Canada

§1. Canada Introduction

Background:
  A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a
  self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown.
  Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with
  the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Canada's
  paramount political problem is meeting public demands for quality
  improvements in health care and education services after a decade of budget
  cuts. Canada also faces questions about integrity in government following
  revelations regarding a corruption scandal in the federal government that
  has helped revive the fortunes of separatists in predominantly francophone
  Quebec.

§2. Canada Geography

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

Geographic coordinates:
  60 00 N, 95 00 W

Map references:
  North_America

Area:
  total: 9,984,670 km²
  land: 9,093,507 km²
  water: 891,163 km²

Area - comparative:
  somewhat larger than the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 8,893 km
  border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Coastline:
  202,080 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Terrain:
  mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m

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

Land use:
  arable land: 4.57%
  permanent crops: 0.65%
  other: 94.78% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  7,200 km² (1998 est.)

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

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging
  forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions
  impacting on agricultural and forest productivity; ocean waters becoming
  contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry
  activities

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
    Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution- Sulfur 85, Air
    Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
    Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
    Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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

Geography - note:
  second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between
  Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population is
  concentrated within 160 km of the US border

§3. Canada People

Population:
  33,098,932 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.6% (male 2,992,811/female 2,848,388)
  15-64 years: 69% (male 11,482,452/female 11,368,286)
  65 years and over: 13.3% (male 1,883,008/female 2,523,987) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.9 years
  male: 37.8 years
  female: 39.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.88% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.78 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  5.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.15 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 80.22 years
  male: 76.86 years
  female: 83.74 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.61 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  56,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Canadian(s)
  adjective: Canadian

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

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%,
  Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim
  1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census)

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

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

§4. Canada Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Canada

Government type:
  a constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary democracy and a
  federation

Capital:
  Ottawa

Administrative divisions:
  10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New
  Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia,
  Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon
  Territory*

Independence:
  1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931
  (independence recognized)

National holiday:
  Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Constitution:
  made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and
  traditions; 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, which transferred
  formal control over the constitution from Britain to Canada, and added a
  Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as procedures for
  constitutional amendments

Legal system:
  based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based
  on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by
    Governor General Michaelle JEAN (since 27 September 2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Stephen HARPER (since 6 February 2006)
  cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from among
    the members of his own party sitting in Parliament
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by
    the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year term;
    following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the
    leader of the majority coalition in the House of Commons is automatically
    designated prime minister by the governor general

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (members
  appointed by the governor general with the advice of the prime minister and
  serve until reaching 75 years of age; its normal limit is 105 senators) and
  the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (308 seats; members elected by
  direct, popular vote to serve for up to five-year terms)
  elections: House of Commons - last held 23 January 2006 (next to be held in
    2011)
  election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
    Conservative Party 36.3%, Liberal Party 30.2%, New Democratic Party
    17.5%, Bloc Quebecois 10.5%, Greens 4.5%, other 1%; seats by party -
    Conservative Party 124, Liberal Party 103, New Democratic Party 29, Bloc
    Quebecois 51, other 1

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

Political parties and leaders:
  Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of Canada (a merger of
  the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party) [Stephen
  HARPER]; Green Party [Jim HARRIS]; Liberal Party [Paul MARTIN]; New
  Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, AfDB, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
  Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating
  state), FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAFTA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG,
  OAS, OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMSIL,
  UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael WILSON
  chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
  telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
  FAX: [1] (202) 682-7701
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Denver,
    Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco,
    Seattle
  consulate(s): Anchorage, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Raleigh, San Diego

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador David H. WILKINS
  embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8
  mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430
  telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470
  FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082
  consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto,
    Vancouver, Winnipeg

