2024 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 gained legislative independence from Britain in 1931 and formalized its constitutional independence from the UK when it passed the Canada Act in 1982. 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

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

highest point

Mount Logan 5,959 m

lowest point

Atlantic/Pacific/Arctic Oceans 0 m

mean elevation

487 m

Geographic coordinates

60 00 N, 95 00 W

Geography - 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

9,045 sq km (2015)

Land boundaries

border countries

US 8,891 km (includes 2,475 km with Alaska); Denmark (Greenland) 1.3 km

note

 

total

8,892 km

Land use

agricultural land

6.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 4.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 1.6% (2018 est.)

forest

34.1% (2018 est.)

other

59.1% (2018 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

Major aquifers

Northern Great Plains Aquifer

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Huron* - 35,972 sq km; Great Bear Lake - 31,328 sq km; Superior* - 28,754 sq km; Great Slave Lake - 28,568 sq km; Lake Winnipeg - 24,387 sq km; Erie* - 12,776 sq km; Ontario* - 9,790 sq km; Lake Athabasca - 7,935 sq km; Reindeer Lake - 6,650 sq km; Nettilling Lake - 5,542 sq kmnote - Great Lakes* area shown as Canadian waters

Major rivers (by length in km)

Mackenzie - 4, 241 km; Yukon river source (shared with the US [m]) - 3,185 km; Saint Lawrence river mouth (shared with US) - 3,058 km; Nelson - 2,570 km; Columbia river source (shared with the US [m]) - 1,953 km; Churchill - 1,600 km; Fraser - 1,368 km; Ottawa - 1,271 km; Athabasca - 1,231 km; North Saskatchewan - 1,220 km; Liard - 1,115 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Mississippi* (Gulf of Mexico) (3,202,185 sq km, Canada only 32,000 sq km), Nelson (Hudson Bay) (1,093,141 sq km), Saint Lawrence* (1,049,636 sq km, Canada only 839,200 sq km)Arctic Ocean drainage: Mackenzie (1,706,388 sq km)Pacific Ocean drainage: Yukon* (847,620 sq km, Canada only 823,800 sq km), Columbia* (657,501 sq km, Canada only 103,000 sq km)note - watersheds shared with the US shown with *

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, uranium, 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

15.5% (male 3,098,478/female 2,929,148)

15-64 years

63.4% (male 12,382,422/female 12,227,512)

65 years and over

21% (2024 est.) (male 3,753,829/female 4,403,424)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

3.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

8 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

10 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

12.9% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

52.2% (2023 est.)

Death rate

8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

28.2

potential support ratio

3.6 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

52.1

youth dependency ratio

23.9

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 99.1% of population

improved: total

total: 99.2% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.3% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.8% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.7% of population

Education expenditures

5.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Canadian 15.6%, English 14.7%, Scottish 12.1%, French 11%, Irish 12.1%, German 8.1%, Chinese 4.7%, Italian 4.3%, First Nations 1.7%, Indian 3.7%, Ukrainian 3.5%, Metis 1.5% (2021 est.)

note

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.77 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.5 beds/1,000 population (2019)

Infant mortality rate

female

4 deaths/1,000 live births

male

4.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Languages

English (official) 87.1%, French (official) 29.1%, Chinese languages 4.2%, Spanish 3.2%, Punjabi 2.6%, Arabic 2.4%, Tagalog 2.3%, Italian 1.5% (2022 est.)

major-language sample(s)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

Life expectancy at birth

female

86.6 years

male

81.9 years

total population

84.2 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

Major urban areas - population

6.372 million Toronto, 4.308 million Montreal, 2.657 million Vancouver, 1.640 million Calgary, 1.544 million Edmonton, 1.437 million OTTAWA (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

11 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

43.8 years

male

41.4 years

total

42.6 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

29.4 years (2019 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Canadian

noun

Canadian(s)

Net migration rate

5.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

29.4% (2016)

Physician density

2.44 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

female

19,560,084 (2024 est.)

male

19,234,729

total

38,794,813

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

Population growth rate

0.71% (2024 est.)

