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Background:
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A
land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada
became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties
to the British crown. Economically and technologically the
nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to
the south across an unfortified border. Its paramount
political problem continues to be the relationship of the
province of Quebec, with its French-speaking residents and
unique culture, to the remainder of the country.
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Location:
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Northern North
America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North
Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north,
north of the conterminous US |
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Map references:
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North
America |
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Area:
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total:
9,984,670 sq km
land: 9,093,507 sq km
water: 891,163 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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somewhat larger
than the US |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
8,893 km
border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with
Alaska) |
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Coastline:
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202,080 km |
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Climate:
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varies from
temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north |
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Terrain:
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mostly plains
with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m |
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Natural resources:
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iron ore, nickel,
zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, diamonds,
silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas,
hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land:
4.94%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 95.04% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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7,200 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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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 east of the mountains |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur
85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Marine Life Conservation |
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Geography - note:
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second-largest
country in world (after Russia); strategic location between
Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the
population is concentrated within 300 km of the US border |
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Population:
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32,507,874 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
18.2% (male 3,038,800; female 2,890,579)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 11,225,686; female 11,111,941)
65 years and over: 13% (male 1,807,472; female
2,433,396) (2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
38.2 years
male: 37.2 years
female: 39.2 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.92% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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10.91
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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7.67 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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5.96 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
4.82 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 5.28 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 79.96 years
male: 76.59 years
female: 83.5 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.3% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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55,000 (2001
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 500
(2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Canadian(s)
adjective: Canadian |
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Ethnic groups:
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British Isles
origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian
2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background
26% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic
46%, Protestant 36%, other 18%
note: based on the 1991 census |
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Languages:
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English 59.3%
(official), French 23.2% (official), other 17.5% |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% (1986 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA% |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Canada |
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Government type:
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confederation
with parliamentary democracy |
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Capital:
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Ottawa |
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Administrative divisions:
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10 provinces and
3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New
Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories*,
Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec,
Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory* |
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Independence:
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1 July 1867 (from
UK) |
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National holiday:
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Canada Day, 1
July (1867) |
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Constitution:
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17 April 1982
(Constitution Act); originally, the machinery of the
government was set up in the British North America Act of
1867; charter of rights and unwritten customs |
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Legal system:
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based on English
common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based on
French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Adrienne CLARKSON (since 7
October 1999)
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor
general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime
minister for a five-year term; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of
the majority coalition in the House of Commons is
automatically designated prime minister by the governor
general
head of government: Prime Minister Paul MARTIN (since
12 December 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Anne MCLELLAN (since
12 December 2003)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister
from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral
Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat
(members appointed by the governor general with the advice of
the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age;
its normal limit is 105 senators) and the House of Commons or
Chambre des Communes (301 seats; members elected by direct,
popular vote to serve for up to five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held 27 November
2000 (next to be held by NA 2005)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by
party - Liberal Party 41%, Canadian Alliance 26%, Bloc
Quebecois 11%, New Democratic Party 9%, Progressive
Conservative Party 12%; seats by party - Liberal Party 172,
Canadian Alliance 66, Bloc Quebecois 38, New Democratic Party
13, Progressive Conservative Party 12; note - seats by party
as of December 2003 - Liberal Party 170, Canadian Alliance 59,
Bloc Quebecois 33, New Democratic Party 14, Progressive
Conservative Party 18, Independent 4, vacant seats 3 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court of
Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister through the
governor general); Federal Court of Canada; Federal Court of
Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court of
Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court,
and Court of Justice) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Bloc Quebecois
[Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of Canada (a merger of
the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party)
[Stephen HARPER]; Liberal Party [Paul MARTIN]; New Democratic
Party [Jack LAYTON] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Michael F. KERGIN
chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20001
FAX: [1] (202) 682-7726
telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo,
Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New
York, and Seattle
consulate(s): Houston, Princeton, Raleigh-Durham, San
Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Paul CELLUCCI
embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8
mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY
13669-0430
telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470
FAX: [1] (613) 688-3097
consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal,
Quebec, Toronto, and Vancouver |
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Economy - overview:
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As an affluent,
high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles
the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of
production, and high living standards. Since World War II, the
impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service
sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural
economy into one primarily industrial and urban. The 1989
US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico)
touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic
integration with the US. As a result of the close cross-border
relationship, the economic sluggishness in the United States
in 2001-02 had a negative impact on the Canadian economy. Real
growth averaged nearly 3% during 1993-2000, but declined in
2001, with moderate recovery in 2002-03. Unemployment is up,
with contraction in the manufacturing and natural resource
sectors. Nevertheless, given its great natural resources,
skilled labor force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys
solid economic prospects. Two shadows loom, the first being
the continuing constitutional impasse between English- and
French-speaking areas, which has been raising the specter of a
split in the federation. Another long-term concern is the flow
south to the US of professionals lured by higher pay, lower
taxes, and the immense high-tech infrastructure. A key
strength in the economy is the substantial trade surplus.
