11 Facts About Canada – You’ll Be Impressed

Canada, as far as countries go, gets no respect.  Any American will admit that Canadians know more about the United States than vice versa.  In fact, knowledge regarding the Great White North among those south of the border is shockingly anemic, restricted to references to chilly temperatures, ice hockey, maple syrup, poutine, and the excessive use of “sorry” and “eh.”  In reality, the nation is a bit of a powerhouse in its own right.  To prove it, here are 11 facts about Canada.

 

Geography

1

By land area, Canada is the second-largest country in the world, behind Russia.

2

At 8,890 kilometers, Canada shares the longest international border in the world with the United States.

3

Canada has ten provinces, each with its own provincial government, as well as three territories that have more direct oversight by the federal government in the national capital of Ottawa.

 

History and Politics

4

Canadians celebrate Canada Day on July 1^st, commemorating the day in 1867 when what are four modern-day provinces united into a semi-independent dominion within the British Empire. This act set the stage for the inclusion of additional provinces and the creation of Canada as we know it.

5

Canada remains part of the Commonwealth of Nations, comprised largely of former territories of the British Empire. King Charles III (yes, that King Charles) is the Head of State, with his constitutional and ceremonial duties being carried out by the Governor-General of Canada.  In other words, Canada has a constitutional monarchy.  That said, day-to-day governance is carried out by a parliamentary democracy, with the Head of Parliament (or Head of Government) being the Prime Minister.

6

Canada, based on its two largest groups of European settlers originating from Britain and France, has two official languages, namely English and French.  Language laws in the country can be quite complex and a source of significant animosity.  French reigns supreme in the province of Quebec (though English has some degree of legal protection), while the province of New Brunswick is officially bilingual.  English dominates all other provinces, though laws are in place to provide various services to French speakers.

 

Modern Day Facts About Canada

7

Canada ranked number 15 in the world on the most recent United Nations Human Development Index, a popular measure of economic well-being.

8

The population of Canada is in the ballpark of 40 million, making it the 37^th most populated country in the world.

9

Canada is home to Toronto, whose population of over 2.8 million residents makes it the fourth largest city (not to be confused with metropolitan area) in North America, behind Mexico City, New York City, and Los Angeles. By some measures, Toronto is considered the most multicultural city on the planet.

 

Quirks

10

Canada has a unique relationship with the metric system, using kilometers (or kilometres) on highways, liters (or litres) at gas stations, and Celsius on weather reports. But height is often reported in feet and inches, body weight in pounds, area in square feet, and cooking temperature in Fahrenheit.  Go figure.

11

Canadians refer to their one-dollar coin as a loonie, as a common loon (a type of bird) is on the the back of the coin.  Their two-dollar coin is known as a toonie (two plus loonie), even though a polar bear appears in place of the common loon.

 

Canada, as it stands, is an immense, prosperous, and eclectic nation.  So go ahead—give it the respect that it deserves.