Canada

Infobox Country

native_name = Canada
common_name = Canada
image_flag = Flag of Canada.svg
alt_flag = Vertical triband (red, white, red) with a red maple leaf in the centre of the white
image_coat = Coat of arms of Canada.svg
alt_coat = A shield divided into four rectangles over a triangle. The first rectangle contains three lions passant guardant in gold on a red background; the second, a red lion rampant on a gold background; the third, a gold harp on a blue background; the fourth, three gold fleurs-de-lis on a blue background. The triangle contains three red maple leaves on one stem over a white background. A gold helmet with a veil of red and white maple leaves sits on top of the shield, upon which stands a crowned lion holding a red maple leaf, with a larger crown over its head. On the right is a lion rampant flying the Union Flag. On the left is a unicorn wearing a gold chain from a crown collar, flying a blue flag with three fleurs-de-lis. Both animals hold a red ribbon that goes around the shield, which says "desiderantes meliorem patriam". Below the animals and shield is a blue scroll inscribed with the motto "A mari usque ad mare", which sits on a wreath of flowers.
symbol_type = Arms
national_motto = (Latin)
"From Sea to Sea"
national_anthem = "O Canada"
royal_anthem = "God Save the Queen"
image_map = Canada (orthographic projection).svg
alt_map = Projection of North America with Canada in green
map_width = 170px
capital = Ottawa
latd = 45 |latm=24 |latNS=N |longd=75 |longm=40 |longEW=W
largest_city = Toronto
official_languages = English and French
regional_languages = Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun, Cree,
demonym = Canadian
government_type = Federation, parliamentary democracy, and constitutional monarchy
leader_title1 = Monarch
leader_name1 = HM Queen Elizabeth II
leader_title2 = Governor General
leader_name2 = Michaëlle Jean
leader_title3 = Prime Minister
leader_name3 = Stephen Harper
legislature = Parliament
upper_house = Senate
lower_house = House of Commons
sovereignty_type = Establishment
established_event1 = British North America Acts
established_date1 = July 1, 1867
established_event2 = Statute of Westminster
established_date2 = December 11, 1931
established_event3 = Canada Act
established_date3 = April 17, 1982
area_km2 = 9,984,670
area_sq_mi = 3,854,085
area_rank = 2nd
area_magnitude = 1 E12
percent_water = 8.92 (891,163 km²/344,080 mi²)
population_estimate =

cite web

url = http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-003-x/pop/pop-h-clock-eng.htm
title = Canada's population clock
publisher = Statistics Canada
accessdate=

population_estimate_year =
population_estimate_rank = 36th
population_census = 31,241,030
population_census_year = 2006
population_density_km2 = 3.41
population_density_sq_mi = 8.3
population_density_rank = 228th
GDP_PPP_year = 2009
GDP_PPP = $1.281 trillion
GDP_PPP_rank =
GDP_PPP_per_capita = $38,025
GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank =
GDP_nominal = $1.336 trillion
GDP_nominal_rank =
GDP_nominal_year = 2009
GDP_nominal_per_capita = $39,668
GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank =
HDI_year = 2009
HDI = 0.966
HDI_rank = 4th
HDI_category = very high
Gini = 32.1 (2005)
currency = Canadian Dollar ($)
currency_code = CAD
time_zone =
utc_offset = −3.5 to −8
time_zone_DST =
utc_offset_DST = −2.5 to −7
date_format = dd-mm-yyyy, mm-dd-yyyy, ''and'' yyyy-mm-dd (CE)
drives_on = Right
cctld = .ca
calling_code = +1
footnotes =
Canada () is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean. It is the world's second largest country by total area. Canada's common border with the United States to the south and northwest is the longest in the world. The land occupied by Canada was inhabited for millennia by various groups of Aboriginal peoples. Beginning in the late 15th century, British and French expeditions explored, and later settled, along the Atlantic coast. France ceded nearly all of its colonies in North America in 1763 after the Seven Years' War. In 1867, with the union of three British North American colonies through Confederation, Canada was formed as a federal dominion of four provinces. This began an accretion of provinces and territories and a process of increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom. This widening autonomy was highlighted by the Statute of Westminster of 1931 and culminated in the Canada Act of 1982, which severed the vestiges of legal dependence on the British parliament. A federation consisting of ten provinces and three territories, Canada is governed as a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. It is a bilingual nation with both English and French as official languages at the federal level. One of the world's highly developed countries, Canada has a diversified economy that is reliant upon its abundant natural resources and upon trade—particularly with the United States, with which Canada has had a long and complex relationship. It is a member of the G8, G-20, NATO, OECD, WTO, Commonwealth, Francophonie, OAS, APEC, and UN.

