The Facts About Canada: Size Does Matter
There are many interesting facts about Canada, not the least of which is that it is the second largest country in the world when it comes to land area. With more than 3.5 million square miles of land mass, Canada is behind only Russia in sheer size. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Canada ranks the fourth lowest in the world when it comes to the category of population density, with a population of a little more than 33 million people.
General Facts About Canada
Canada is the biggest country on the North American Continent, and it lies directly north of the United States. The Atlantic Ocean is along the east coast of Canada, the Pacific Ocean runs on the west coast of Canada, and the Arctic Ocean lies to the north.
Since most of the country lies in the northernmost regions of North America, nearly all of Canada’s residents live in the southern end of the country, closest to the U.S. border. In area, Canada is larger than the U.S., but the population is 10 percent smaller. In fact, Canada is one of the least populous countries in the world when its land mass is taken into consideration, however, it is also one of the most prosperous.
Like America, Canada is a country of immigrants. Most Canadians have either English or French ancestors. Canada also has two official languages: both English and French. Most French Canadians live on the eastern side of the country, in Quebec.
With a population of over 5 million people, Toronto is the biggest city in Canada, followed by Montreal at 3.6 million and Vancouver at 2 million. The City of Ottawa is the capital of Canada, and it is located in Ontario, north of the border with New York State.
Governmental Facts About Canada
Canada is divided into 10 different provinces and 3 territories:
On the western side are the Yukon Territory, the Northwest Territory, British Columbia and Alberta.
Central Canada boasts the Nunavut Territory, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Moving east, we have Ontario (where the capital city of Toronto is located), Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
Canada is a constitutional monarchy, where an elected prime minister rules alongside a king or queen. In the case of Canada, the Queen of England is their official monarch, and she appears on their currency, which is the Canadian Dollar.
Fun Facts About Canada
> The border between the United States and Canada is said to be the longest unprotected border in the world.
> Polar bears are commonly seen wandering through the far north town of Churchill.
> There is a hotel in Quebec City, Canada, that is made entirely of ice. It has to be rebuilt every year because it melts in the spring!
> The State of Alaska is actually connected to Canada, and it borders the west coast of the Yukon Territory.