2018 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. Canada repatriated its constitution from the UK in 1982, severing a final colonial tie. 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

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

note

the Canadian Arctic Archipelago - consisting of 36,563 islands, several of them some of the world's largest - contributes to Canada easily having the longest coastline in the world

Elevation

elevation extremes

0 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean

mean elevation

487 m

note

5959 highest point: Mount Logan

Environment Current Issues

metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting 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

Geographic Coordinates

60 00 N, 95 00 W

Geography Note

note

note 1: 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 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 - that is more than all other countries combined

Irrigated Land

8,700 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

border countries (1)

US 8893 km (includes 2477 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% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0.5% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 1.6% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

6.8% (2011 est.)

forest

34.1% (2011 est.)

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 mountainsvolcanism: the vast majority of volcanoes in Western Canada's Coast Mountains remain dormant

Natural Resources

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

Population Distribution

vast majority of Canadians are positioned in a discontinuous band within approximately 300 km of the southern border with the United States; the most populated province is Ontario, followed by Quebec and British Columbia

Terrain

mostly plains with mountains in west, lowlands in southeast

Age Structure

0-14 years

15.43% (male 2,839,236 /female 2,698,592)

15-24 years

11.62% (male 2,145,626 /female 2,023,369)

25-54 years

39.62% (male 7,215,261 /female 7,002,546)

55-64 years

14.24% (male 2,538,820 /female 2,570,709)

65 years and over

19.08% (male 3,055,560 /female 3,791,940) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

10.2 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Death Rate

8.8 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

23.8 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

4.2 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

47.3 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

23.5 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 99% of population

total: 99.8% of population

unimproved: 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 32.3%, English 18.3%, Scottish 13.9%, French 13.6%, Irish 13.4%, German 9.6%, Chinese 5.1%, Italian 4.6%, North American Indian 4.4%, East Indian 4%, other 51.6% (2016 est.)

note

percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one ethnic origin

Health Expenditures

10.4% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

NA

Hiv Aids Deaths

NA

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

NA

Hospital Bed Density

2.7 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

4.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

4.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

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

84.8 years (2018 est.)

male

79.4 years (2018 est.)

total population

82 years (2018 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

6.082 million Toronto, 4.172 million Montreal, 2.531 million Vancouver, 1.477 million Calgary, 1.397 million Edmonton, 1.363 million OTTAWA (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median Age

female

43.7 years (2018 est.)

male

41.1 years

total

42.4 years

Mother S Mean Age At First Birth

28.1 years (2012 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Canadian

noun

Canadian(s)

Net Migration Rate

5.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

29.4% (2016)

Physicians Density

2.54 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

35,881,659 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.72% (2018 est.)

Religions

Catholic 39% (includes Roman Catholic 38.8%, 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%), Orthodox 1.6%, 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

improved: urban: 100% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 99% of population (2015 est.)

total: 99.8% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 1% of population (2015 est.)

total: 0.2% of population (2015 est.)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

0.98 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.8 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.6 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

9.9% (2017 est.)

male

13.3% (2017 est.)

total

11.6% (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.97% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

81.4% of total population (2018)

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)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

minimum of 3 of last 5 years resident in Canada

Constitution

amendments

proposed by either house of Parliament or by the provincial legislative assemblies; there are 5 methods for passage though most require approval by both houses of Parliament, approval of at least two-thirds of the provincial legislative assemblies and assent to and formalization as a proclamation by the governor general in council; the most restrictive method is reserved for amendments affecting fundamental sections of the constitution such as the office of the monarch or the governor general, and the constitutional amendment procedures, which require the unanimous approval by both houses and by all the provincial assemblies, and assent to by the governor general in council; amended 11 times, last in 2011 (Fair Representation Act, 2011) (2018)

history

consists 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 (2018)

Country Name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Canada

etymology

the country name likely derives from the St. Lawrence Iroquoian word "kanata" meaning village or settlement

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

chief of mission

Ambassador Kelly CRAFT (since 23 October 2017)

consulate(s)

Winnipeg

consulate(s) general

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

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 David Brookes MACNAUGHTON (since 2 March 2016)