Etymology

The name ''Canada'' comes from a St. Lawrence Iroquoian word, ''kanata'', meaning "village" or "settlement". From the early 17th century onwards, that part of New France that lay along the Saint Lawrence River and the northern shores of the Great Lakes was known as ''Canada''. The area was later split into two British colonies, Upper Canada and Lower Canada. They were re-unified as the Province of Canada in 1841.

cite book

title = Naming Canada: Stories of Canadian Place Names
edition = 2nd
first = Alan | last = Rayburn
publisher = University of Toronto Press
location = Toronto
year = 2001
isbn = 0-8020-8293-9
pages = 1–22
Upon Confederation in 1867, the name ''Canada'' was adopted as the legal name for the new country, and ''Dominion'' (a term from Psalm 72:8)

History

Aboriginal peoples

Archaeological and Indigenous genetic studies support a human presence in the northern Yukon from 26,500 years ago, and in southern Ontario from 9,500 years ago. Old Crow Flats and Bluefish Caves are two of the earliest archaeological sites of human (Paleo-Indians) habitation in Canada.

cite web

| last = Griebel | first = Ron | title = The Bluefish Caves | publisher = Minnesota State University | date = | url = http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/sites/northamerica/bluefishcaves.html | accessdate =2009-09-18

cite web

| title = Beringia: humans were here | work = Gazette (Montreal) | publisher = CanWest MediaWorks Publications Inc. | date = May 17, 2008 | url = http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/saturdayextra/story.html?id=2a31375e-e834-407d-b8db-2a0010ad4acf&p=2 | format = re-published online by Canada.com | accessdate =2009-09-18
Among the First Nations peoples, there are eight unique stories of creation and their adaptations.These are the earth diver, world parent, emergence, conflict, robbery, rebirth of corpse, two creators and their contests, and the brother myth.

cite book

editor=Dickason, Olive | title = The Native Imprint: The Contribution of First Peoples to Canada's Character | publisher = Athabasca: Athabasca University Educational Enterprises
volume=1 | year = 1995
pages=114–117
The characteristics of Canadian Aboriginal civilizations included permanent or urban settlements, agriculture, civic and monumental architecture, and complex societal hierarchies.

cite book

| editors= Peter Turchin, Leonid Grinin, Andrey Korotayev, and Victor C. de Munck. | coauthors = Grinin L., Munck V. C. de, Korotayev A. | title = History & Mathematics: Historical Dynamics and Development of Complex Societies
isbn=5484010020
year=2006
publisher=Moscow: KomKniga/URSS | url = http://edurss.ru/cgi-bin/db.pl?cp=&page=Book&id=53185&lang=en&blang=en&list=Found
Some of these civilisations had long faded by the time of the first permanent European arrivals (c. late 15th–early 16th centuries), and have been discovered through archaeological investigations. The aboriginal population is estimated to have been between 200,000 Aboriginal peoples in Canada include the First Nations,

cite web

| title = Civilization.ca-Gateway to Aboriginal Heritage-Culture | work = Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation | publisher = Government of Canada | date = May 12, 2006 | url = http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/exhibitions/tresors/ethno/etb0170e.shtml | accessdate =2009-09-18
Inuit,

cite web

| title = Inuit Circumpolar Council (Canada)-ICC Charter | work = Inuit Circumpolar Council > ICC Charter and By-laws > ICC Charter | publisher = | year = 2007 | url = http://inuitcircumpolar.com/index.php?auto_slide=&ID=374&Lang=En&Parent_ID=&current_slide_num= | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080226023243/http://inuitcircumpolar.com/index.php?auto_slide=&ID=374&Lang=En&Parent_ID=&current_slide_num= | archivedate = 2008-02-26 | accessdate =2009-09-18
and Métis.

cite web

| title = In the Kawaskimhon Aboriginal Moot Court Factum of the Federal Crown Canada | work = Faculty of Law | publisher =University of Manitoba | year = 2007 | url = http://www.umanitoba.ca/law/newsite/kawaskimhon_factums/FINALWrittenSubmissionsofFederalCrown_windsor.pdf | format = PDF
page=2 | accessdate =2009-09-18
The Métis a culture of mixed blood originated in the mid-17th century when First Nation and Inuit married European settlers.

cite web

| title = What to Search: Topics-Canadian Genealogy Centre-Library and Archives Canada | work = Ethno-Cultural and Aboriginal Groups | publisher = Government of Canada | date = 2009-05-27 | url = http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogie/022-905.004-e.html | accessdate =2009-10-02
The Inuit had more limited interaction with European settlers during the early periods.

cite web|url=http://www.heritage.nf.ca/aboriginal/innu_culture.html|title=Innu Culture 3. Innu-Inuit 'Warfare'|work=1999, Adrian Tanner

Department of Anthropology-Memorial University of Newfoundland| accessdate =2009-10-05

European colonization

's ''The Death of General Wolfe'' (1771) dramatizes Wolfe's death during the Battle of the Plains of Abraham at Quebec in 1759; the battle was part of the Seven Years' War Europeans first arrived when Norse sailors (often referred to as Vikings) settled briefly at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland around 1000;

cite book

last = Pálsson
first = Hermann
title = The Vinland sagas: the Norse discovery of America
publisher = Penguin Classics
url=http://books.google.ca/books?id=m-4rb_GhQ5EC&lpg=PP1&dq=The%20Vinland%20sagas%3A%20the%20Norse%20discovery%20of%20America&pg=PA28#v=onepage&q&f=true
page=28
format=Digitized online by Google books
year = 1965
isbn = 0140441549
accessdate = 2010-04-15

cite book

title=The Norse Discovery of America
first=Arthur Middleton
last=Reeves
format=Digitized online by Google books
url=http://books.google.ca/books?id=HkoPUdPM3V8C&pg=PA7&dq=The+Norse+discoverers+of+America,+the+Wineland+sagas&hl=en&ei=to3HS_vvJoT7lwfnhNHFAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CE8Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q&f=true
publisher=BiblioLife
page=82
year=2009
accessdate=2010-04-15
after the failure of that colony, there was no known further attempt at Canadian exploration until 1497, when Italian seafarer Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot) explored Canada's Atlantic coast for England. In 1534 Jacques Cartier explored Canada for France.

