Canada in Brief

Canada is at the top of North America above the United States. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean. The US is to the south and to the north is the Arctic Ocean. Canada takes up nearly half of the North American continent.

Canada is the second-largest country in the world after Russia. Its land covers 3.8 million square miles (9.9 million square kilometers).

The country has the longest coastline on the planet: 151,000 miles (243,000 kilometers).

Canada’s population is 36 million, concentrated along the U.S.-Canada border. It is a sparsely populated country with just 10 people per square mile (four people per square kilometer). 

Canada has 10 provinces and 3 territories: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, The Northwest Territories and Yukon Territory.

Canada’s largest city is Toronto, Ontario, followed by Vancouver, British Columbia, Montreal, Quebec and Calgary, Alberta.

Canada is a youthful country and immigrants make up 21% of its population, meaning one in five is foreign born. The majority of immigrants come from Asia. About 20% of the population identify as visible minorities. This is the population breakdown by province/territory.

Canada is a constitutional monarchy and Parliamentary democracy. Its capital city is Ottawa, Ontario. The Prime Minister of Canada is Justin Trudeau, the Leader of the Liberal Party.