Canada

confederation with parliamentary democracy

Canada as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 78 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

LocationNorthern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and North Pacific

Populationas each edition published it

27.77 million July 1993 est. · 26.54m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.28% 1993 est. · 0.73% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 37.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

77.98 years 1993 est. · 84.2 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.84 children per woman 1993 est. · 1.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 7 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$19,600 1992 · $56,700 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

0.9% 1992 · 1.5% in 2025

Geography

Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and North Pacific | Ocean north of the US

14 fields

Land useshare of 9,976,140 km2

arable land 5%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 3%forest and woodland 35%other 57%irrigated 8,400 km2 (1989 est.)

Area

9,976,140km2

land area: 9,220,970 km2comparative area: slightly larger than US

Coastline

243,791km

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitationexclusive fishing zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

8,893km

total · US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Location

Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and North Pacific Ocean north of the US

Map references

Arctic Region, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World

International disputes

maritime boundary disputes with the US; Saint Pierre and Miquelon is focus of maritime boundary dispute between Canada and France

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, petroleum, 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 Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route

People

14 fields

Population

27,769,993

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 1.28% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

14.48Death

7.35Net migration

5.68

Ethnic divisions

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

Religions

Roman Catholic 46%United Church 16%Anglican 10%other 28%

Labor force

13.38million

by occupation: services 75%, manufacturing 14%, agriculture 4%, construction 3%, other 4% (1988)

Literacy

15and over can read and write

age · (1981)total population: 99%male: NA%female: NA%

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 77.98 years
male:: 74.54 years
female:: 81.6 years (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Canadian(s)
adjective:: Canadian

Government

Confederation with parliamentary democracy

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

43%

Progressive Conservative Party 43%Liberal Party 32%New Democratic Party 20%other 5%

Names

conventional long form:: none
conventional short form:: Canada

Type

confederation with parliamentary democracy

Administrative divisions

10 provinces and 2 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New, Brunswick,

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

Political parties and leaders

Progressive Conservative Party, Brian MULRONEY;
Liberal Party, Jean CHRETIEN;
New Democratic Party, Audrey McLAUGHLIN;
Reform Party, Preston MANNING;
Bloc Quebecois, Lucien BOUCHARD

Elections

House of Commons:: last held 21 November 1988 (next to be held by November 1993);
results - Progressive Conservative Party 43%, Liberal Party 32%, New Democratic Party 20%, other 5%;
seats - (295 total) Progressive Conservative Party 159, Liberal Party 80, New Democratic Party 44, Bloc Quebecois 9, independents 3

Executive branch

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

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament (Parlement) consists of an upper house or Senate (Senat) and a lower house or House of Commons (Chambre des Communes)

Leaders

Chief of State:: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Raymond John HNATYSHYN (since 29 January 1990)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Kim CAMBELL was chosen to replace Brian MULRONEY on 13 June 1993

ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), COCOM, CP, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, ONUSAL, PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMOZ, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WIPO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador John DE CHASTELAIN
chancery:: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
telephone:: (202) 682-1740
FAX:: (202) 682-7726
consulates general:: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador-designate Governor James J. BLANCHARD
embassy:: 100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1, Ottawa
mailing address:: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430
telephone:: (613) 238-5335 or (613) 238-4470
FAX:: (613) 238-5720
consulates general:: 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.

19 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$19,600

(1992)

Real growth rate

0.9%

(1992)industrial production growth: growth rate 1% (1992); accounts for 34% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

1.5%

(1992)

Unemployment rate

11.5%

(December 1992)

Budget

Revenues

$111.8 billionExpenditures

$138.3 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY90 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 real growth among the OECD nations, averaging about 3.2%. With its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada has excellent economic prospects. However, the continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas has observers discussing a possible split in the confederation; foregn investors have become edgy.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $537.1 billion (1992)

Exports

$124.0 billion (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:: newsprint, wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, machinery, natural gas, aluminum, motor vehicles and parts; telecommunications equipment
partners:: US, Japan, UK, Germany, South Korea, Netherlands, China

Imports

$118 billion (c.i.f., 1991)

commodities:: crude oil, chemicals, motor vehicles and parts, durable consumer goods, electronic computers; telecommunications equipment and parts
partners:: US, Japan, UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea

External debt

$247 billion (1987)

Electricity

109,340,000 kW capacity; 493,000 million kWh produced, 17,900 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

accounts for about 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;
use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors;
growing role as a transit point for heroin and cocaine entering the US market

Economic aid

donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $7.2 billion

Currency

1 Canadian dollar (Can$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$1 - 1.2776 (January 1993), 1.2087 (1992), 1.1457 (1991), 1.1668 (1990), 1.1840 (1989), 1.2307 (1988)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Communications

8 fields

Merchant marine, 63 ships by typeone square, one ship

passenger 1short-sea passenger 3passenger-cargo 2cargo 8railcar carrier 2refrigerated cargo 1roll-on/roll-off 7container 1oil tanker 24chemical tanker 4specialized tanker 1bulk; note - does not include ships used exclusively in the Great Lakes 963 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 454,582 GRT/646,329 DWT

Networkskm

Highways

884,272Inland waterways

3,000

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

Railroads

146,444 km total;
two major transcontinental freight railway systems - Canadian National (government owned) and Canadian Pacific Railway;
passenger service - VIA (government operated);
158 km is electrified

Highways

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

Inland waterways

3,000 km, including Saint Lawrence Seaway

Pipelines

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

Ports

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

Airports

total:: 1,420
useable:: 1,142
with permanent-surface runways:: 457
with runways over 3,659 m:: 4
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:: 30
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:: 330

Telecommunications

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

Defense Forces

Canadian Armed Forces (including Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air | Command, Communications Command, Training Command), Royal Canadian Mounted | Police (RCMP)

3 fields

Branches

Canadian Armed Forces (including Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air Command, Communications Command, Training Command), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 7,444,767;
fit for military service 6,440,927;
reach military age (17) annually 191,884 (1993 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $11.3 billion, 2% of GDP (FY92/93)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Canada.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/canada/1993.

How to cite ← 1992 edition 1994 edition →