Religions

Christian 53.3%, Muslim 4.9%, Hindu 2.3%, Sikh 2.1%, Buddhist 1%, Jewish 0.9%, Traditional (North American Indigenous) 0.2%, other religions and traditional spirituality 0.6%, none 34.6% (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 98.9% of population

improved: total

total: 99% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.1% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 1.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.9% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2020)

male

16 years

total

17 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.85 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

10.7% (2020 est.)

male

15.3% (2020 est.)

total

13% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.58 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.95% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

81.9% of total population (2023)

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

etymology

the city lies on the south bank of the Ottawa River, from which it derives its name; the river name comes from the Algonquin word "adawe" meaning "to trade" and refers to the indigenous peoples who used the river as a trade highway

geographic coordinates

45 25 N, 75 42 W

name

Ottawa

time difference

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

time zone note

Canada has six time zones

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 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 unanimous approval by both houses and by all the provincial assemblies, and assent of the governor general in council; amended 11 times, last in 2011 (Fair Representation Act, 2011)

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

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 David L. COHEN (since December 2021)

consulate(s)

Winnipeg

consulate(s) general

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

email address and website

OttawaNIV@state.govhttps://ca.usembassy.gov/

embassy

490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8

FAX

[1] (613) 241-7845

mailing address

5480 Ottawa Place, Washington DC  20521-5480

telephone

[1] (613) 688-5335

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001

chief of mission

Ambassador Kirsten HILLMAN (since 17 July 2020)

consulate(s) general

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

email address and website

ccs.scc@international.gc.cahttps://www.international.gc.ca/country-pays/us-eu/washington.aspx?lang=eng

FAX

[1] (202) 682-7738

telephone

[1] (844) 880-6519

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

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Mary SIMON (since 6 July 2021)

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 (since 4 November 2015)

note

note: the governor general position is largely ceremonial

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, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, USMCA, Wassenaar Arrangement, 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 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; note - 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 43, women 54, percentage women 55.7% (8 seats are vacant)House of Commons - percent of vote by party - CPC 33.7%, Liberal Party 32.6%, NDP 17.8%, Bloc Quebecois 7.7%, Greens 2.3%, other 5.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 159, CPC 119, NDP 25, Bloc Quebecois 32, Greens 2, independent 1; composition - men 234, women 102; percentage women 30.4%; total Parliament percentage women 35.2%

elections

Senate - last appointed in July 2021House of Commons - last held on 20 September 2021 (next to be held on or before 20 October 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

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

name

"O Canada"

note

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 King" serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

L'Anse aux Meadows (c); Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks (n); Dinosaur Provincial Park (n); Historic District of Old Quebec (c); Old Town Lunenburg (c); Wood Buffalo National Park (n); Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump (c); Gros Morne National Park (n); Pimachiowin Aki (m)

total World Heritage Sites

22 (10 cultural, 11 natural, 1 mixed) (2021)

National holiday

Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

National symbol(s)

maple leaf, beaver; national colors: red, white

Political parties

Bloc QuebecoisConservative Party of Canada or CPCGreen PartyLiberal PartyNew Democratic Party or NDPPeople's Party of Canada

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

wheat, rapeseed, maize, barley, milk, soybeans, potatoes, oats, peas, lentils (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

3.7% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

9.5% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$399.8 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$393.642 billion (2022 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

AA+ (2020)

Moody's rating

Aaa (2002)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

AAA (2002)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

$256.504 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$7.622 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$13.255 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Economic overview

one of the world’s leading developed economies; globally integrated commercial and financial markets; largest US trading partner; key energy, forestry, manufacturing and service industries; inflation recovering following interest rate hikes; government priorities include climate policy, immigration and affordable housing