cite book|title = A Short History of Canada|first = Desmond | last= Morton|authorlink = Desmond Morton (historian)

publisher = McClelland & Stewart|location = Toronto|year = 2001|edition = 6th|isbn = 0-7710-6509-4|pages = 9–17
French explorer Samuel de Champlain arrived in 1603 and established the first permanent European settlements at Port Royal in 1605 and Quebec City in 1608. The English established fishing outposts in Newfoundland around 1610 and established the Thirteen Colonies to the south. The Royal Proclamation (1763) carved the Province of Quebec out of New France and annexed Cape Breton Island to Nova Scotia. To avert conflict in Quebec, the British passed the Quebec Act of 1774, expanding Quebec's territory to the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley. It re-established the French language, Catholic faith, and French civil law there. This angered many residents of the Thirteen Colonies and helped to fuel the American Revolution. The Treaty of Paris (1783) recognized American independence and ceded territories south of the Great Lakes to the United States. Around 50,000 United Empire Loyalists fled the United States to Canada. 's ''Fathers of Confederation'', an amalgamation of the Charlottetown and Quebec conferences Canada (Upper and Lower) was the main front in the War of 1812 between the United States and the British Empire. Following the war, large-scale immigration to Canada from Britain and Ireland began in 1815. Between one-quarter and one-third of all Europeans who immigrated to Canada before 1891 died of infectious diseases. The timber industry surpassed the fur trade in economic importance in the early 19th century. The desire for responsible government resulted in the aborted Rebellions of 1837. The Durham Report subsequently recommended responsible government and the assimilation of French Canadians into British culture. Canada launched a series of exploratory expeditions to claim Rupert's Land and the Arctic region.

Confederation and expansion

Following several constitutional conferences, the Constitution Act, 1867 officially proclaimed Canadian Confederation, creating "one Dominion under the name of Canada" on July 1, 1867, with four provinces: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.

cite book|title = History of Canada Since 1867|first = Robert | last = Bothwell|publisher = Michigan State University Press

year = 1996
location = East Lansing, MI
isbn = 0-87013-399-3
pages=207–310
Canada assumed control of Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory to form the Northwest Territories, where the Métis' grievances ignited the Red River Rebellion and the creation of the province of Manitoba in July 1870. To open the West, the government sponsored construction of three trans-continental railways (including the Canadian Pacific Railway), opened the prairies to settlement with the Dominion Lands Act, and established the North-West Mounted Police to assert its authority over this territory. In 1898, after the Klondike Gold Rush in the Northwest Territories, the Canadian government created the Yukon Territory. Under Liberal Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier, continental European immigrants settled the prairies, and Alberta and Saskatchewan became provinces in 1905.

Early 20th century

in 1917 Because Britain still maintained control of Canada's foreign affairs under the Confederation Act, its declaration of war in 1914 automatically brought Canada into World War I. The Great Depression brought economic hardship all over Canada. In response, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) in Alberta and Saskatchewan enacted many measures of a welfare state (as pioneered by Tommy Douglas) into the 1940s and 1950s. Canada declared war on Germany independently during World War II under Liberal Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, three days after Britain. The first Canadian Army units arrived in Britain in December 1939. Canadian troops played important roles in the failed 1942 Dieppe Raid in France, the Allied invasion of Italy, the D-Day landings, the Battle of Normandy, and the Battle of the Scheldt in 1944.

Modern times

, Governor General the Viscount Alexander of Tunis (centre) receives for his signature the bill finalizing the union of Newfoundland and Canada, March 31, 1949 The Dominion of Newfoundland (now Newfoundland and Labrador), at the time equivalent in status to Canada and Australia as a Dominion, joined Canada in 1949. At the same time, Quebec was undergoing profound social and economic changes through the Quiet Revolution, giving birth to a nationalist movement in the province and the more radical Front de libération du Québec (FLQ), whose actions ignited the October Crisis in 1970. In 1997, the Supreme Court ruled that unilateral secession by a province would be unconstitutional, and the Clarity Act was passed by parliament, outlining the terms of a negotiated departure from Confederation. In addition to the issues of Quebec sovereignty, a number of crises shook Canadian society in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These included the explosion of Air India Flight 182 in 1985, the largest mass murder in Canadian history; Canada also joined the Gulf War in 1990 as part of a US-led coalition force, and was active in several peacekeeping missions in the late 1990s.

cite web

title=Canada and Multilateral Operations in Support of Peace and Stability
url=http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?cat=00&id=914
publisher=National Defence and the Canadian Forces
year=2010
accessdate=2010-06-07
It sent troops to Afghanistan in 2001, but declined to send forces to Iraq when the US invaded in 2003.

