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The Basics

Canada is a diverse, progressive, peaceful and welcoming nation known for its pristine wilderness and stunning natural beauty. It’s vast and varied — a place for both bucket list adventure and sophisticated culture, Canada’s lively, multicultural cities contrast with the untouched wilderness at the edge of its urban centers.

Location

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.

Size

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

Coast

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

Population

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). 

Make-up

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.

Major Cities

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

Demographics

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.

Government

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.

Canada Fun Facts

Produces 70% of the world's

maple syrup

Most donut shops

in the world (per capita)

Polar Bear capital

of the world

Home to some of the world's

best aurora viewing

Province & Territory Facts

Alberta

Population 4,067,175
Capital City Edmonton
Largest City Calgary

Travel Times to Calgary

Sydney 14 hr 45 min

Weather Average

Alberta enjoys a humid continental climate with warm summers and cold winters.

British Columbia

Population 4,648,055
Capital City Victoria
Largest City Vancouver

Travel Times to Vancouver

Sydney 14 hr 20 min

Weather Average

British Columbia has a number of different climatic zones. In general, temperatures are warmer in the south; rainfall is heaviest along the coast; and winters coldest in the interior.

Manitoba

Population 1,278,365
Capital City Winnipeg
Largest City Winnipeg

Travel Times to Winnipeg

Sydney 18 hr 15 min

Weather Average

Manitoba has a moderately dry climate with sharp seasonal temperature changes. The summers are hot and winters are cold.

New Brunswick

Population 747,101
Capital City Fredericton
Largest City Moncton

Travel Times to Fredericton

Sydney 24 hr 0 min

Weather Average

New Brunswick has a typical continental climate with warm summers and cold winters, with slightly milder winters on the Gulf of St. Lawrence coastline.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Population 519,716
Capital City St. John's
Largest City St. John's

Travel Times to St. John's

Sydney 25 hr 15 min

Weather Average

Newfoundland and Labrador has a wide range of climates and weather, but broadly it has warm, humid summers and cold winters.

Northwest Territories

Population 41,786
Capital City Yellowknife
Largest City Yellowknife

Travel Times to Yellowknife

Sydney 25 hr 15 min

Weather Average

The mainland portion of the Northwest Territories has a subarctic climate, with short, cool summers and long, cold winters - perfect for aurora viewing.

Nova Scotia

Population 923,598
Capital City Halifax
Largest City Halifax

Travel Times to Halifax

Sydney 24 hr 50 min

Weather Average

Nova Scotia enjoys a maritime climate with warm summers and cold, wet and sometimes snowy winters.

Nunavut

Population 35,944
Capital City Iqaluit
Largest City Iqaluit

Travel Times to Iqaluit

Sydney 40 hr 15 min

Weather Average

Temperatures in Nunavut vary widely. In winter the days are short and cold, in the summer the Midnight Sun shines brightly over Nunavut with nearly 24-hour sunshine.

Ontario

Population 13,488,494
Capital City Toronto
Largest City Toronto

Travel Times to Toronto

Sydney 20 hr 10 min

Weather Average

Ontario has a continental climate, with hot summers and cold winters.

Prince Edward Island

Population 142,907
Capital City Charlottetown
Largest City Charlottetown

Travel Times to Charlottetown

Sydney 23 hr 55 min

Weather Average

Prince Edward Island has a moderate climate that is strongly influenced by the surrounding seas with warm summers and cold winters.

Quebec

Population 8,164,361
Capital City Québec City
Largest City Montréal
Major Airports
  • YQB (Québec)
  • YUL (Montréal)

Travel Times to Montréal

Sydney 21 hr 25 min

Weather Average

Québec has wide temperature variations. In the south, the weather is continental, with four seasons varying from hot summers to cold, snowy winters with lots of rain. The central and northern regions have longer, colder winters and shorter cooler summers.

Saskatchewan

Population 1,098,352
Capital City Regina
Largest City Saskatoon

Travel Times to Regina

Sydney 22 hr 0 min

Weather Average

Saskatchewan receives more hours of sunshine than any other Canadian province. It experiences a humid continental climate with hot summers and very cold winters.

Yukon

Population 35,874
Capital City Whitehorse
Largest City Whitehorse

Travel Times to Whitehorse

Sydney 18 hr 25 min

Weather Average

The Yukon has a sub-arctic continental climate with shorter warm summers and very cold, dark winters - perfect for aurora viewing!