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Canada

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Canada is a huge country located in North America.

Political map of Canada
Political map of Canada

It stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west. The land also reaches far north into the Arctic Ocean.

Canada topo
Canada topo

Because of this shape, Canada has the longest coastline of any country. It also shares the longest international land border with the United States. The country is divided into ten provinces and three territories. Most people live in busy urban areas. The capital city is Ottawa. Other very large cities include Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.

Toronto from above at night
Toronto from above at night

Nature in Canada is very diverse. The land has many different weather and geological regions.

Canada Köppen
Canada Köppen

Some areas are very cold, while others have different climates. The country has many natural resources that it uses for trade. This helps Canada have one of the largest economies in the world.

FTAs with Canada
FTAs with Canada

Because the land is so big, many areas have very few people living in them. This makes the population density vary a lot from place to place.

Population density statistics canada
Population density statistics canada

Indigenous peoples have lived in Canada for thousands of years. These groups include the First Nations, the Inuit, and the Métis.

Indigenous population by census division
Indigenous population by census division

Long ago, people may have arrived from Siberia by crossing a land bridge. Early Indigenous societies had permanent homes and trading networks. Later, explorers from Britain and France arrived to explore the coast.

Nouvelle-France map-en
Nouvelle-France map-en

French explorer Jacques Cartier used the word "Canada" to describe an area near the Saint Lawrence River. This name eventually became the name of the whole country.

Canada became a country in 1867. This happened through Confederation, which joined three British colonies together.

Canada provinces evolution 2
Canada provinces evolution 2

Over time, more provinces and territories joined the nation. For a long time, Canada was a dominion within the British Empire. In 1931, a law called the Statute of Westminster gave Canada more power. Finally, the Canada Act of 1982 made Canada fully independent from the United Kingdom.

Now, Canada is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy.

Today, Canada is a very multicultural place. Many people move there from all over the world.

Canadian ethnocultural diversity
Canadian ethnocultural diversity

This makes the country one of the most diverse in the world. The government uses two official languages, which are English and French.

English-French bilingualism rate in Canada
English-French bilingualism rate in Canada

Canada is also known for being a middle power. This means it likes to work with other nations to keep peace. It helps other countries by providing aid and support.

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (English)
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (English)
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🖼️ Images & Media (33)
"O Canada"-«Ô Canada», performed by the...
Royal anthem Canada.ogg
File:Indigenous population by census division.svg
Indigenous population by census division.svg
File:Nouvelle-France map-en.svg
Nouvelle-France map-en.svg
File:Benjamin West 005.jpg
Benjamin West 005.jpg
File:Laura Secord warns Fitzgibbons, 1813.jpg
Laura Secord warns Fitzgibbons, 1813.jpg
File:Canada provinces evolution 2.gif
Canada provinces evolution 2.gif
File:Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (English).jpg
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms...
File:Canada topo.jpg
Canada topo.jpg
File:Canada Köppen.svg
Canada Köppen.svg
File:Terrestrial ecozones and ecoprovinces of Canada, 2017.gif
Terrestrial ecozones and ecoprovinces of...
File:Parliament Hill from a Hot Air Balloon, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Y2K (7173715788).jpg
Parliament Hill from a Hot Air Balloon,...

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