| Country Profile A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and education services, as well as responding to separatist concerns in predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment. Disputes
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Population and Demographics
Canada has a population of 33,212,696 (July 2008 est.) .
| Capital | Ottawa |
| Main urban areas | Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Winnipeg |
| Ethnic groups | British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26% |
| Languages spoken | English 59.3% (official), French 23.2% (official), other 17.5% |
| Population age 0-14: 16.3% (m 2,780,491/f 2,644,276) |  | | |
| 0-14 | 15-64 | 65+ | |
| Gender ratios At birth: 1.06 m/f , 0-14: 1.05 m/f , 15-64: 1.02 m/f , 65+: 0.77 m/f | |||
Changing Population (Life expectancy, births, deaths and fertility)
The population growth rate for Canada is 0.83% (2008 est.) (world growth rate at 2006 is 1.14%). The country also saw migration of 5.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.). The median age of the country is total: 40.1 years male: 39 years female: 41.2 years (2008 est.).
Note: on the graphs, world figures are represented by a red bar, figures for Canada are illustrated with a green bar.
| Life Expectancy: | Total population: 81.16 years Male: 78.65 years Female: 83.81 years (2008 est.) |  [81.16] [64.77][Male:, m] [63.16, m][, f][66.47, f] |
| Fertility: | 1.57 children born/woman (2008 est.) | [1.57][2.59] |
| Births: | 10.29 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) | [10.29][20.05] |
| Deaths: | 7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) | [7.61][8.67] |
| Infants: | Total: 5.08 deaths/1,000 live births Male: 5.4 deaths/1,000 live births Female: 4.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) | [5.08][48.87][5.4, m][50.98, m][4.75, f][46.65, f] |
Geographic Data
Canada is located in Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US, in the timezone GMT -3.5 to -8. The country has boundaries of 8,893 - US 8,893 (includes 2,477 with Alaska) (km), and a coastline of 202,080 (km). Major urban areas: Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Winnipeg.
Elevations
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m
Physical Features
Mainly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast. Main features includes; Great Lakes, Lake Superior (82,260 km2), Lake Huron (59,580 km2), Great Bear Lake (31,330 km2), Great Slave Lake (28,570 km2), Lake Erie (25,710 km2), Lake Winnipeg (24,390 km2), Lake Ontario (19,270 km2), Mackenzie-Slave-Peace-Finlay river (4,240 km), Niagara Falls, Rocky Mountains, Coast Mountains and St Lawrence waterway
Hazards
Continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains
Climate
Varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
Natural Resources
Iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower
Land Use
Arable land: 4.57% permanent crops: 0.65% other: 94.78% (2005)
Renewable Water Resources
3,300 cu km (1985)
Fresh Water Withdrawal
total: 44.72 cu km/yr (20%/69%/12%) per capita: 1,386 cu m/yr (1996)
Environmental Issues
Air pollution and resulting 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
Economic Data
Economy Overview
As an affluent, high-tech industrial society in the trillion-dollar class, Canada resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and affluent living standards. 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. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US. Given its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada enjoys solid economic prospects.
Top-notch fiscal management has produced consecutive balanced budgets since 1997, although public debate continues over the equitable distribution of federal funds to the Canadian provinces. Exports account for roughly a third of GDP. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with its principal trading partner, the US, which absorbs 80% of Canadian exports each year. Canada is the US’s largest foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and electric power. During 2007, Canada enjoyed good economic growth, moderate inflation, and the lowest unemployment rate in more than three decades.
Debt and Aid
Debt: $758.6 billion (30 June 2007)
Aid Given: ODA, $3.9 billion (2007)
Aid Received: $NA
Labour Force
Number in labour force: 17.95 million (2007 est.)
Sectors: agriculture 2%, manufacturing 13%, construction 6%, services 76%, other 3% (2006)
Unemployment: 6% (2007 est.)
GDP Facts and Figures
Currency: Canadian dollar (CAD)
GDP: $1.266 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP Per Capita: $38,400 (2007 est.)
GDP Real Growth: 2.7% (2007 est.)
GDP Composition: agriculture: 2.1% industry: 28.8% services: 69.1% (2007 est.)
Production Growth Rate: 0.3% (2007 est.)
Industries, Land Use and Resource Consumption
Industries: transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, fish products, petroleum and natural gas
Land use: arable land: 4.57% permanent crops: 0.65% other: 94.78% (2005)
Exports: motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum
Electricity Consumption: 540.2 billion kWh (2005)
Natural Gas Consumption: 92.76 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Oil Consumption: 2.29 million bbl/day (2005)
Transport and Communications
A selection of key transport and communications information for Canada
Number of main telephone lines
20.78 million (2005)
Mobile (cellular) phones
17.017 million (2005)
Radio stations
AM 245, FM 582, shortwave 6 (2004)
Television stations
80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)
Internet users
22 million (2005)
Country internet code
.ca
Railways
total: 48,467 km standard gauge: 48,467 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Highways
total: 1,042,300 km paved: 415,600 km (including 17,000 km of expressways) unpaved: 626,700 km (2005)
Waterways
631 km note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2003)
Pipelines
crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980 km (2003)
Ports and harbours
Fraser River Port, Halifax, Montreal, Port Cartier, Quebec, Saint John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Vancouver
Airports
1,343 (2007)
Heliports
11 (2007)
