Canada

confederation with parliamentary democracyIndependence 1 July 1867 (from UK)

Canada as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 123 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
LocationNorthern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and North
1994

Every edition of Canada

Populationas each edition published it
28.11 million July 1994 est. · 26.54m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.18% 1994 est. · 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
1.84 children per woman 1994 est. · 1.7 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
6.9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 7 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$22,200 1993 · $19,600 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
2.4% 1993 · 0.9% in 1993

Geography

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

24 fields
Coastline
243,791km
Land boundaries
8,893km
total · US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)
Irrigated land
8,400sq km
(1989 est.)

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

total area

9,976,140 sq km

land area

9,220,970 sq km

comparative area

slightly larger than US

continental shelf

200-m depth or to depth of exploitation

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

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

arable land

5%

permanent crops

0%

meadows and pastures

3%

forest and woodland

35%

other

57%

current issues

  • 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

natural hazards

continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development

international agreements

  • party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands;
  • signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

Note

  • second-largest country in world (after Russia);
  • strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route;
  • nearly 90% of the population is concentrated in the region near the US/Canada border

People

21 fields
Population
28,113,997
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 1.18% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
14.1Death
7.39Net migration
5.11

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
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1986)

Infant mortality rate

6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

78.13 years

male

74.73 years

female

81.71 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.84 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Canadian(s)

adjective

Canadian

Languages

English (official), French (official)

total population

97%

male

NA%

female

NA%

by occupation

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

Government

Confederation with parliamentary democracy

33 fields

Legislature, 295 seatsone dot, one seat

Liberal Party 178Bloc Quebecois 54Reform Party 52New Democratic Party 8Progressive Conservative Party 2independents 1

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Canada

Type

confederation with parliamentary democracy

Capital

Ottawa

Administrative divisions

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)

National holiday

Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Constitution

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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 Jean CHRETIEN (since 4 November 1993) was elected on 25 October 1993, replacing Kim CAMBELL; Deputy Prime Minister Sheila COPPS

cabinet

Federal Ministry; chosen by the prime minister from members of his own party sitting in Parliament

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament (Parlement)

Senate (Senat)

consisting of a body whose members are appointed to serve until 75 years of age by the governor general and selected on the advice of the prime minister; its normal limit 104 senators

House of Commons (Chambre des Communes)

  • elections last held 25 October 1993 (next to be held by NA October 1998);
  • results - number of votes by percent NA;
  • seats - (295 total) Liberal Party 178, Bloc Quebecois 54, Reform Party 52, New Democratic Party 8, Progressive Conservative Party 2, independents 1

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

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

Member of

ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), COCOM, 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, UNOMUR, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WIPO, WTO, ZC

chief of mission

Ambassador Raymond CHRETIEN

chancery

501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001

telephone

(202) 682-1740

FAX

(202) 682-7726

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, and Seattle

consulate(s)

Cincinnati, Cleveland, Miami, Pittsburg, Princeton, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

chief of mission

Ambassador James Johnston BLANCHARD

embassy

100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1, Ottawa

mailing address

P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430

telephone

(613) 238-5335 or 4470

FAX

(613) 238-5720

consulate(s) 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.

26 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$22,200
(1993)
Real growth rate
2.4%
(1993)industrial production growth: growth rate 3.5% (1993)
Unemployment rate
11%
(December 1993)

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, although the country still faces high unemployment and a growing debt.

Moreover, the continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas has observers discussing a possible split in the confederation; foreign investors have become edgy.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $617.7 billion (1993)

revenues

$92.34 billion (Federal)

expenditures

$123.04 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY93 est.)

Exports

$133.9 billion (f.o.b., 1993)

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

$125.3 billion (c.i.f., 1993)

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

$435 billion (1993)

capacity

109,340,000 kW

production

493 billion kWh

consumption per capita

17,900 kWh (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

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 - 1.3174 (January 1994), 1.2901 (1993), 1.2087 (1992), 1.1457 (1991), 1.1668 (1990), 1.1840 (1989)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Communications

16 fields

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

total

884,272 km

paved

250,023 km

unpaved

gravel 462,913 km; earth 171,336 km

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

Merchant marine

59 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 448,357 GRT/639,319 DWT, bulk 9, cargo 8, chemical tanker 4, container 1, oil tanker 22, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, railcar carrier 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 2

note

does not include ships used exclusively in the Great Lakes

total

1,356

usable

1,107

with permanent-surface runways

458

with runways over 3,659 m

4

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

29

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

326

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 7,508,590;
  • fit for military service 6,482,267;
  • reach military age (17) annually 191,850 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $10.3 billion, 1.9% of GDP (FY93/94)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Canada.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/canada/1994.

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