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 the World's longest unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care, and education, social services, and economic competitiveness, as well as responding to the particular concerns of predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment.

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

slightly larger than the US

varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, rare earth elements, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower

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

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

second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border

34,030,589 (July 2011 est.)

10.28 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

7.98 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

5.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Toronto 5.377 million; Montreal 3.75 million; Vancouver 2.197 million; OTTAWA (capital) 1.17 million; Calgary 1.16 million (2009)

1.58 children born/woman (2011 est.)

fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.)

urban: 100% of population

rural: 99% of population

total: 100% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 1% of population

total: 0% of population (2008)

urban: 100% of population

rural: 99% of population

total: 100% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 1% of population

total: 0% of population (2008)

British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26%

Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census)

English (official) 58.8%, French (official) 21.6%, other 19.6% (2006 Census)

a parliamentary democracy, a federation, and a constitutional monarchy

10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK per Statute of Westminster)

Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and traditions; the written part of the constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982, which transferred formal control over the constitution from Britain to Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as procedures for constitutional amendments

common law system except in Quebec where civil law based on the French civil code prevails

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (105 seats; members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister and serve until 75 years of age) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve a maximum of four-year terms)

Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister); Federal Court of Canada; Federal Court of Appeal; Tax Court of Canada; Provincial/Territorial Courts (these are named variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queen's Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Justice)

Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of Canada [Stephen HARPER]; Green Party [Elizabeth MAY]; Liberal Party [Robert RAE (interim)]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width) with white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered in the white square; the maple leaf has long been a Canadian symbol; the official colors of Canada are red and white

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, its principal trading partner. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with the US, which absorbs about three-fourths of Canadian exports each year. Canada is the US's largest foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and electric power. Given its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada enjoyed solid economic growth from 1993 through 2007. Buffeted by the global economic crisis, the economy dropped into a sharp recession in the final months of 2008, and Ottawa posted its first fiscal deficit in 2009 after 12 years of surplus. Canada's major banks, however, emerged from the financial crisis of 2008-09 among the strongest in the world, owing to the financial sector's tradition of conservative lending practices and strong capitalization. During 2010, Canada's economy grew only 3%, due to decreased global demand and a highly valued Canadian dollar.

$1.33 trillion (2010 est.)

$1.291 trillion (2009 est.)

$1.323 trillion (2008 est.)

$1.574 trillion (2010 est.)

18.59 million (2010 est.)

22.1% of GDP (2010 est.)

34% of GDP (2010 est.)

29% of GDP (2009 est.)

1% (31 December 2010)

0.5% (31 December 2009)

3% (31 December 2009 est.)

2.4% (31 December 2009 est.)

$560.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$470.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$1.469 trillion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.144 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)

$2.963 trillion (31 December 2010 est.)

$2.606 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)

$1.681 trillion (31 December 2009)

$1.002 trillion (31 December 2008)

$2.187 trillion (31 December 2007)

wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish

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

620.7 billion kWh (2007 est.)

536.1 billion kWh (2007 est.)

55.73 billion kWh (2008 est.)

23.5 billion kWh (2008 est.)

3.289 million bbl/day (2009 est.)

2.151 million bbl/day (2009 est.)

2.001 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

1.192 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

161.3 billion cu m (2009 est.)

94.62 billion cu m (2009 est.)

94.67 billion cu m (2009 est.)

16.59 billion cu m (2009 est.)

1.754 trillion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

$-40.21 billion (2010 est.)

$-38.08 billion (2009 est.)

$406.8 billion (2010 est.)

$323.3 billion (2009 est.)

motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum

US 75.02%, UK 3.37%, China 3.09% (2009)

$406.4 billion (2010 est.)

$327.3 billion (2009 est.)

machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods

US 51.1%, China 10.88%, Mexico 4.56% (2009)

$NA (31 December 2010 est.)

$54.36 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$1.009 trillion (30 June 2010)

$781.1 billion (31 December 2008)

$528.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$494.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$602.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$576.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Canadian dollars (CAD) per US dollar -

18.251 million (2009)

23.081 million (2009)

2 public television broadcasting networks each with a large number of network affiliates; several private-commercial networks also with multiple network affiliates; overall, about 150 TV stations; multi-channel satellite and cable systems provide access to a wide range of stations including US stations; mix of public and commercial radio broadcasters with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the public radio broadcaster, operating 4 radio networks, Radio Canada International, and radio services to indigenous populations in the north; roughly 2,000 licensed radio stations in Canada (2008)

26.96 million (2009)

gas 835 km; liquid petroleum gas 75,000 km (2010)

636 km (Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States) (2008)

Fraser River Port, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, Port-Cartier, Quebec City, Saint John (New Brunswick), Sept-Isles, Vancouver

Canadian Forces: Land Forces Command (LFC), Maritime Command (MARCOM), Air Command (AIRCOM), Canada Command (homeland security) (2011)

17 years of age for voluntary male and female military service (with parental consent); 16 years of age for reserve and military college applicants; Canadian citizenship or permanent residence status required; maximum 34 years of age; service obligation 3-9 years (2008)

1.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Gulf of Maine including the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; Canada and the United States dispute how to divide the Beaufort Sea and the status of the Northwest Passage but continue to work cooperatively to survey the Arctic continental shelf; US works closely with Canada to intensify security measures for monitoring and controlling legal and illegal movement of people, transport, and commodities across the international border; sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland; commencing the collection of technical evidence for submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in support of claims for continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from its declared baselines in the Arctic, as stipulated in Article 76, paragraph 8, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; increasing ecstasy production, some of which is destined for the US; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services sector