist 1.9%, Lutheran 1.5%, Pentecostal 1.5%, Presbyterian 1.4%, other Protestant 2.9%), other Christian 6.3%, Muslim 3.2%, Hindu 1.5%, Sikh 1.4%, Buddhist 1.1%, Jewish 1%, other 0.6%, none 23.9% (2011 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 100% of population

rural: 99% of population

total: 99.8% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 1% of population

total: 0.2% of population (2015 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.06 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.03 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.8 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.59 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

12.6% (2012 est.)

male

15.9%

total

14.3%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.22% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

81.8% of total population (2015)

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*

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

geographic coordinates

45 25 N, 75 42 W

name

Ottawa

note

Canada has six time zones

time difference

UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and traditions dating from 1763; the written part of the constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982; several amendments to the 1982 Constitution Act, last in 2011 (2011)

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Canada

note

the country name is derived from the St. Lawrence Iroquoian word "kanata" meaning village or settlement

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Bruce A. HEYMAN (since 8 April 2014)

consulate(s) general

Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg

embassy

490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8

FAX

[1] (613) 688-3082

mailing address

P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430; P.O. Box 866, Station B, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5T1

telephone

[1] (613) 688-5335

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001

chief of mission

Ambassador Gary DOER (since 23 October 2009)

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco/Silicon Valley, Seattle

FAX

[1] (202) 682-7726

telephone

[1] (202) 682-1740

trade office(s)

Houston, Palo Alto (CA), San Diego

Executive branch

cabinet

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

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a 5-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the House of Commons generally designated prime minister by the governor general

head of government

Prime Minister Stephen Joseph HARPER (since 6 February 2006)

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 maple leaf has long been a Canadian symbol

Government type

a parliamentary democracy, a federation, and a constitutional monarchy

Independence

1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK per Statute of Westminster)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court of Canada (consists of the chief justice and 8 judges); note - in 1949, Canada finally abolished all appeals beyond its Supreme Court to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

judge selection and term of office

chief justice and judges appointed by the prime minister in council; all judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 75

subordinate courts

federal level: Federal Court of Appeal; Federal Court; Tax Court; federal administrative tribunals; courts martial; provincial/territorial: provincial superior, appeals, first instance, and specialized courts; in 1999, the Nunavut Court - a circuit court with the power of a superior court and the territorial courts - was established to serve isolated settlements

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

description

bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (105 seats; members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister and can serve until age 75) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (308 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve a maximum of 4-year terms)

election results

House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Conservative Party 39.6%, NDP 30.6%, Liberal Party 18.9%, Bloc Quebecois 6%, Greens 3.9%; seats by party - Conservative Party 166, NDP 103, Liberal Party 34, Bloc Quebecois 4, Greens 1

elections

House of Commons - last held on 2 May 2011 (next to be held no later than 19 October 2015)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Adolphe-Basile ROUTHIER [French], Robert Stanley WEIR [English]/Calixa LAVALLEE

name

"O Canada"

note

adopted 1980; originally written in 1880, "O Canada" served as an unofficial anthem many years before its official adoption; the anthem has French and English versions whose lyrics differ; as a Commonwealth realm, in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)

National holiday

Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

National symbol(s)

maple leaf, beaver; national colors: red, white

Political parties and leaders

Bloc Quebecois [Mario BEAULIEU]

Conservative Party of Canada [Stephen HARPER]

Green Party [Elizabeth MAY]

Liberal Party [Justin TRUDEAU]

New Democratic Party or NDP [Thomas MULCAIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders

other

agricultural sector; automobile industry; business groups; chemical industry; commercial banks; communications sector; energy industry; environmentalists; public administration groups; steel industry; trade unions

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$717.1 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$675.1 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.3% of GDP (2014 est.)

Central bank discount rate

1% (31 December 2010)

0.25% (31 December 2009)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

3% (31 December 2014 est.)

3% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

-$39.37 billion (2014 est.)

-$58.54 billion (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$1.331 trillion (31 December 2012 est.)

$1.191 trillion (31 December 2011 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

32.1 (2005)

31.5 (1994)

Economy - overview

As a high-tech industrial society in the trillion-dollar class, Canada 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, its principal trading partner. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with the US, which absorbs about three-fourths of Canadian merchandise exports each year. Canada is the US's largest foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, and electric power, and a top source of US uranium imports. Given its abundant natural resources, highly skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada enjoyed solid economic growth from 1993 through 2007. Buffeted by the global economic crisis, the economy dropped into a sharp recession in the final months of 2008, and Ottawa posted its first fiscal deficit in 2009 after 12 years of surplus. Canada's major banks, however, emerged from the financial crisis of 2008-09 among the strongest in the world, owing to the early intervention by the Bank of Canada and the financial sector's tradition of conservative lending practices and strong capitalization. Canada achieved marginal growth in 2010-14 and plans to balance the budget by 2015 despite the recent drop in oil prices. In addition, the country's petroleum sector is rapidly expanding, because Alberta's oil sands significantly boosted Canada's proven oil reserves. Canada now ranks third in the world in proved oil reserves behind Saudi Arabia and Venezuela and is the world’s fifth-largest oil producer.

Exchange rates

Canadian dollars (CAD) per US dollar -

1.099 (2014 est.)

1.0298 (2013 est.)

1 (2012 est.)

0.9895 (2011 est.)

1.0302 (2010 est.)

Exports

$465.1 billion (2014 est.)

$465.5 billion (2013 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 75.8%, China 4.4% (2013)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

30.9%

government consumption

21.4%

household consumption

56.2%

imports of goods and services

-33%

investment in fixed capital

24.1%

investment in inventories

0.3%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

1.7%

industry

28.2%

services

70.1% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$44,800 (2014 est.)

$43,700 (2013 est.)