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; note - there are trade offices in the Consulates General

Executive Branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Julie PAYETTE (since 2 October 2017)

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 Justin Pierre James TRUDEAU (Liberal Party) (since 4 November 2015)

note

the governor general position is largely ceremonial; Julie PAYETTE, a former space shuttle astronaut, is Canada's fourth female governor general but the first to have flown in space

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

federal parliamentary democracy (Parliament of Canada) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm; federal and state authorities and responsibilities regulated in constitution

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 courts

Supreme Court of Canada (consists of the chief justice and 8 judges); note - in 1949, Canada abolished all appeals beyond its Supreme Court, which prior to that time, were heard by 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 level: provincial superior, appeals, first instance, and specialized courts; in 1999, the Nunavut Court - a circuit court with the power of a provincial superior court, as well as a territorial court - 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:Senate or Senat (105 seats; members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister and can serve until age 75) House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (338 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote with terms up to 4 years)

election results

Senate - composition - men 74, women 31, percent of women 29.5% House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 39.5%, CPC 31.9%, NDP 19.7%, Bloc Quebecois 4.7%, Greens 3.4%, other 0.8%; seats by party - Liberal Party 184, CPC 99, NDP 44, Bloc Quebecois 10, Greens 1

elections

House of Commons - last held on 19 October 2015 (next to be held on 21 October 2019)

note

seats by party, as of December 2018 - Liberal Party 181, CPC 96, NDP 41, Bloc Quebecois 10, Greens 1, People's Party of Canada 1, independent 4, vacant 4; composition - men 250, women 88, percent of women 26%; note - total Parliament percent of women 26.9%

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 or CPC [Andrew SCHEER]Green Party [Elizabeth MAY]Liberal Party [Justin TRUDEAU]New Democratic Party or NDP [Jagmeet SINGH]People's Party of Canada [Maxime BERNIER]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

expenditures

665.7 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

649.6 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

1% (31 December 2010)

0.25% (31 December 2009)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

3.2% (31 December 2017 est.)

2.7% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

-$48.75 billion (2017 est.)

-$49.32 billion (2016 est.)

Debt External

$1.608 trillion (31 March 2016 est.)

$1.55 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

32.1 (2005)

31.5 (1994)

Economy Overview

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. Canada has a large oil and natural gas sector with the majority of crude oil production derived from oil sands in the western provinces, especially Alberta. Canada now ranks third in the world in proved oil reserves behind Venezuela and Saudi Arabia and is the world’s seventh-largest oil producer.TThe 1989 Canada-US Free Trade Agreement and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (which includes Mexico) dramatically increased trade and economic integration between the US and Canada. Canada and the US enjoy the world’s most comprehensive bilateral trade and investment relationship, with goods and services trade totaling more than $680 billion in 2017, and two-way investment stocks of more than $800 billion. Over three-fourths of Canada’s merchandise exports are destined for the US each year. Canada is the largest foreign supplier of energy to the US, including oil, natural gas, and electric power, and a top source of US uranium imports.Given its abundant natural resources, highly skilled labor force, and modern capital stock, Canada enjoyed solid economic growth from 1993 through 2007. The global economic crisis of 2007-08 moved the Canadian economy into sharp recession by late 2008, and Ottawa posted its first fiscal deficit in 2009 after 12 years of surplus. Canada's major banks emerged from the financial crisis of 2008-09 among the strongest in the world, owing to the financial sector's tradition of conservative lending practices and strong capitalization. Canada’s economy posted strong growth in 2017 at 3%, but most analysts are projecting Canada’s economic growth will drop back closer to 2% in 2018.

Exchange Rates

Canadian dollars (CAD) per US dollar -

1.308 (2017 est.)

1.3256 (2016 est.)

1.3256 (2015 est.)

1.2788 (2014 est.)

1.0298 (2013 est.)

Exports

$423.5 billion (2017 est.)