Government and politics

in Canada's capital, Ottawa Canada has strong democratic traditions upheld through a parliamentary government within the construct of constitutional monarchy, the monarchy of Canada being the foundation of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches and its authority stemming from the Canadian populace. The direct participation of the royal and viceroyal figures in any of these areas of governance is limited, though; ) and is part of an adversarial parliamentary system intended to keep the government in check. within the Centre Block on Parliament Hill Each Member of Parliament in the House of Commons is elected by simple majority in an electoral district or riding. General elections must be called by the governor general, on the advice of the prime minister, within four years of the previous election, or may be triggered by the government losing a confidence vote in the House. Four parties had representatives elected to the federal parliament in the 2008 elections: the Conservative Party of Canada (governing party), the Liberal Party of Canada (the Official Opposition), the New Democratic Party (NDP), and the Bloc Québécois. The list of historical parties with elected representation is substantial. Canada's federal structure divides government responsibilities between the federal government and the ten provinces. Provincial legislatures are unicameral and operate in parliamentary fashion similar to the House of Commons.

Law

The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law of the country, and consists of written text and unwritten conventions. and divided powers between the federal and provincial governments; the Statute of Westminster, 1931 granted full autonomy; and the Constitution Act, 1982 added the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees basic rights and freedoms that usually cannot be overridden by any level of government—though a ''notwithstanding clause'' allows the federal parliament and provincial legislatures to override certain sections of the Charter for a period of five years—and added a constitutional amending formula. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, bearing the effigy of Queen Victoria Although not without conflict, European Canadians' early interactions with First Nations and Inuit populations were relatively peaceful. Combined with Canada's late economic development in many regions, this peaceful history has allowed Canadian Indigenous peoples to have a relatively strong influence on the national culture while preserving their own identity.

cite web

url=http://www.multiculturalcanada.ca/Encyclopedia/A-Z/c2
title=Canadian Culture And Ethnic Diversity
publisher=Canadian Heritage (Multicultural Canada)
date=2009-01
accessdate=2006-11-30
The Canadian Crown and Aboriginal peoples began interactions during the European colonialization period. Numbered treaties, the Indian Act, the Constitution Act of 1982 and case laws were established. A series of eleven treaties were signed between Aboriginals in Canada and the reigning Monarch of Canada from 1871 to 1921.

cite web

| title = Treaty areas | work = Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat | publisher = Government of Canada | date = 2002-10-07 | url = http://dsp-psd.communication.gc.ca/Collection-R/LoPBdP/EB/prb9916-e.htm | accessdate = 2009-10-02
These treaties are agreements with the Government of Canada administered by Canadian Aboriginal law and overseen by the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. The role of the treaties was reaffirmed by Section Thirty-five of the Constitution Act, 1982, which "recognizes and affirms existing Aboriginal and treaty rights". The legal and policy framework within which Canada and First Nations operate was further formalized in 2005, through the ''First Nations–Federal Crown Political Accord'', which established cooperation as "a cornerstone for partnership between Canada and First Nations".

cite web

| title = A First Nations-Federal Crown Political Accord on the Recognition and Implementation of First Nation Governments | work = Assembly of First Nations & Government of Canada | date = April 19, 2004 | url = http://www.afn.ca/cmslib/general/PolAcc.pdf | format = PDF | accessdate =2009-10-02
in Ottawa, west of Parliament Hill Canada's judiciary plays an important role in interpreting laws and has the power to strike down laws that violate the Constitution. The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court and final arbiter and has been led by the Right Honourable Madam Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, P.C. (the first female Chief Justice) since 2000. Common law prevails everywhere except in Quebec, where civil law predominates.

Foreign relations and military

in Cold Lake, Alberta. CF-18s have supported NORAD air sovereignty patrols and participated in combat during the Gulf War and the Kosovo and Bosnia crises. Canada and the United States share the world's longest undefended border, co-operate on military campaigns and exercises, and are each other's largest trading partner. Canada is noted for having a strong and positive relationship with the Netherlands, and the Dutch government traditionally gives tulips, a symbol of the Netherlands, to Canada each year in remembrance of the latter country's contribution to its liberation. Canada currently employs a professional, volunteer military force of over 67,000 regular and approximately 26,000 reserve personnel. The unified Canadian Forces (CF) comprise the army, navy, and air force. Canada is an industrial nation with a highly developed science and technology sector. Since the First World War, Canada has produced its own infantry fighting vehicle, anti-tank guided missile and small arms for the Canadian Forces and particularly for the army. The Canadian Forces operate state of the art equipments able to handle modern threats through 2030–2035. Strong attachment to the British Empire and Commonwealth led to major participation in British military efforts in the Second Boer War, the First World War, and the Second World War. Since then, Canada has been an advocate for multilateralism, making efforts to resolve global issues in collaboration with other nations.