$42,900 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

2.5% (2014 est.)

2% (2013 est.)

1.9% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.789 trillion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.592 trillion (2014 est.)

$1.552 trillion (2013 est.)

$1.522 trillion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

21.9% of GDP (2014 est.)

21.5% of GDP (2013 est.)

21.6% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

24.8% (2000)

lowest 10%

2.6%

Imports

$482.1 billion (2014 est.)

$472.6 billion (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

US 52.1%, China 11.1%, Mexico 5.6% (2013)

Industrial production growth rate

2% (2014 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.9% (2014 est.)

1% (2013 est.)

Labor force

19.21 million (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

2%

construction

6%

manufacturing

13%

other

3% (2006 est.)

services

76%

Market value of publicly traded shares

$2.016 trillion (31 December 2012 est.)

$1.907 trillion (31 December 2011)

$2.16 trillion (31 December 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

9.4%

note

this figure is the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO), a calculation that results in higher figures than found in many comparable economies; Canada does not have an official poverty line (2008 est.)

Public debt

92.6% of GDP (2014 est.)

93.5% of GDP (2013 est.)

note

figures are for gross general government debt, as opposed to net federal debt; gross general government debt includes both intragovernmental debt and the debt of public entities at the sub-national level

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$71.94 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of broad money

$1.486 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.47 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$1.211 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.153 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$1.065 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$993.2 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$3.031 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$3.044 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$661.5 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$638.5 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

37.6% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

6.9% (2014 est.)

7.1% (2013 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

550.8 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

1.756 million bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - imports

722,000 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - production

4.001 million bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

173.2 billion bbl (1 January 2014 est.)

Electricity - consumption

551.6 billion kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - exports

62.33 billion kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

31.3% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

54.1% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

9.1% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

5.5% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - imports

10.68 billion kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

138.6 million kW (2011 est.)

Electricity - production

644.1 billion kWh (2012 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

89.48 billion cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - exports

82.45 billion cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - imports

26.7 billion cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - production

145.2 billion cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.889 trillion cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

2.39 million bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

1.073 million bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

238,900 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

1.927 million bbl/day (2012 est.)

Broadcast media

2 public TV broadcasting networks each with a large number of network affiliates; several private-commercial networks also with multiple network affiliates; overall, about 150 TV stations; multi-channel satellite and cable systems provide access to a wide range of stations including US stations; mix of public and commercial radio broadcasters with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the public radio broadcaster, operating 4 radio networks, Radio Canada International, and radio services to indigenous populations in the north; roughly 2,000 licensed radio stations (2008)

Internet country code

.ca

Internet users

percent of population

92.9% (2014 est.)

total

32.4 million

Radio broadcast stations

AM 245, FM 582, shortwave 6 (2004)

Telephone system

domestic

domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations

general assessment

excellent service provided by modern technology

international

country code - 1; submarine cables provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean, and 2 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

48 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

16.6 million

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

85 (2014 est.)

total

29.5 million

Television broadcast stations

148 (2007)

Airports

1,467 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

147

2,438 to 3,047 m

19

914 to 1,523 m

257

over 3,047 m

21

total

523

under 914 m

79 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

484 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

75

914 to 1,523 m

385

total

944

Heliports

26 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 62, cargo 15, carrier 1, chemical tanker 15, combination ore/oil 1, container 2, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 63, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 6

foreign-owned

19 (Estonia 1, France 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 4, Sweden 2, US 10)

registered in other countries

225 (Australia 5, Bahamas 96, Barbados 11, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 2, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 77, Liberia 2, Malta 5, Marshall Islands 8, Norway 1, Panama 6, Spain 4, Vanuatu 5) (2010)

total

181

Pipelines

gas and liguid petroleum 100,000 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

container port(s)

Montreal (1,362,975), Vancouver (2,507,032)(2011)

dry bulk cargo port(s)

Port-Cartier (iron ore and grain),

LNG terminal(s) (import)

Saint John

major seaport(s)

Halifax, Saint John (New Brunswick), Vancouver

oil terminal(s)

Lower Lakes terminal

river and lake port(s)

Montreal, Quebec City, Sept-Isles (St. Lawrence); Fraser River Port (Fraser); Hamilton (Lake Ontario)

Railways

standard gauge

77,932 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)

total

77,932 km

Roadways

paved

415,600 km (includes 17,000 km of expressways)

total

1,042,300 km

unpaved

626,700 km (2011)

Waterways

636 km (Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States) (2011)

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

7,755,550 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

8,031,266

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

6,389,669 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

6,633,472

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

206,195 (2010 est.)

male

218,069

Military branches

Canadian Forces: Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force, Canada Command (homeland security) (2011)

Military expenditures

1% of GDP (2013)

1.24% of GDP (2012)

1.31% of GDP (2011)

1.24% of GDP (2010)

Military service age and obligation

17 years of age for voluntary male and female military service (with parental consent); 16 years of age for Reserve and Military College applicants; Canadian citizenship or permanent residence status required; maximum 34 years of age; service obligation 3-9 years (2012)

Disputes - international

managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Gulf of Maine, including the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; Canada and the United States dispute how to divide the Beaufort Sea and the status of the Northwest Passage but continue to work cooperatively to survey the Arctic continental shelf; US works closely with Canada to intensify security measures for monitoring and controlling legal and illegal movement of people, transport, and commodities across the international border; sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland; commencing the collection of technical evidence for submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in support of claims for continental shelf beyond 200 nm from its declared baselines in the Arctic, as stipulated in Article 76, paragraph 8, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; increasing ecstasy production, some of which is destined for the US; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services sector

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

16,428 (Colombia); 13,231 (China); 10,745 (Sri Lanka); 8,613 (Pakistan); 8,422 (Haiti); 6,762 (Mexico) (2014)