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Canada is the second largest
country in the world, smaller only to Russia.
Population:
28 million people
Geographic size: 3.9 million square miles
Capital: Ottawa
Major cities and population: Toronto, Montreal,
Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Halifax |
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| Canada has a very large and
diverse range of geographic features. Canada is divided
into 10 provinces and 2 territories. Canada stretches
from the Pacific Ocean on the west, to the Atlantic Ocean
on the east. Northern Canada reaches into the Arctic
Circle, while southern Canada stretches below the
northern points of the United States.
Canada has a very
small population, 28 million people, for its geographic
size. Much of Canada is still wilderness, cover by
forests. The Rocky Mountains cover a major part of
western Canada -- British Columbia, the Yukon Territory,
and the western part of Alberta.
West-central Canada is mostly prairie, consisting of
large grain farms. |
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| The east-central part of
Canada are the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. These are
major population and industrial areas.
The Maritime
provinces on the east coast rely very heavily on the
Atlantic Ocean for their way of life. |
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| The majority of Canada is
still wilderness. This makes Canada a popular spot for
hunting and fishing.
Niagara Falls is one of Canada's
best known tourist attractions. It is the largest falls
in the world, measured in volume of water. |
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| Most of Canada's northern
islands are located inside the Arctic Circle. |
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| The industry
varies as you look across Canada. British Columbia, on
the west coast, has historically relied on natural
resources such as mining and timber. Manufacturing is now
becoming much more important to the economy. Alberta has
benefited from considerable natural resources including
oil and natural gas. It is also rich in minerals such as
zinc, silver, nickel and uranium.
The prairie provinces
of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and parts of Alberta produce
more than 20% of the world's wheat. Other forms of
farming and cattle also contribute to the economy.
Ontario and Quebec are the industrial center of
Canada. They have a wide variety of manufactured goods.
The lower part of Ontario also has very rich farm land,
with many orchards. This Niagara area is also known for
its wine production.
The maritime provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia,
Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland rely heavily on
fishing and natural resources such as timber. Prince
Edward Island is also well now for its potatoes. |
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| Native Americans
lived in Canada for thousands of years. In the early
1600s, colonists from Britain and France began to settle
in eastern Canada, along the St. Lawrence River. Canada
proved to be an excellent spot for trapping and trading
of furs. In the 1800s, settlers began to push west. Most
of the native Americans were displaced by the Europeans. |
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| Both English and
French still play a significant role in Canada, with both
being official languages. Most of Quebec and parts of
eastern Canada are still heavily influenced by their
French origins. Much of the rest of Canada is English
origin. Canada has also had significant immigration from
other European countries such as Germany, Italy and the
Ukraine. There are also many immigrants from Asia. The
Canadian Government tries very hard to maintain a
multi-cultural environment, encouraging people to
maintain their heritage.
Most of Canada's population
lives within 100 miles of the border with the United
States. About 75% of the population lives in major cities
or towns. |
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| With Canada
being so large, the climate varies considerably
throughout the country. Canada is generally known for its
cold winters and hot, but short, summers. |
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