cite book

first=James |last=Eayrs
title=In Defence of Canada
publisher=University of Toronto Press
location=Toronto
year=1980
isbn=0-8020-2345-2
page=332
Canada was a founding member of the United Nations in 1945 and of NATO in 1949. frigate HMCS ''Regina'', a warship of the Canadian Navy in 2004 During the Suez Crisis of 1956, future Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson eased tensions by proposing the inception of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force, for which he was awarded the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize. The number of Canadian military personnel participating in peacekeeping missions has decreased greatly in the past two decades. Canada joined the Organization of American States (OAS) in 1990 and hosted the OAS General Assembly in Windsor, Ontario, in June 2000 and the third Summit of the Americas in Quebec City in April 2001. Since 2001, Canada has had troops deployed in Afghanistan as part of the U.S. stabilization force and the UN-authorized, NATO-commanded International Security Assistance Force. Canada has committed to withdraw from Kandahar Province by 2011, In February 2007, Canada, Italy, Britain, Norway, and Russia announced their funding commitments to launch a $1.5 billion project to help develop vaccines they said could save millions of lives in poor nations, and called on others to join them.

Provinces and territories

Canada is a federation composed of ten provinces and three territories. In turn, these may be grouped into regions: Western Canada, Central Canada, Atlantic Canada, and Northern Canada (the latter made up of the three territories: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut). Eastern Canada refers to Central Canada and Atlantic Canada together. Provinces have more autonomy than territories. The provinces are responsible for most of Canada's social programs (such as health care, education, and welfare) and together collect more revenue than the federal government, an almost unique structure among federations in the world. Using its spending powers, the federal government can initiate national policies in provincial areas, such as the Canada Health Act; the provinces can opt out of these, but rarely do so in practice. Equalization payments are made by the federal government to ensure that reasonably uniform standards of services and taxation are kept between the richer and poorer provinces.

Geography and climate

. Ice and tundra are prominent in the Arctic. Glaciers are visible in the Canadian Rockies and Coast Mountains. The interior is mostly flat prairies. The Great Lakes feed the Saint Lawrence River in the southeast lowlands|A satellite composite image of Canada. Canada occupies a major northern portion of North America, sharing the land borders with the contiguous United States to the south and the U.S. state of Alaska to the northwest, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west; to the north lies the Arctic Ocean. By total area (including its waters), Canada is the second-largest country in the world—after Russia. Since 1925, Canada has claimed the portion of the Arctic between 60°W and 141°W longitude, Much of the Canadian Arctic is covered by ice and permafrost. Canada also has the longest coastline in the world: . The population density, , is among the lowest in the world. The most densely populated part of the country is the Quebec City â€“ Windsor Corridor, (situated in Southern Quebec and Southern Ontario) along the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River in the southeast. in Niagara Falls, Ontario, is one of the world's most voluminous waterfalls, renowned for both its beauty and as a valuable source of hydroelectric power. Canada has an extensive coastline on its north, east, and west, and since the last glacial period it has consisted of eight distinct forest regions, including extensive boreal forest on the Canadian Shield.

cite book

title = National Atlas of Canada
publisher = Natural Resources Canada
location = Ottawa
year = 2005
isbn = 0-7705-1198-8 |page = 1
The vastness and variety of Canada's geography, ecology, vegetation and landforms have given rise to a wide variety of climates throughout the country. There are also fresh-water glaciers in the Canadian Rockies and the Coast Mountains. Average winter and summer high temperatures across Canada vary according to the location. Winters can be harsh in many regions of the country, particularly in the interior and Prairie provinces, which experience a continental climate, where daily average temperatures are near −15 Â°C (5 Â°F) but can drop below with severe wind chills. Canada is also geologically active, having many earthquakes and potentially active volcanoes, notably Mount Meager, Mount Garibaldi, Mount Cayley, and the Mount Edziza volcanic complex.

cite book | last = Etkin | first = David | coauthors = Haque, CE; Brooks, Gregory R | title = An Assessment of Natural Hazards and Disasters in Canada | publisher = Springer | date = 2003-04-30 | location = | pages =569, 582, 583 | url = http://books.google.com/?id=kaJz_SNNuKMC&pg=PA569&lpg=PA569&dq=wells+%22gray+clearwater%22+volcanic+field+earthquakes

isbn = 978-1402011795
The volcanic eruption of Tseax Cone in 1775 caused a catastrophic disaster, killing 2,000 Nisga'a people and destroying their village in the Nass River valley of northern British Columbia; the eruption produced a lava flow, and according to legend of the Nisga'a people, it blocked the flow of the Nass River.