Roughly 90% of the population lives within 160 kilometers of
the US border. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $957.7 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1.6% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $29,700 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
2.2%
industry: 26%
services: 71.8% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% (1998 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.8% (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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16.4 million
(2001 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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services 74%,
manufacturing 15%, construction 5%, agriculture 3%, other 3%
(2000) |
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Unemployment rate:
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7.7% (2003 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$178.6 billion
expenditures: $161.4 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.) |
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Industries:
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transportation
equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food
products; wood and paper products; fish products, petroleum
and natural gas |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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0% (2003 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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566.3 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
28%
hydro: 57.9%
other: 1.3% (2001)
nuclear: 12.9% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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504.4 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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38.4 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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16.11 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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2.738 million
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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1.703 million
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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2.008 million
bbl/day (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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1.145 million
bbl/day (2001) |
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Natural gas - production:
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186.8 billion cu
m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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82.25 billion cu
m (2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat, barley,
oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest
products; fish |
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Exports:
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$279.3 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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motor vehicles
and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications
equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp,
timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum |
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Exports - partners:
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US 87.7%, Japan
2%, UK 1.1% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$240.4 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and
equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals,
electricity, durable consumer goods |
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Imports - partners:
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US 62.6%, China
4.6%, Japan 4.4% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$1.9 billion
(2000) |
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Economic aid - donor:
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ODA, $1.3 billion
(1999) |
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Currency:
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Canadian dollar
(CAD) |
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Currency code:
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CAD |
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Exchange rates:
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Canadian dollars
per US dollar - 1.4 (2003), 1.57 (2002), 1.55 (2001), 1.49
(2000), 1.49 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 April - 31
March |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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19,962,100 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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11.849 million
(2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: excellent service provided by modern
technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300
earth stations
international: country code - 1; 5 coaxial submarine
cables; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic
Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean
region) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 535, FM 53,
shortwave 6 (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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80 (plus many
repeaters) (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.ca |
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Internet hosts:
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2,993,982 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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16.11 million
(2002) |
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Railways:
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total:
73,301 km
standard gauge: 73,301 km 1.435-m gauge (129 km
electrified) (2001) |
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Highways:
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total:
1,408,800 km
paved: 497,306 km (including 16,900 km of expressways)
unpaved: 911,494 km (2002) |
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Waterways:
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3,000 km
(including Saint Lawrence Seaway) |
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Pipelines:
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crude and refined
oil 23,564 km; natural gas 74,980 km |
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Ports and harbors:
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Becancour
(Quebec), Churchill, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, New
Westminster, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Saint John (New
Brunswick), St. John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Sydney,
Trois-Rivieres, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 119
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,784,229 GRT/2,657,499 DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 59, cargo 13, chemical
tanker 6, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 1, passenger
2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 18, rail car carrier 1,
roll on/roll off 11, short-sea/passenger 3, specialized tanker
1
registered in other countries: 43 (2003 est.)
foreign-owned: Germany 3, Hong Kong 2, Monaco 18,
United Kingdom 3, United States 2 |
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Airports:
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1,357 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 505
over 3,047 m: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 246
under 914 m: 75 (2003 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 150 |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 852
1,524 to 2,437 m: 69
914 to 1,523 m: 359
under 914 m: 424 (2003 est.) |
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Heliports:
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12 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
|
Canadian Armed
Forces: Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air Command |
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Military manpower - military age:
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17 years of age
(2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 8,417,314 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 7,176,642 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males:
214,623 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$9,801.7 million
(2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.1% (2003) |
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Disputes - international:
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managed maritime
boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea,
Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed Machias Seal
Island and North Rock; uncontested dispute with Denmark over
Hans Island sovereignty in the Kennedy Channel between
Ellesmere Island and Greenland |
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Illicit drugs:
|
illicit producer
of cannabis for the domestic drug market and export to US; use
of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large
quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; transit point
for heroin and cocaine entering the US market; vulnerable to
narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial
services sector |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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