Exchange rates

Currency

Canadian dollars (CAD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

1.327 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

1.341 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.254 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1.302 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1.35 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$626.676 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$731.81 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$717.677 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, cars, natural gas, refined petroleum, gold (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

US 75%, China 4%, Japan 2%, UK 2%, Mexico 1% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

33.5% (2023 est.)

government consumption

21.2% (2023 est.)

household consumption

55.2% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-33.9% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

22.9% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

1% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

1.8% (2020 est.)

industry

22.5% (2020 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

69.6% (2020 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.14 trillion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019

31.7 (2019 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

24.4% (2019 est.)

lowest 10%

2.9% (2019 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2021

$626.558 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$728.732 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$726.139 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

cars, refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, trucks, crude petroleum (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

US 56%, China 11%, Mexico 4%, Germany 3%, Japan 2% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

-0.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

3.4% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

6.8% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

3.88% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

22.11 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2022

61.42% of GDP (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$2.133 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$2.215 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$2.238 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

5.29% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3.82% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

1.07% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$55,800 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$56,900 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$55,800 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

0.04% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.04% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.04% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$106.615 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$106.952 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$117.551 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

12.83% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

7.53% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

5.28% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

5.37% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

9.8% (2023 est.)

male

11.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

10.6% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

25.74 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

256.084 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

290.996 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

572.82 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

17.138 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

29.114 million metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

6.444 million metric tons (2022 est.)

production

43.024 million metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

6.582 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

553.261 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

65.225 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

14.116 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

158.973 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

33.626 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

1.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

17.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

61.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

nuclear

12.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

315.581 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

130.316 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

exports

84.928 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

27.481 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

187.686 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves

2.067 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

13.7GW (2023 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

6 (2023)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

19 (2023)

Percent of total electricity production

13.7% (2023 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

170.3 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

2.454 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

5.692 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

42 (2020 est.)

total

15,825,813 (2020 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

93% (2021 est.)

total

35.34 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

Nearly 29 per 100 fixed-line and 91 per 100 mobile-cellular teledensity (2022)

general assessment

the Canadian telecom market continues to show steady development as operators invest in network upgrades; much of the investment among telcos has been channeled into LTE infrastructure to capitalize on consumer demand for mobile data services, while there has also been further investment in 5G; investment programs have also been supported by regulatory efforts to ensure that operators have spectrum available to develop 5G services; an investment in fixed-line infrastructure, focused on FttP and, among cable broadband providers; government policy has encouraged the extension of broadband to rural and regional areas, with the result that services are almost universally available and the emphasis now is on improving service speeds to enable the entire population to benefit from the digital economy and society; cable broadband is the principal access platform, followed by DSL; the mobile rate remains comparatively low by international standards; Canadians have provided for LTE and LTE-A infrastructure; despite topographical challenges and the remoteness of many areas, the major players effectively offer 99% population coverage with LTE; operators now provide up to 70% population coverage with 5G (2024)

international

country code - 1; landing points for the Nunavut Undersea Fiber Optic Network System, Greenland Connect, Persona, GTT Atlantic, and Express, KetchCan 1 Submarine Fiber Cable system, St Pierre and Miquelon Cable submarine cables providing 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) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

29 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

11.312 million (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

91 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

35.082 million (2022 est.)

Airports

1,425 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

C

Heliports

481 (2024)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 22, container ship 1, general cargo 78, oil tanker 15, other 600

total

716 (2023)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

3,434,070,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

89.38 million (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

879

number of registered air carriers

51 (2020)

Pipelines

840,000 km oil and gas (2020)

Ports

key ports

Argentia, Canaport (St. John), Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, New Westminster, Pond Inlet, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Sept Iles, St. John, Sydney, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Trois Rivieres, Vancouver, Victoria Harbor, Windsor

large

4

medium

14

ports with oil terminals

59

size unknown

59

small

58

total ports

284 (2024)

very small

149

Railways

standard gauge

49,422 km (2021) 1.435-m gauge

total

49,422 km (2021) note: 129 km electrified (2021)