Science and technology

in action on the Space Shuttle Discovery during STS-116 Canada is an industrial nation with a highly developed science and technology sector. Nearly 1.88% of Canada's GDP is allocated to research & development (R&D). The Defence Research and Development Canada is an agency of the Department of National Defence ,whose purpose is to respond to the scientific and technological needs of the Canadian Forces. Over the years, DRDC have been responsible for numerous innovations and inventions of practical application both in civilian and military world. These include the CADPAT, G-suit, CRV7, Carbon dioxide laser and the Flight data recorder. DRDC also contribute in the development of the most advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array in the world as part of an international effort involving Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands.

cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=ACTIVE PHASED ARRAY RADAR (APAR)| date= | publisher=Thales-systems Canada | url =

http://www.thales-systems.ca/projects/apar/apar.pdf | work = | pages = | accessdate = 2005-02-12
The Canadian Space Agency conducts space, planetary, and aviation research, as well as develops rockets and satellites. In 1984, Marc Garneau became Canada's first astronaut, serving as payload specialist of STS-41-G. Canada was ranked third among 20 top countries in space sciences. Canada also produced one of the most successful sounding rockets, the Black Brant; over 1000 have been launched since they were initially produced in 1961.

cite web|url=

http://www.bristol.ca/BlackBrant.html|title=Black Brant Sounding Rockets|last=|first=|year=|publisher=Magellan Aerospace|accessdate=2008-03-11
Universities across Canada are working on the first domestic landing spacecraft: the Northern Light, designed to search for life on Mars and investigate Martian electromagnetic radiation environment and atmospheric properties. If the Northern Light is successful, Canada will be the third country to land on another planet.

cite web|url=

http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Canada-on-Mars-1022306.htm|title=Canada on Mars?|last=|first=|year=|publisher=marketwire|accessdate=2009-07-27

Economy

, depicting (top to bottom) Wilfrid Laurier, John A. Macdonald, Queen of Canada (Queen Elizabeth II), William Lyon Mackenzie King, and Robert Borden Canada is one of the world's wealthiest nations, with a high per-capita income, and it is a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the G8. It is one of the world's top ten trading nations. As of October 2009, Canada's national unemployment rate was 8.6%. Provincial unemployment rates vary from a low of 5.8% in Manitoba to a high of 17% in Newfoundland and Labrador. In the past century, the growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy to a more industrial and urban one. Like other First World nations, the Canadian economy is dominated by the service industry, which employs about three quarters of Canadians. Canada is one of the few developed nations that are net exporters of energy. Canada is one of the world's largest suppliers of agricultural products; the Canadian Prairies are one of the most important producers of wheat, canola, and other grains. in 1992 Economic integration with the United States has increased significantly since World War II. This has drawn the attention of Canadian nationalists, who are concerned about cultural and economic autonomy in an age of globalization, as American goods and media products have become ubiquitous. In the 1980s, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's Progressive Conservatives abolished the NEP and changed the name of FIRA to "Investment Canada" in order to encourage foreign investment.

Demographics

Canada's 2006 census counted a total population of 31,612,897, an increase of 5.4% since 2001.

Historical populations

type =
footnote = Source: Statistics Canada
1851 | 2415000
1861 | 3174000
1871 | 3689000
1881 | 4325000
1891 | 4833000
1901 | 5371000
1911 | 7207000
1921 | 8788000
1931 | 10377000
1941 | 11507000
1951 | 14009000
1961 | 18238000
1971 | 21962000
1981 | 24820000
1991 | 28031000
2001 | 31021000
2010 est. |
According to the 2006 census, the largest reported ethnic origin is English (21%), followed by French (15.8%), Scottish (15.2%), Irish (13.9%), German (10.2%), Italian (5%), Chinese (3.9%), Ukrainian (3.6%), and First Nations (3.5%). Approximately one third of respondents identified their ethnicity as "Canadian". There are 600 recognized First Nations governments or bands encompassing 1,172,790 people.

cite web

| title = Aboriginal Identity (8), Sex (3) and Age Groups (12) for the Population of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2006 Census â€“ 20% Sample Data | work = Census > 2006 Census: Data products > Topic-based tabulations > | publisher = Statistics Canada, Government of Canada | date = 2008-06-12 | url = http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/topics/RetrieveProductTable.cfm?ALEVEL=3&APATH=3&CATNO=&DETAIL=0&DIM=&DS=99&FL=0&FREE=0&GAL=0&GC=99&GK=NA&GRP=1&IPS=&METH=0&ORDER=1&PID=89122&PTYPE=88971&RL=0&S=1&ShowAll=No&StartRow=1&SUB=0&Temporal=2006&Theme=73&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF=&GID=837928 | accessdate = 2009-09-18
Canada's Aboriginal population is growing at almost twice the national rate, and 3.8% of Canada's population claimed aboriginal identity in 2006. Another 16.2% of the population belonged to non-aboriginal visible minorities. Between 2001 and 2006, the visible minority population rose by 27.2%. According to a 2005 forecast by Statistics Canada, the proportion of Canadians belonging to a visible minority group in Canada could reach as much as 23% by 2017. As of 2007, almost one in five Canadians (19.8%) were foreign-born.

cite web

| title = The Daily, Tuesday, December 4, 2007. 2006 Census: Immigration, citizenship, language, mobility and migration | publisher = Statistics Canada | date = 2007-12-04 | url = http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/071204/dq071204a-eng.htm | accessdate =2009-10-19
Nearly 60% of new immigrants hail from Asia (including the Middle East).

