Canada

confederation with parliamentary democracyIndependence 1 July 1867 (from UK)

Canada as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 74 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalOttawa

Area9,976,140 km2

Populationas each edition published it

26.54 million July 1990 · 39.19m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 1.28% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 37.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 77.98 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.7 children per woman 1990 · 1.43 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 3.8 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $19,600 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 0.9% in 1993

Geography

14 fields

Land useshare of 9,976,140 km2

arable land 5%meadows and pastures 3%forest and woodland 35%other 57%NEGL% permanent crops; includes NEGL% irrigated

Total area

9,976,140km2

land area: 9,220,970 km2Comparative area: slightly larger than US

Coastline

243,791km

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

8,893km with US

(includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Disputes

maritime boundary disputes with France (St. Pierre and Miquelon) and US

Climate

varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Terrain

mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Natural resources

nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, crude oil, natural gas

Environment

80% of population concentrated within 160 km of US border; continuous permafrost in north a serious obstacle to development

Note

second-largest country in world (after USSR); strategic location between USSR and US via north polar route

People

14 fields

Population

26,538,229

(July 1990), growth rate 1.1% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

14Death

7Net migration

Ethnic divisions

British Isles origin 40%French origin 27%other European 20%indigenous Indian and Eskimo 1.5%

Literacy

99%

Religion

46% Roman Catholic, 16% United Church, 10% Anglican

Labor force

13,380,000; services 75%, manufacturing 14%, agriculture 4%, construction 3%, other 4% (1988)

Organized labor

30.6% of labor force; 39.6% of nonagricultural paid workers

Government

Confederation with parliamentary democracy

17 fields

House of Commons, 295 seats, elected 21 November 1988one dot, one seat

Progressive Conservative 170Liberal 82New Democratic Party 43

Percent of vote

Progressive Conservative 43.0%Liberal 32%New Democratic Party 20%other 5%

Type

confederation with parliamentary democracy

10 provinces and 2 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Independence

1 July 1867 (from UK)

Constitution

amended British North America Act 1867 patriated to Canada 17 April 1982; charter of rights and unwritten customs

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

National holiday

Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Executive branch

British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Commons

Judicial branch

Supreme Court Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Raymond John HNATSHYN (since 29 January 1990);
Head of Government--Prime Minister (Martin) Brian MULRONEY (since 4 September 1984);
Deputy Prime Minister Donald Frank MAZANKOWSKI (since NA June 1986)

Political parties and leaders

Progressive Conservative, Brian Mulroney;
Liberal, John Turner;
New Democratic, Audrey McLaughlin

Suffrage

universal at age 18 House of Commons--last held 21 November 1988 (next to be held by November 1993);
results--Progressive Conservative 43.0%, Liberal 32%, New Democratic Party 20%, other 5%;
seats--(295 total) Progressive Conservative 170, Liberal 82, New Democratic Party 43

Communists

3,000

Member of

ADB, CCC, Colombo Plan, Commonwealth, DAC, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICES, ICO, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ISO, ITC, ITU, IWC--International Whaling Commission, IWC--International Wheat Council, NATO, OAS, OECD, PAHO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Derek BURNEY;
Chancery at 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20036;
telephone (202) 785-1400;
there are Canadian Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle;
US--Ambassador Edward N. NEY;
Embassy at 100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1, Ottawa (mailing address is P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669);
telephone (613) 238-5335;
there are US Consulates General in Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and Vancouver

Flag

three vertical bands of red (hoist side), white (double width, square), and red with a red maple leaf centered in the white band

Economy

As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the US in per capita output, market-oriented economic system, and pattern of production.

17 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$513.6billion

per capita $19,600; real growth rate 2.9% (1989 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

5.0%

(1989)

Unemployment rate

7.5%

(1989)

External debt

$247billion

(1987)

Budget

Revenues

$79.2 billionExpenditures

$102.0 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $1.8 billion (FY88 est.)

Overview

As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the US in per capita output, market-oriented economic system, and pattern of production. 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.

In the 1980s Canada registered one of the highest rates of growth among the OECD nations, averaging about 4%. With its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada has excellent economic prospects. In mid-1990, however, the long-simmering problems between English- and French-speaking areas became so acute that observers spoke openly of a possible split in the confederation; foreign investors were becoming edgy.

Exports

$127.2 billion (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities--newsprint, wood pulp, timber, grain, crude petroleum, natural gas, ferrous and nonferrous ores, motor vehicles;
partners--US, Japan, UK, FRG, other EC, USSR

Imports

$116.5 billion (c.i.f., 1989);
commodities--processed foods, beverages, crude petroleum, chemicals, industrial machinery, motor vehicles, durable consumer goods, electronic computers;
partners--US, Japan, UK, FRG, other EC, Taiwan, South Korea, Mexico

Industrial production

growth rate 2.3% (1989)

Electricity

103,746,000 kW capacity; 472,580 million kWh produced, 17,960 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

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

Agriculture

accounts for 3% of GDP;
one of the world's major producers and exporters of grain (wheat and barley);
key source of US agricultural imports;
large forest resources cover 35% of total land area;
commercial fisheries provide annual catch of 1.5 million metric tons, of which 75% is exported

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market

Aid

donor--ODA and OOF commitments (1970-87), $2.2 billion

Currency

Canadian dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Canadian dollar (Can$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$1--1.1714 (January 1990), 1.1840 (1989), 1.2307 (1988), 1.3260 (1987), 1.3895 (1986), 1.3655 (1985)

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March

Communications

9 fields

Merchant marine, 78 ships by typeone square, one ship

passenger 1short-sea passenger 5passenger-cargo 2cargo 12railcar carrier 2refrigerated cargo 1roll-on/roll-off 8container 1petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 29chemical tanker 6specialized tanker 1bulk; note--does not include ships used exclusively in the Great Lakes ships 1078 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 555,749 GRT/774,914 DWT

Airports, 1,359 total, 1,117 usable

permanent-surface runways

442runways over 3,659 m

4runways 2,440-3,659 m

30runways 1,220-2,439 m

322

Networkskm

Highways

884,272Inland waterways

3,000

Highways: ; 712,936 km surfaced (250,023 km paved), 171,336 km earth · Inland waterways: , including St. Lawrence Seaway

Railroads

80,095 km total;
79,917 km 1.435-meter standard gauge (includes 129 km electrified);
178 km 0.915-meter narrow gauge (mostly unused);
two major transcontinental freight railway systems--Canadian National (government owned) and Canadian Pacific Railway;
passenger service--VIA (government operated)

Highways

884,272 km total; 712,936 km surfaced (250,023 km paved), 171,336 km earth

Inland waterways

3,000 km, including St. Lawrence Seaway

Pipelines

oil, 23,564 km total crude and refined; natural gas, 74,980 km

Ports

Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Saint John (New Brunswick), St. John's (Newfoundland), Toronto, Vancouver

Civil air

636 major transport aircraft; Air Canada is the major carrier

Telecommunications

excellent service provided by modern media;
18.0 million telephones;
stations--900 AM, 29 FM, 53 (1,400 repeaters) TV;
5 coaxial submarine cables;
over 300 satellite earth stations operating in INTELSAT (including 4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and domestic systems

Defense Forces

Mobile Command, Maritime Command, Air Command, Communications Command, Canadian Forces Europe, Training Commands

3 fields

Military manpower

males 15-49

7,174,119fit for military service

6,251,492reach military age (17) annually

187,894

Defense expenditures

2.0%of GDP

or $10 billion (1989 est.)

Branches