Roadways

paved

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

total

1,042,300 km

unpaved

626,700 km (2011)

Waterways

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

Military - note

the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) are responsible for external security; the CAF’s core missions include detecting, deterring, and defending against threats to or attacks on Canada; the military also provides assistance to civil authorities and law enforcement as needed for such missions as counterterrorism, search and rescue, and responding to natural disasters or other major emergencies; it regularly participates in bilateral and multinational training exercises with a variety of partners, including NATO (Canada is one of the original members) and the US; the CAF also contributes to international peacekeeping, stability, humanitarian, combat, and capacity building operations with the UN, NATO, and other security partnersCanada is part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD; established 1958); NORAD is a Canada-US bi-national military command responsible for monitoring and defending North American airspace; traditionally, a CAF officer has served as the deputy commander of NORAD; Canada’s defense relationship with the US extends back to the Ogdensburg Declaration of 1940, when the two countries formally agreed on military cooperation, including the establishment of the Permanent Joint Board on Defense (PJBD), which continues to be the highest-level bilateral defense forum between Canada and the USBritish troops withdrew from Canada in 1871 as part of the UK-US Treaty of Washington; following the withdrawal, the first Canadian militia, known as the Royal Canadian Regiment, was organized in 1883 to protect Canadian territory and defend British interests abroad, which it did in the South African War (1899-1902), Canada’s first overseas conflict; militia units formed the backbone of the more than 425,000 Canadian soldiers that went to Europe during World War I in what was called the Canadian Expeditionary Force; the Royal Canadian Navy was created in 1910, while the Canadian Air Force was established in 1920 and became the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1924; the Canadian Army was officially founded in 1942; a unified Canadian Armed Forces was created in 1968 (2024)

Military and security forces

Canadian Forces: Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force; Department of Fisheries and Oceans: Coast Guard (2024)

note

note 1: the CAF is comprised of both a Regular Force and a Reserve Force; the Reserve Force is part of all three services (Army, Navy, and Air Force) and is considered an integral component of the CAF; reservists are primarily part-time service positions; they may volunteer for full-time employment or deployment on operations; they typically serve one or more evenings a week and/or during weekends at locations close to home; the Reserve Force is comprised of the Primary Reserve, Canadian Rangers, Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service, and the Supplementary Reserve; the Canadian Rangers are part of the Army Reserve Force and provide a limited presence in Canada's northern, coastal, and isolated areas for sovereignty, public safety, and surveillance roles note 2: the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP or "Mounties") are under the Department of Public Safety; only Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador have provincial police forces, but the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary contracts policing in regions of the province to the RCMP; the RCMP and municipal forces provide coverage for other provinces and territories; some Indigenous reserves provide Indigenous policing; provincial and municipal police report to their respective provincial authorities

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 70,000 active armed forces personnel (23,000 Army; 12,000 Navy; 12,000 Air Force; 23,000 other) (2024)

note

note: the Army also has approximately 19,000 part-time volunteer soldiers in the Reserve Force, including about 5,500 Rangers

Military deployments

the CAF has approximately 1,000 military personnel forward deployed for NATO air, land, and sea missions in the European theater, including a ground task force in Latvia; it also contributes smaller numbers of air, ground, and naval forces to a variety of other NATO and international missions (2024)

note

note: in 2024, Canada announced plans to have a full 2,000-person brigade deployed to Latvia by 2026

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the CAF's inventory is a mix of domestically produced equipment and imported weapons systems from Australia, Europe, Israel, and the US; in recent years, the leading supplier has been the US; Canada's defense industry develops, maintains, and produces a range of equipment, including aircraft, combat vehicles, naval vessels, and associated components (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

