The 1996 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Ocean and North Pacific Ocean, north of the conterminous US

      Geographic coordinates: 60 00 N, 95 00 W

      Map references: North America

      Area:

       total area: 9,976,140 sq km

       land area: 9,220,970 sq km

       comparative area: slightly larger than US

      Land boundaries: total: 8,893 km border country: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

      Coastline: 243,791 km

      Maritime claims:

       continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

       exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

       territorial sea: 12 nm

      International disputes: maritime boundary disputes with the US;

       Saint Pierre and Miquelon is focus of maritime boundary dispute

       between Canada and France

      Climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in

       north

      Terrain: mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in

       southeast

       lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

       highest point: Mount Logan 5,950 m

      Natural resources: nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum,

       potash, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas

      Land use:

       arable land: 9%

       permanent crops: 0%

       meadows and pastures: 3%

       forest and woodland: 45%

       other: 43%

      Irrigated land: 8,400 sq km (1989 est.)

      Environment:

       current issues: air pollution and resulting acid rain severely

       affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning

       utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and

       forest productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to

       agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities

       natural hazards: continuous permafrost in north is a serious

       obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky

       Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic,

       Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the

       country's rain and snow

       international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air

       Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic

       Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered

       Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine

       Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

       Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified -

       Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,

       Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea, Tropical Timber 94

      Geographic note: second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; nearly 90% of the population is concentrated within 161 km of the US/Canada border

      People———

      Population: 28,820,671 (July 1996 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 21% (male 3,032,458; female 2,889,603)

       15–64 years: 67% (male 9,663,955; female 9,660,648)

       65 years and over: 12% (male 1,501,542; female 2,072,465) (July 1996

       est.)

      Population growth rate: 1.06% (1996 est.)

      Birth rate: 13.33 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

      Death rate: 7.17 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

      Net migration rate: 4.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

       under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

       15–64 years: 1 male(s)/female

       65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

       all ages: 0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

      Infant mortality rate: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.07 years male: 75.67 years female: 82.65 years (1996 est.)

      Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (1996 est.)

      Nationality:

       noun: Canadian(s)

       adjective: Canadian

      Ethnic divisions: British Isles origin 40%, French origin 27%,

       other European 20%, indigenous Indian and Eskimo 1.5%, other, mostly

       Asian 11.5%

      Religions: Roman Catholic 45%, United Church 12%, Anglican 8%,

       other 35% (1991)

      Languages: English (official), French (official)

      Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1986 est.)

       total population: 97%

       male: NA%

       female: NA%

      Government—————

      Name of country: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Canada

      Data code: CA

      Type of government: confederation with parliamentary democracy

      Capital: Ottawa

      Administrative divisions: 10 provinces and 2 territories*;

       Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland,

       Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,

       Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

      Independence: 1 July 1867 (from UK)

      National holiday: Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

      Constitution: amended British North America Act 1867 patriated to

       Canada 17 April 1982; charter of rights and unwritten customs

      Legal system: based on English common law, except in Quebec, where

       civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory

       ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

      Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

      Executive branch:

       chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), a

       hereditary monarch, is represented by Governor General Romeo LeBLANC

       (since 8 February 1995), who was appointed by the queen

       head of government: Prime Minister Jean CHRETIEN (since 4 November

       1993) was appointed by the governor general; on 25 October 1993;

       Deputy Prime Minister Sheila COPPS (since NA); note - the prime

       minister is the leader of the political party commanding a majority

       in the House of Commons