Fast Facts About Canada

Canada was a great place to live in the 70s — it still is. And though there’s been a lot of talk in the US about Canada’s health care system, it’s only a small part of what Canada is.

Fast Facts About Canada, Horseshoe Bay, BC
Fast Facts About Canada, Horseshoe Bay, BC

Here are some fast facts about Canada:

  • Canada was founded on July 1, 1867. Its population, according to the 2011 census, numbers 34 million.
  • At 3,855,103 square miles, Canada is the world’s second largest country. (Russia is the largest.)
  • Canada has two official languages – English and French.
  • Canada is divided into 10 provinces and 3 territories: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Yukon. Ontario and Quebec have the two largest populations, the territories have the largest sizes but the smallest populations.
  • Ottawa is Canada’s capital; Toronto its largest city. Both are located in the province of Ontario.
  • Canada’s largest island, Baffin Island, is larger than every US state except Alaska and Texas. The 5th largest island in the world, it more than doubles the size of the UK and is just slightly smaller than France.
  • Canada’s highest mountain range, Mount Logan, stretches from Alaska to the Yukon. Because of tectonic activity, the mountain continues to grow at an average of a few millimeters a year. Currently at 6,050 meters (19,849 feet), it is the second highest mountain range in North America (behind Mount McKinley), sixth highest in the world.
  • Canada’s 151,600 miles of coastline makes it the longest in the world.
  • The border between Canada and the US, officially called the International Boundary, is 5,525 miles. It is the longest border between two countries and includes 1,538 miles between Canada and Alaska.
  • Canada’s $1 and $2 coins are called the Loonie, and the Twonie. Both have the figure of the loon, a Canadian bird on one side.
  • Canada has the 10th largest economy. It exports motor vehicles and parts, machinery and equipment, aircraft, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, fertilizers, wood pulp, aluminum, timber, telecommunications equipment. The US is its largest trading partner.
  • Canada has a long list of famous entertainers, sports figures, authors and inventors. Among them: Alexander Graham Bell, John Kenneth Galbraith, Seth Rogen, Mordecai Richler, Peter Jennings, Lorne Michaels, Oscar Peterson, Margaret Atwood, Guy Lombardo, Alex Trebek, William Shatner, James Doohan, Justin Bieber, Wayne Gretsky, Keanu Reeves, Shania Twain, Drake, Jim Carrey, Joni Mitchell and Paul Anka.

Which of these fun facts were you surprised to learn?

Photos from Photo Dropper.

photo by:


mararie

14 comments on “Fast Facts About Canada

  1. Did not know most of these facts on Canada!! Thanks for sharing, hope I make it there sometime in my life!!

  2. I used to live about a 25 minute walk – tops – from Horseshoe Bay so this brought back lovely memories.
    You’ve got some great facts here.

  3. That Canada had the 10th largest economy! I love the country’s natural beauty. But I had no idea that they were also in the world market at such a high level.

  4. A beautiful image, Marcia, and some interesting facts. All I know of Canada so far is Vancouver from a trip last year. I’m keen to see more, and one reason for this is that I could have grown up Canadian, but in the toss up, my parents decided to migrate from Britain to Australia instead. That was when I was 10.

  5. Oh, wow! Interesting. Wonder why they decided to go to Australia — maybe the weather?
    I hope you get a chance to visit Canada, it’s such a beautiful country. I lived there for 10 years, except for the cold, I enjoyed it a lot. Have very good memories of my time there.

  6. When I went there in the early 70s, it was COLD so I can only imagine. And boy, was there SNOW!
    I remember one time in particular when I had to wait for a bus and wait I did. By the time I got home, I was frozen. It took quite a while for me to warm up. I still remember that.

  7. Hey,

    This is great! Thanks for letting us know. It is always helpful to learn knew things like this.To be honest I don’t know too much about this.

    Thanks,
    Joel

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