CANADA

OVERVIEW

Flag: the Maple Leaf and l'Unifolié (French for "the one-leafed"). An 11 pointed maple leaf in the centre of a red and white background.

Coat of Arms: also known as the Royal Coat of Arms of Canada, or even as the Arms of Her Majesty The Queen in Right of Canada. It is similar to the Royal Coat of Arms of the UK.

Capital city: Ottawa

Biggest city: Toronto

Currency: Canadian dollar ( CAD)

Official languages: English and French

Current Prime minister: Justin Trudeau

Monarch: Elisabeth II

National colours: red and white

Motto: A Mari Usque Ad Mare (From sea to sea)

National tree: Maple tree

Additional national symbol: Maple leaf

National animals:

Canadian horse

Beaver

National sport:

Lacrosse

Ice-hockey

National tartan:

Maple leaf tartan

Mountie - The Royal Canadian Mounted Police

GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE

Canada is a country which is located in the northern parts of North America. Canada is by its surface of 9 984 670 km2 the second largest country in the world. In that huge country live around 35, 9 million people. That means that Canada is very scarcely populated with only 3, 6 people per km2. There are big differences in the average population because 90% of people live in the south around lakes Erie and Ontario, next to the river St. Lawrence and next to the borders with the USA. The Labrador Peninsula, the northern parts of the country and the Arctic islands are almost unpopulated. Very scarcely populated are also the west of the country and the shores of the Pacific.

About 5/6 land of Canada are mountains and 1/6 lowlands. Canada is surrounded by the Pacific ocean (west side) , Arctic ocean (north side) and Atlantic ocean (east side)
The highest point is Mount Logan (5,959 m), the longest river is the Mackenzie River (4,241 km), the largest lake is the Great Bear Lake (31,153 km2). Canada stretches across 6 time zones, Canadian borders are 8,893 km long.
The Hopewell Rocks are rock formations caused by tidal erosion in The Hopewell Rocks Ocean Tidal exploration Site in New Brunswick. These rocks, during low tide, stand 12 to 20 metres tall with no water surrounding them

Most parts of Canada have subarctic climate and northern parts of it have tundra climate. On the south of the country there is humid continental climate. The north of the country is very much isolated because of the icy surrounding seas.

Canada had the biggest population growth at the beginning of the 20 th century because of the immigration of European settlers. From the second half of 20 th century till today the population has been slowly growing because of the reduced birth rate and reduced immigration.
Canada is in the group of the seven most developed countries in the world called G7. Economic progress was possible because of its natural riches. Some of them are large mineral resources, a lot of energy sources, forests and plains.
The Canadian economy is closely connected to the economy of the USA because they are Canada’s lead partners in foreign trades. Because of that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was founded. Members are countries like Canada, USA and Mexico.

Canada is a world exporter of agriculture products, although in that section of business only 2 percent of the population is employed. Most of the products are cereals and oilseeds. Also important is cattle breeding in the Canadian Prairie. Forests are very important because they are resources for wood industries and paper industries.

Canada has got large mineral resources, especially around the Canadian Shield. Around the cities of Edmonton and Calgary are big findings of oil and natural gas. The largest city is Toronto, but the capital city is Ottawa. Toronto and Montreal are the largest industrial cities and Vancouver is the largest industrial city on the Pacific shore.

Canada is divided into 10 provinces : Ontario , Quebec , Nova Scotia , New Brunswick , Manitoba , British Columbia , Prince Edward Island , Saskatchewan , Alberta and New Foundland and Labrador. Canada is divided in 3 territories , too. They are the Yukon territory , Nunavut territory and Northwest territories.
In Canada there are 2 official languages: French in the province Quebec and English in other parts of Canada.

THE PROVINCES

ALBERTA
Alberta was named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta of Britain
•Capital city – Edmonton
•Alberta's motto - "strong and free"
•It is known as Canada's "energy province"
•Immigrants - Britain, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the East and Southeast Asia
•main producer of coal, oil and natural gas in Canada

BRITISH COLUMBIA
•Capital city – Victoria on Vancouver Island
•Motto - "Splendour without diminishment"
•Immigrants - from Britain, Western Europe, East and Southeast Asia, Bangladesh, and Pakistan
•has the largest Chinese community in Canada
•Largest industry - Forestry
•has the largest fishing industry in Canada