$393.5 billion (2016 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 76.4%, China 4.3% (2017)

Fiscal Year

1 April - 31 March

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

30.9% (2017 est.)

government consumption

20.8% (2017 est.)

household consumption

57.8% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-33.2% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

23% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0.7% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

1.6% (2017 est.)

industry

28.2% (2017 est.)

services

70.2% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$1.653 trillion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$48,400 (2017 est.)

$47,500 (2016 est.)

$47,400 (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$1.774 trillion (2017 est.)

$1.721 trillion (2016 est.)

$1.697 trillion (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Real Growth Rate

3% (2017 est.)

1.4% (2016 est.)

1% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

20.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

20% of GDP (2016 est.)

20.5% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

24.8% (2000)

lowest 10%

24.8% (2000)

Imports

$442.1 billion (2017 est.)

$413.4 billion (2016 est.)

Imports Commodities

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

Imports Partners

US 51.5%, China 12.6%, Mexico 6.3% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

4.9% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

1.6% (2017 est.)

1.4% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

19.52 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

2%

industry

13%

industry and services

76%

manufacturing

3% (2006 est.)

services

6%

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

$1.593 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

$2.095 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$2.114 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

9.4% (2008 est.)

note

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

Public Debt

89.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

91.1% of GDP (2016 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

$86.68 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$82.72 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$748.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$637.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

$1.371 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.277 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment At Home

$1.039 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.004 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$3.219 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.802 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$748.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$637.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

39.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

6.3% (2017 est.)

7% (2016 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

640.6 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

2.818 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

806,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Production

3.977 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

170.5 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - total population

100% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

522.2 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

73.35 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

23% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

56% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

9% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

12% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

2.682 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

143.5 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

649.6 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

124.4 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

83.96 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

26.36 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

159.1 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

2.056 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

2.445 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

1.115 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

405,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

2.009 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

39 (2017 est.)

total

13,922,504 (2017 est.)

Broadcast Media

2 public TV broadcasting networks, 1 in English and 1 in French, 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 1,119 licensed radio stations (2016)

Internet Country Code

.ca

Internet Users

percent of population

89.8% (July 2016 est.)

total

31,770,034 (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

domestic

comparatively low mobile penetration provides further room for growth; domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations; 41 per 100 fixed-line; 88 per 100 mobile-cellular (2017)

general assessment

excellent service provided by modern technology; consumer demand for mobile data services have promted telecos to invest and pomote LTE infrastructure, and further investment in 5G; government policy has aided the extension of broadband to rural and regional areas, with the result that services are almost universally accessible (2017)

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) (2016)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

41 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

14,700,854 (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

88 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

31,458,600 (2017 est.)

Airports

1,467 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

147 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m

19 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m

257 (2017)

over 3,047 m

21 (2017)

total

523 (2017)

under 914 m

79 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

75 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

385 (2013)

total

944 (2013)

under 914 m

484 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

C (2016)

Heliports

26 (2013)

Merchant Marine

by type

bulk carrier 16, container ship 1, general cargo 88, oil tanker 15, other 519 (2017)

total

639 (2017)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

2,074,830,881 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

80,228,301 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

879 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

51 (2015)

Pipelines

110000 km gas and liquid petroleum (2017)

Ports And Terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Montreal (1,447,566), Vancouver (2,929,585) (2016)

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

note

Fraser River Port (Fraser) Hamilton (Lake Ontario)

oil terminal(s)

Lower Lakes terminal

river and lake port(s)

Montreal, Quebec City, Sept-Isles (St. Lawrence)

Railways

standard gauge

77,932 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)

total

77,932 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

415,600 km (includes 17,000 km of expressways) (2011)

total

1,042,300 km (2011)

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)

Military Branches

Canadian Forces: Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force, Canadian Joint Operations Command (2015)

Military Expenditures

1.29% of GDP (2017)

1.16% of GDP (2016)

1.2% of GDP (2015)

1% of GDP (2014)

1% of GDP (2013)

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 RockCanada 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 shelfUS works closely with Canada to intensify security measures for monitoring and controlling legal and illegal movement of people, transport, and commodities across the international bordersovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenlandcommencing 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 UN 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)

8,049 (Colombia), 7,180 (China), 6,874 (Haiti) (2017)

stateless persons

3,790 (2017)