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CANADA |
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LOCATION-Canada is on the continent of North America.-The country stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. -The Arctic Ocean is north and the United States is south. -Canada is north of the 49th parallel of latitude. -The 49th parallel was chosen as a border from the Great Lakes to the west coast.
FACTS-second-largest country in the world (Russian Federation is the largest)-ten provinces and three territories (capital cities are in brackets).
-capital city of Canada - Ottawa (Ontario) -leader of Canada - Prime Minister Stephen Harper -Governor General of Canada - Michaëlle Jean -emblem - maple leaf -flag - red and white with a red maple leaf -Canada's birthday is on the first of July. -animal - the beaver -motto - "From sea to sea" -national anthem - "O Canada" -RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) - the national police force -there are six time zones
THE PEOPLE-population 32,270,500 (2005)-Most of the people live in the southern part of Canada. -About 77 percent of Canadians live in cities and towns. -The largest cities are Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.(2005 population) -French is spoken by about 6 million people. -Ethnic groups include British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, North American Indian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26% -Canada is the home of over a million Aboriginal people.
LAND AND WATER-Canada has the world's longest coastline.-Nearly one-fourth of all the fresh water in the world is in Canada. -Glaciers shaped the land and created many lakes (about 2 million lakes). -The Mackenzie River ( in the N.W.T. ) is the longest river in Canada. -Ships sail inland on the St. Lawrence River (from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes). -Forests cover almost half of Canada. -Canada has one-tenth of the world's forests. -Mount Logan in the Yukon Territory is Canada's tallest peak at 5,959 metres.
GEOGRAPHY-Canada has six main geographical regions:
HISTORY-The first people were the Aboriginal people.-Explorers and settlers from Western Europe arrived in the 1500s. -Canada was named by the French explorer Jacques Cartier (1535). -The name "Canada" comes from the Huron and Iroquois word "Kanata" meaning "village". -Canada became a country on July 1st, 1867. -The first provinces were Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario and Quebec. -The first prime minister was Sir John A. Macdonald.
RESOURCES-Forests, plants, animals and fish are some of Canada's renewable resources.-Renewable resources can be replaced by nature. -Minerals, metal, natural gas, and oil are some of Canada's nonrenewable resources. -They cannot be replaced by nature. -Hydro-electric power is sold to the United States. -There are many different types of farms in Canada: Parks were created to protect the forests, plants and wildlife. -The oldest National Park is Banff in Alberta. It was created in 1885 as Rocky Mountain Park.
EXPORTS- motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum
TRANSPORTATION-The main highway system (completed in 1962) is called the Trans-Canada Highway.-It goes from St. John's NFLD to Victoria, B.C. -The highway is 7 604 kilometres long. -It is the longest national highway in the world.
-The two main freight railway systems are the Canadian National
and the Canadian Pacific Railway. -In 1937 Bombardier invented the first snowmobile.
GOVERNMENT-democratic system of government-Parliament of Canada is in Ottawa, Ontario -Parliament consists of House of Commons (elected) and Senate (appointed) -Prime Minister - Stephen Harper (leader of the Conservative Party)
SPORTS-Hockey is the national sport of Canada.-Canadians also swim, ski, golf, curl, ride horses, play baseball, football, soccer, tennis, and lacrosse. -The native people of Canada invented the game of lacrosse
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