bar box

title=Religion in Canada (2001 Census)
width=285px
titlebar=#ddd
left1=Religion
right1=Percent
float=left
bars=
Canada has the highest per-capita immigration rate in the world, driven by economic policy and family reunification, and is aiming for between 240,000 and 265,000 new permanent residents in 2010. In common with many other developed countries, Canada is experiencing a demographic shift towards an older population, with more retirees and fewer people of working age. In 2006, the average age of the population was 39.5 years. The census results also indicate that despite an increase in immigration since 2001 (which gave Canada a higher rate of population growth than in the previous intercensal period), the aging of Canada's population did not slow during the period. Support for religious pluralism is an important part of Canada's political culture. According to the 2001 census, 77.1% of Canadians identify as being Christians; of this, Catholics make up the largest group (43.6% of Canadians). The largest Protestant denomination is the United Church of Canada (9.5% of Canadians), followed by the Anglicans (6.8%), Baptists (2.4%), Lutherans (2%), and other Christians (4.4%). About 16.5% of Canadians declare no religious affiliation, and the remaining 6.3% are affiliated with non-Christian religions, the largest of which is Islam (2.0%), followed by Judaism (1.1%). Canadian provinces and territories are responsible for education. Each system is similar, while reflecting regional history, culture and geography.

Language

in the historic ''Basse-Ville'' (Lower Town) of Quebec City, Quebec. The population is mainly French-speaking, with a small English-speaking minority. Canada's two official languages are English and French. Official bilingualism is defined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Official Languages Act, and ''Official Language Regulations''; it is applied by the Commissioner of Official Languages. English and French have equal status in federal courts, Parliament, and in all federal institutions. Citizens have the right, where there is sufficient demand, to receive federal government services in either English or French, and official-language minorities are guaranteed their own schools in all provinces and territories. English and French are the mother tongues of 59.7% and 23.2% of the population respectively, English and French Official Language Communities, defined by First Official Language Spoken, constitute 73.0% and 23.6% of the population respectively. The Charter of the French Language makes French the official language in Quebec. Other provinces have no official languages as such, but French is used as a language of instruction, in courts, and for other government services in addition to English. Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec allow for both English and French to be spoken in the provincial legislatures, and laws are enacted in both languages. In Ontario, French has some legal status but is not fully co-official. Of these, only Cree, Inuktitut and Ojibway have a large enough population of fluent speakers to be considered viable to survive in the long term.

Cite book

| last = Gordon | first = Raymond G Jr. | title = Ethnologue: Languages of the world | place = Dallas, TX | publisher = SIL International | year = 2005 | edition = 15
format=Web Version online by SIL International,formerly known as the Summer Institute of Linguistics | url = http://www.ethnologue.com/web.asp | isbn =1-55671-159-X | accessdate = 2009-10-06 | = harv | postscript =
Several aboriginal languages have official status in the Northwest Territories. Over six million people in Canada list a non-official language as their mother tongue. Some of the most common non-official first languages include Chinese (mainly Cantonese; 1,012,065 first-language speakers), Italian (455,040), German (450,570), Punjabi (367,505) and Spanish (345,345).

Culture

's sculpture ''Raven and The First Men'', showing part of a Haida creation myth. The Raven is a figure common to many mythologies in aboriginal culture. Canadian culture has historically been influenced by British, French, and aboriginal cultures and traditions. There are distinctive Aboriginal cultures, languages, art, and music spread across Canada.

cite web

| title = Assembly of First Nations - Assembly of First Nations-The Story | publisher = Assembly of First Nations | url = http://www.afn.ca/article.asp?id=59 | accessdate = 2009-10-02

cite web

| title = Civilization.ca-Gateway to Aboriginal Heritage-object | publisher = Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation | date = May 12, 2006 | url = http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/exhibitions/tresors/ethno/etb0000e.shtml | accessdate = 2009-10-02
Many North American Indigenous words, inventions and games have become an everyday part of Canadian language and use. The canoe, snowshoes, the toboggan, lacrosse, tug of war, maple syrup and tobacco are examples of products, inventions and games. Canadian culture has been greatly influenced by immigration from all over the world. Many Canadians value multiculturalism and see Canada as being inherently multicultural. American media and entertainment are popular, if not dominant, in English Canada; conversely, many Canadian cultural products and entertainers are successful in the United States and worldwide. '', by Tom Thomson, 1916; oil on canvas, in the collection of the National Gallery of Canada Canadian visual art has been dominated by Tom Thomson â€” Canada's most famous painter â€” and by the Group of Seven. Thomson's brief career painting Canadian landscapes spanned just a decade up to his death in 1917 at age 39. Canada has developed a music infrastructure and industry, with broadcasting regulated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

cite book

url=http://books.google.com/?id=eZQch8ieRtsC&pg=PP1&dq=Music+in+Canada:+A+Research+and+Information+Guide,&q=
title=Music in Canada: A Research and Information Guide
author= Carl Morey
publisher= New York Garland Publishing
year= 1997|accessdate=2009-10-28
format=Google books |page=223
isbn=9780815316039

cite web |url=http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/timeline/CCFTimeline.html

title=The history of broadcasting in Canada
author=The Canadian Communications Foundation
accessdate=2009-10-28
The Canadian music industry has produced internationally renowned composers, musicians and ensembles, such as Portia White, Guy Lombardo, Murray Adaskin, Rush, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young. Canadian winners of multiple Grammy Awards have included Celine Dion, k.d. lang, Sarah McLachlan, Alanis Morissette and Shania Twain. The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences administers Canada's music industry awards, the Juno Awards, which commenced in 1970. The national anthem of Canada ''O Canada'' adopted in 1980, was originally commissioned by the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, the Honourable Théodore Robitaille, for the 1880 St. Jean-Baptiste Day ceremony. Calixa Lavallée wrote the music, which was a setting of a patriotic poem composed by the poet and judge Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier. The text was originally only in French, before it was translated to English in 1906.