1.4% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.3% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.2% of GDP (2022)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.3% of GDP (2023)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.4% of GDP (2024)

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 (2023)

note

note 1: Canada opened up all military occupations to women in 2001; women in 2023 comprised about 16% of the CAFnote 2: the CAF offers waivers to foreign nationals applying for military service only in exceptional cases — to individuals on international military exchanges, for example, or to candidates who have specialized skills in high demand

Illicit drugs

transnational criminal organizations trafficked cocaine, opium, methamphetamine, other synthetic drugs, and prescription drugs (some of which transited the United States) to Canada for domestic consumption; a source of synthetic drugs (including synthetic opioids), cannabis, and MDMA trafficked to the United States;  a major source of precursor or essential chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

22,400 (Venezuela) (refugees and migrants) (2020); 5,254 (Iran) (mid-year 2021)

stateless persons

4,323 (2022)

Space agency/agencies

Canadian Space Agency (CSA; established 1989) (2024)

Space launch site(s)

Churchill Rocket Research Range (sounding rockets; Manitoba); constructing a private, commercial space launch site in Nova Scotia (2023)

Space program overview

has a substantial program, a national space strategy, and a long history of developing space-related technologies; designs, builds, operates, and tracks communications, remote sensing (RS), multi-mission, and scientific/testing satellites; has an astronaut program (train in the US); designs, builds, or contributes to a variety of other space-related programs, including space telescopes, planetary probes, sensors, and robotic systems (such as the Canadian-made robotic arms used on the US Space Shuttle and the International Space Station); participates in international space efforts and cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of Argentina, Brazil, the European Space Agency (ESA)/EU (and their member states), India, and particularly the US; ESA Cooperating State since 1979; has a robust commercial space sector that is involved in satellite communications, optics, space exploration, navigation, and space science (2024)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Hizballah

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

544.89 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

101.82 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

6.39 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

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-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Marine Life Conservation

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

Perce; Stonehammer; Tumbler Ridge; Cliffs of Fundy; Discovery (2023)

total global geoparks and regional networks

5

Land use

agricultural land

6.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 4.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 1.6% (2018 est.)

forest

34.1% (2018 est.)

other

59.1% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Northern Great Plains Aquifer

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Huron* - 35,972 sq km; Great Bear Lake - 31,328 sq km; Superior* - 28,754 sq km; Great Slave Lake - 28,568 sq km; Lake Winnipeg - 24,387 sq km; Erie* - 12,776 sq km; Ontario* - 9,790 sq km; Lake Athabasca - 7,935 sq km; Reindeer Lake - 6,650 sq km; Nettilling Lake - 5,542 sq kmnote - Great Lakes* area shown as Canadian waters

Major rivers (by length in km)

Mackenzie - 4, 241 km; Yukon river source (shared with the US [m]) - 3,185 km; Saint Lawrence river mouth (shared with US) - 3,058 km; Nelson - 2,570 km; Columbia river source (shared with the US [m]) - 1,953 km; Churchill - 1,600 km; Fraser - 1,368 km; Ottawa - 1,271 km; Athabasca - 1,231 km; North Saskatchewan - 1,220 km; Liard - 1,115 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Mississippi* (Gulf of Mexico) (3,202,185 sq km, Canada only 32,000 sq km), Nelson (Hudson Bay) (1,093,141 sq km), Saint Lawrence* (1,049,636 sq km, Canada only 839,200 sq km)Arctic Ocean drainage: Mackenzie (1,706,388 sq km)Pacific Ocean drainage: Yukon* (847,620 sq km, Canada only 823,800 sq km), Columbia* (657,501 sq km, Canada only 103,000 sq km)note - watersheds shared with the US shown with *

Revenue from coal

0.08% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.08% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

2.9 trillion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

3.86 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

27.51 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

4.87 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.95% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

81.9% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

25,103,034 tons (2014 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

5,168,715 tons (2008 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

20.6% (2008 est.)