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Canada
Relevant information about Canada.Canada is located in the north of North America, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the United States to the south. With a total area of 9,984,670 km2, Canada is the world’s second largest country by total area, preceded by Russia (17,098,242 km2). Its capital is Ottawa. As one of the world’s most developed countries, it is under the government of a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy (the head of state is Queen Elizabeth II) and it is a member of the Commonwealth, G8, G20, OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), the World Trade Organization, Francophonie, OAS (Organization of American States), APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation) and the United Nations. Originally, Canada was occupied by several Aboriginal groups. Years later, in the 15th century, expeditions from the United Kingdom and France settled along the Atlantic coast.
With a population of 33,759,742 inhabitants (estimated in 2010), Canada is divided into ten provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan; and three territories: Yukon, Nunavut and Northwest Territories. British are the largest ethnic group, representing 28% of the population. They are followed by French (23%), other European (Scottish, Irish, German, and Italian 15%), Chinese (3.9%), Black (2%) and Amerindian (2%). The country has the highest immigration rate, mostly due to its economic policies and family reunification; the immigrants settle primarily in urban areas such as Toronto and Vancouver. Canada fervently accepts religious pluralism: Roman Catholic is the religion which most represents the Canadian population: 42.6% of citizens believe in it. It is followed by Protestantism (9.5%), Anglicans (6.8%), Baptists (2.4%), Lutherans (2%), Muslim (2%) and Judaism (1.1%). 16% of the citizens have no affiliation with any religion. English is the official language: it is spoken by 58.8% of Canadians, whereas 21.6% speaks French and 19.6% other languages. The life expectancy at birth is, in female, of 84 years and in male, o f78.72 years, estimated in 2010. While the infant mortality rate is of 4.99 deaths per 1,000 births, the total fertility rate is of 1.58 children born per woman, also calculated in 2010. The Canadian culture was influenced by the European culture, mainly British and French, the United States and the aboriginal culture. The immigrants also contributed in the heterogeneous culture of Canada: the migration waves have shaped it combining customs and traditions. Canada’s government has elaborated programs, laws and institutions to influence and promote the culture and traditions. The maple leaf, beaver, and the Canadian Horse are the official symbols of Canada. Regarding art, Canadian painters followed European trends. Among them, you can find Cornelius Krieghoff and Paul Kane; Jean Paul Riopelle, Harold Town, William Ronald and Jack Bush (abstract painters), Michael Snow, and David Milne (landscape artist). Canadian music is a reflection of the multi-cultural influences that Canada has had. Jacques Cartier, who did the historic landing on the Gaspé coast in 1534, was the major influence in Canadian music: many artists have dedicated songs to him, such as Joseph Vermandere, Louis Bouhier, and Bengt Hambraeus. Canada has a strong music infrastructure: chamber halls, church halls, performing arts centers, radio stations, record companies, conservatories and academies. Many successful musicians, performers and composers have emerged from Canada. The most popular sports in Canada are football (gridiron) basketball and ice-hockey, which is the official winter sport and the most successful in international competitions. Soccer is one of the most practiced sports: the Grey Cup championship is the largest annual sports event. The oldest sport is Lacrosse, which is also the official summer sport. Street hockey, cricket, rugby, softball, curling, auto racing, cycling, hiking, boxing, horse racing, rodeo, skateboarding, swimming, snowboarding, skiing, tennis and water sports are also very popular. Canada was the host of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
As one of the wealthiest nations, Canada is among the top ten trading nations. It has a market-oriented economy and affluent living standards. The U.S.A. (its principal partner), the United Kingdom and Japan are the largest foreign importers. Since World War II, Canada has suffered an extraordinary growth of the manufacturing, and the service sectors dominates the economy, since it employs approximately three quarters of Canadians. Due to its plenty natural resources, Canada is a net exporter of energy: natural gas, oil and gas resources; the country has the second largest oil reserve thanks to the Athabasca Oil Sands, preceded by Saudi Arabia, and is the USA’s largest foreign supplier of energy: oil, gas, uranium and electric power. The labor force by occupation is, in agriculture, of 2%; in manufacturing 13%; in construction 6%; and in services 76%. The unemployment rate, estimated in 2009, is of 8.9%, whereas the population below the poverty line is of 10.8%. As one of the largest suppliers of agricultural products, Canada has among its agricultural products wheat, oilseed, fruits, barley, tobacco, vegetables, dairy products, forest products and fish. The industrial sector is represented by chemicals, transportation equipment, food products, processed and unprocessed minerals, wood and paper products, fish products, natural gas and petroleum.
Canada’s landscapes and cities attract thousands of tourists annually. Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto (the three largest cities) are major metropolitan areas. Vancouver has beautiful landscapes of mountains and ocean. One can also visit the Vancouver Museum and the Vancouver Maritime Museum. In Vancouver Island a popular activity is whale watching. The Banff and Jasper National Parks, the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the Wood Buffalo National Park and the Dinosaur Provincial Park were included into the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites. In Manitoba, several festivals are held every year: the Festival du Voyageur, Folkorama, the Jazz Winnipeg Festival, the Winnipeg Music Festival and the Red River Exhibition. Quebec is a major tourist city: is a taste of old France and is included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage site. It is also a city where important festivals take place: Just for Laughs Festival and the Montreal International Jazz Festival.
As one of the best medical tourism destinations, Canada provides high-quality health care services. The tourists are able to save between 30 to 60% in medical procedures due to Canada’s low prices. Hospitals have modern technological equipments and the doctors are well trained. The tourists are mainly from the United States.
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