cite web

|author=Government of Canada |title=Hymne national du Canada |work=Canadian Heritage |publisher=Government of Canada |date=2008-06-23 |url=http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/ceem-cced/symbl/anthem-fra.cfm |accessdate=2008-06-26
in Vancouver seconds after Team Canada won gold in men's ice hockey Canada's National symbols are influenced by natural, historical, and Aboriginal sources. The use of the maple leaf as a Canadian symbol dates to the early 18th century. The maple leaf is depicted on Canada's current and previous flags, on the penny, and on the Coat of Arms. Canada's official national sports are hockey in the winter and lacrosse in the summer. Canada's six largest metropolitan areas—Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary, and Edmonton—have franchises in the National Hockey League (NHL), and there are more Canadian players in the NHL than from all other countries combined. Other popular spectator sports include curling and football; the latter is played professionally in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Golf, baseball, skiing, soccer, volleyball, and basketball are widely played at youth and amateur levels, but professional leagues and franchises are not widespread. Canada has hosted several high-profile international sporting events, including the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, and the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Canada was the host nation for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia.

International rankings

_

See also

Outline of Canada
Index of Canada-related articles
Canada-related topics by provinces and territories

References

Further reading

; History

cite book

title = History of the Canadian Peoples
first = JM | last = Bumsted
publisher = Oxford University Press
location = Oxford, UK
year = 2004
isbn = 0-19-541688-0

cite book

title = Canada: A National History
first = Margaret | last= Conrad
coauthors= Finkel, Alvin
publisher = Longman
location = Toronto
year = 2003
isbn = 0-201-73060-X

cite book

title = History of Canada Before 1867
first = Gordon T | last = Stewart
publisher = Michigan State University Press
year = 1996
location = East Lansing, MI
isbn = 0-87013-398-5
; Government and law

cite book

|first=Stephen | last=Brooks |title=Canadian Democracy: An Introduction |publisher=Oxford University Press Canada |edition=3rd |location=Don Mills, ON |isbn=0-19-541503-5 |year=2000

cite book

title = Secession and international law: conflict avoidance â€“ regional appraisals
first = Julie | last = Dahlitz
publisher = T.M.C. Asser Press
year = 2003
location = The Hague
isbn = 90-6704-142-4
; Foreign relations and military

cite book

first = Annette Baker| last = Fox
authorlink =
title = Canada in World Affairs
edition =
publisher = Michigan State University Press
location = East Lansing
year = 1996
isbn = 0-87013-391-8
url =

cite book

first = Desmond | last = Morton
coauthors = Granatstein, JL
title = Marching to Armageddon: Canadians and the Great War 1914–1919
edition =
publisher = Lester & Orpen Dennys
location = Toronto
year = 1989
isbn = 0-88619-209-9
url =
; Geography and climate

cite book

title = Canadian Oxford World Atlas
editor = Quentin H. Stanford
edition = 5th
location = Toronto
publisher = Oxford University Press (Canada)
isbn = 0-19-541897-2
year = 2003
; Economy

cite book

|first = William L | last=Marr |coauthor= Paterson, Donald G |title= Canada: An Economic History |publisher= Gage |location=Toronto |isbn = 0-7715-5684-5 |year=1980

cite book

|first=Iain | last=Wallace |title=A Geography of the Canadian Economy |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Don Mills, ON |isbn=0-19-540773-3 |year=2002
; Demography and statistics

cite book

last = Statistics Canada
title = Canada Year Book
publisher = Queen of Canada
location = Ottawa
year = 2001
isbn = 0-660-18360-9
; Language

cite web

publisher= Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
url=http://www.ocol-clo.gc.ca/docs/e/2004_05_e.pdf
title=Annual Report â€“ Special Edition
year=2005
accessdate=2009-10-19
; Culture

cite book

|first=Philip |last=Resnick |title=The European Roots Of Canadian Identity |publisher=Broadview Press |location=Peterborough, Ont. |isbn=1-55111-705-3 |year=2005

External links

; Government
Official website of the Government of Canada
Official website of the Governor General of Canada
Official website of the Prime Minister of Canada ; Crown corporations
Canada Post
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation ; Other
Canada at ''UCB Libraries GovPubs''

Canadian Studies: A Guide to the Sources
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
The Dictionary of Canadian Biography,  â€“ biographies of Canadians from 1000 to 1930 CE.

Navboxes

title=Articles Related to Canada
list1=

Template group

title = Geographic locale
list = Geographic coordinate system|Lat. and Long.

Template group

title = International membership, relationships and history
list =

fonte: Wikipedia