STUDYING IN CANADA: An Overview of Canada

Canada's Geography and Climate

Canada is the second-largest country in the world by land area (after the Russian Federation). It is located on the North American continent, bordered by the United States to the south, Alaska (USA) and the Arctic to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Canada has a temperate climate with two main seasons: long winters with snow and ice covering much of the country, and cool, warm summers.

Origin of the Name "Canada"

The name Canada comes from the word kanata in the language of the Huron-Iroquois natives, which means "village," referring to Stadacona, a place that is now part of Quebec City. In the past, this country was often called the Dominion of Canada, but today, only the name Canada is used in official documents.

Climate

Canada experiences many different types of climate, but in general, it has four distinct seasons. This climate is most noticeable in the densely populated provinces along the U.S. border. In the summer, temperatures can rise to 35°C or higher during the day, while in winter, temperatures can drop to -15°C. Temperatures are more comfortable in fall and spring.

Geography and Population

• Located in the northern part of North America
• Shares a border of 8,892 km with the United States
• 800 km from the North Pole
• Population: 32 million people
• Population density: 3.2 million people per 1 km²
• Coastline: 202.80 km
• Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean
• Highest point: Mount Logan (5,959 meters)
• Canada's territory spans approximately 9,984,670 km² and spans six time zones, making it the second-largest country in the world by area.

The country is divided into 10 provinces and 3 self-governing territories, each with its own capital.

Politics

Canada gained independence from the British Empire on July 1, 1867, and July 1 each year is celebrated as National Day. Canada follows a constitutional monarchy: the head of state is the Queen of the United Kingdom, represented by a Canadian Governor General (appointed by the Prime Minister and approved by the Queen). The Prime Minister and Cabinet are selected by the majority party or coalition in the House of Commons. The Parliament consists of the Senate and the House of Commons. Senators are appointed by the Governor General upon the Prime Minister’s recommendation, and they serve until the age of 75. Members of the House of Commons are directly elected by the public, serving a five-year term.

Culture

Canada is a multicultural country. This is especially evident in large cities such as Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, where the diversity of ethnicities from around the world is prominent. Additionally, contemporary art is very well developed, with thousands of architectural works, landscapes, museums, and art academies throughout the country. Canada also has one of the largest film and music industries in the world.

Population and Ethnic Composition

In 2005, Canada’s population was estimated at around 32 million people. Despite being the second-largest country in the world by area, about 10 million km², Canada's population density is extremely low, about 4 people per km². Canada is larger than the United States but has only about one-ninth of its population.

The first inhabitants of Canada were indigenous peoples believed to have arrived from Asia tens of thousands of years ago via a land bridge connecting Siberia and Alaska. Around the 10th century, the Vikings established a settlement on the eastern coast of Canada, and remains of this settlement are still present in Newfoundland. By the mid-16th century, French and English explorers began exploring North America, and French and English settlers started to cultivate and reside in Canada in the early 17th century.

Until World War II, most immigrants came from the United Kingdom, Scotland, Ireland, and Eastern Europe. Since 1945, Canada's cultural landscape has become richer, with increasing immigration from Southern Europe, South America, the Caribbean, Asia, and especially from countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Today, Canadians come from all over the world.

According to the latest census, more than 50% of the population has non-British or non-French ancestry. Of these, 13% are non-white, 3% are indigenous, 14% are of Scottish origin, 13% are of Irish origin, 9.25% are of German origin, and 4.3% are of Italian origin. This number is expected to increase with the ongoing globalization.

Language

The two official languages of Canada are English and French. Nearly 60% of Canadians have English as their mother tongue, and 22% have French. The majority of French speakers live in the province of Quebec, followed by the provinces of Ontario, New Brunswick, and Manitoba. Some Indigenous languages are also considered official in self-governing territories, especially Inuktitut. Many Indigenous languages have either disappeared or are in danger of doing so. Other widely spoken languages include Italian, German, Mandarin, Cantonese (Chinese), and Spanish.

Quebec is the only province that has passed a law to protect the French language, aiming to preserve their unique cultural identity in North America. However, the language and educational rights of English-speaking communities and Indigenous languages are also protected. Moreover, citizens have the right to use either English or French when communicating with the government.

Economy

Canada is a member of NATO, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the largest foreign investor in the U.S.

It is a major trading partner of the United States, with trade valued at over 1.4 billion USD per day.

Canada is considered one of the countries with the highest GDP per capita and is one of the top 10 industrialized nations. The largest growth has been seen in the service and high-tech sectors.

Other major industries include automobile manufacturing, food processing, and various other industries. Provinces along the Atlantic coast, Prairies, or Pacific coast are developing with a focus on exploiting natural resources.

Key exports include automobiles, high-tech components, oil, natural gas, metals, forestry products, and agricultural products.

Canada is a developed country (part of the G8) with energy self-sufficiency. Its economy primarily relies on natural resources.

Canada is rich in minerals: iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, potash, silver, oil, coal, hydraulic resources, and seafood. It is one of the world’s largest economies, with major industries including mining, wood processing, paper, food, transportation equipment, chemicals, oil and gas, electricity, telecommunications, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. Agricultural products include wheat, oilseeds, fruits, livestock, beverages, and wine. Its main trading partners are the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the European Union.

Canada is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, La Francophonie, WTO, IMF, WB, OECD, NATO, NAFTA, APEC, and many other international organizations.