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

§5. Canada Economy

Economy - overview:
  As an affluent, high-tech industrial society in the trillion dollar class,
  Canada resembles the US in its market- oriented economic system, pattern of
  production, and affluent 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. Given its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern
  capital plant, Canada enjoys solid economic prospects. Top-notch fiscal
  management has produced consecutive balanced budgets since 1997, although
  public debate continues over how to manage the rising cost of the publicly
  funded healthcare system. Exports account for roughly a third of GDP.
  Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with its principal trading
  partner, the US, which absorbs more than 85% of Canadian exports. Canada is
  the US' largest foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium,
  and electric power.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.08 trillion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $1.023 trillion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.9% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $32,900 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 2.2%
  industry: 29.1%
  services: 68.7% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
  16.3 million (December 2005)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 2%, manufacturing 14%, construction 5%, services 75%, other 3%
  (2004)

Unemployment rate:
  6.8% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  15.9%; 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 (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  33.1 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.2% (2005)

Investment (gross fixed):
  20.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $159.6 billion
  expenditures: $152.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2004)

Public debt:
  38.7% of GDP (2004-2005)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.9% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
  566.3 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  520.9 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  22 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
  33 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
  2.4 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:
  2.3 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports:
  1.6 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
  963,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:
  178.9 billion bbl
  note: includes oil sands (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  165.8 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  90.95 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  91.52 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  8.73 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.673 trillion m³ (2004)

Current account balance:
  $16.89 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $364.8 billion f.o.b. (2005 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 85.1%, Japan 2.1%, UK 1.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $317.7 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals,
  electricity, durable consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  US 58.9%, China 6.8%, Mexico 3.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $33 billion (31 December 2005)

Debt - external:
  $439.8 billion (30 November 2005)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $2.6 billion (2004)

Currency (code):
  Canadian dollar (CAD)

Exchange rates:
  Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.2118 (2005), 1.301 (2004), 1.4011
  (2003), 1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

§6. Canada Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  20.61 million (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  14,984,400 (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent service provided by modern technology
  domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
  international: country code - 1-xxx; 5 coaxial submarine cables; satellite
    earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2
    Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 245, FM 582, shortwave 6 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:
  80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ca

Internet hosts:
  3,525,392 (2005)

Internet users:
  20.9 million (2005)

§7. Canada Transportation

Airports:
  1,331 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 508
  over 3,047 m: 18
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 151
  914 to 1,523 m: 247
  under 914 m: 77 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 823
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 66
  914 to 1,523 m: 351
  under 914 m: 406 (2005)

Heliports:
  319 (2005)

Pipelines:
  crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980 km (2003)

Railways:
  total: 48,683 km
  standard gauge: 48,683 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 1,408,900 km
  paved: 497,342 km (including 16,906 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 911,558 km (2002)

Waterways:
  631 km
  note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River
    of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2003)

Merchant marine:
  total: 175 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,184,681 GRT/2,809,249 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 58, cargo 13, chemical tanker 9, combination ore/oil
    1, container 2, passenger 6, passenger/ cargo 65, petroleum tanker 14,
    roll on/roll off 7
  foreign-owned: 9 (France 1, Germany 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 1, UK 1, US 2)
  registered in other countries: 126 (Australia 1, The Bahamas 14, Barbados
    8, Bermuda 21, Cambodia 6, Comoros 1, Cyprus 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 23,
    Liberia 4, Malta 10, Marshall Islands 6, Panama 3, Philippines 1, Saint
    Vincent and the Grenadines 2, UK 12, US 6, Vanuatu 5, unknown 1) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Fraser River Port, Goderich, Halifax, Montreal, Port Cartier, Quebec, Saint
  John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Vancouver

§8. Canada Military

Military branches:
  Canadian Forces: Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air Command, Canada
    Command (homeland security) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
  16 years of age for voluntary military service; women comprise
  approximately 11% of Canada's armed forces (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 8,216,510 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 6,740,490 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 223,821 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $9,801.7 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.1% (2003)

§9. Canada Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort
  Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed Machias Seal Island
  and North Rock; working toward greater cooperation with US in monitoring
  people and commodities crossing the border; uncontested sovereignty dispute
  with Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere
  Island and Greenland

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; transit point for ecstasy entering the US
  market; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering because of its mature
  financial services sector


<Factbook 2006>
