Maj's blog: "CANADA"

CANADA LOCATION -Canada is on the continent of North America. -The country stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. -The Arctic Ocean is north and the United States is south. -Canada is north of the 49th parallel of latitude. -The 49th parallel was chosen as a border from the Great Lakes to the west coast. FACTS -second-largest country in the world (Russian Federation is the largest) -ten provinces and three territories (capital cities are in brackets). Alberta (Edmonton), British Columbia (Victoria), Manitoba (Winnipeg), New Brunswick (Fredericton), Newfoundland and Labrador(St. John's), Northwest Territories (Yellowknife), Nova Scotia (Halifax), Nunavut (Iqaluit), Ontario (Toronto), Prince Edward Island (Charlottetown), Quebec (Quebec City), Saskatchewan (Regina), Yukon Territory (Whitehorse) -population over 32 million (2005) -capital city of Canada - Ottawa (Ontario) -leader of Canada - Prime Minister Stephen Harper -Governor General of Canada - Michaëlle Jean -emblem - maple leaf -flag - red and white with a red maple leaf -Canada's birthday is on the first of July. -animal - the beaver -motto - "From sea to sea" -national anthem - "O Canada" -RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) - the national police force -there are six time zones THE PEOPLE -population 32,270,500 (2005) -Most of the people live in the southern part of Canada. -About 77 percent of Canadians live in cities and towns. -The largest cities are Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.(2005 population) Toronto - 5.3 million; Montreal - 3.6 million; Vancouver - 2.1 million -The two main languages are English and French. -French is spoken by about 6 million people. -Ethnic groups include British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, North American Indian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26% -Canada is the home of over a million Aboriginal people. -Three Aboriginal groups : North American Indian, Metis and Inuit -Eastern Canada : the Maliseet, Algonquin, Iroquois, Micmac, Huron and Ojibwa -The Plains : Blackfoot, Cree and Assiniboine -Pacific Coast : Kwakiutl, Bella Coola, and Haida -Northern regions : Dene, Tsimshian and Slavey peoples -Arctic region : the Inuit LAND AND WATER -Canada has the world's longest coastline. -There are oceans on three sides - Pacific ( west), Atlantic ( east), Arctic (north). -Nearly one-fourth of all the fresh water in the world is in Canada. -Glaciers shaped the land and created many lakes (about 2 million lakes). -The Mackenzie River ( in the N.W.T. ) is the longest river in Canada. -Ships sail inland on the St. Lawrence River (from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes). -Forests cover almost half of Canada. -Canada has one-tenth of the world's forests. -Mount Logan in the Yukon Territory is Canada's tallest peak at 5,959 metres. GEOGRAPHY -Canada has six main geographical regions: Appalachian Highland, Canadian Shield, Arctic, Lowlands, Interior Plains, Cordillera HISTORY -The first people were the Aboriginal people. -Explorers and settlers from Western Europe arrived in the 1500s. -Canada was named by the French explorer Jacques Cartier (1535). -The name "Canada" comes from the Huron and Iroquois word "Kanata" meaning "village". -Canada became a country on July 1st, 1867. -The first provinces were Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario and Quebec. -The first prime minister was Sir John A. Macdonald. RESOURCES -Forests, plants, animals and fish are some of Canada's renewable resources. -Renewable resources can be replaced by nature. -Minerals, metal, natural gas, and oil are some of Canada's nonrenewable resources. -They cannot be replaced by nature. -Hydro-electric power is sold to the United States. -There are many different types of farms in Canada: grain farms, vegetable farms, fruit orchards, livestock and dairy farms -There are 42 national parks in Canada. Parks were created to protect the forests, plants and wildlife. Canada has laws to protect the wild animals and plants that are endangered. Hunting, mining and logging are not allowed in parks. -The largest park in Canada is Wood Buffalo National Park, in Alberta and the Northwest Territories. It is home of the world's largest bison herd and the only nesting site of the endangered whooping crane. -The oldest National Park is Banff in Alberta. It was created in 1885 as Rocky Mountain Park. EXPORTS - motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum TRANSPORTATION -The main highway system (completed in 1962) is called the Trans-Canada Highway. -It goes from St. John's NFLD to Victoria, B.C. -The highway is 7 604 kilometres long. -It is the longest national highway in the world. -The Dempster Highway in the Yukon territory is the northernmost highway. -The major ports are Vancouver, Churchill, Montreal, Quebec City, Halifax and St. John's. -The St. Lawrence Seaway allows ocean-going ships to sail inland. -The Seaway has twenty-six locks and five canals. -The two main freight railway systems are the Canadian National and the Canadian Pacific Railway. -VIA railway provides passenger service. -Workers began to build the national railroad in 1872. -The Canadian Pacific Railway was finished in 1885. -Upon completion many settlers were able to travel west. -In 1937 Bombardier invented the first snowmobile. GOVERNMENT -democratic system of government -Parliament of Canada is in Ottawa, Ontario -Parliament consists of House of Commons (elected) and Senate (appointed) -Prime Minister - Stephen Harper (leader of the Conservative Party) SPORTS -Hockey is the national sport of Canada. -Canadians also swim, ski, golf, curl, ride horses, play baseball, football, soccer, tennis, and lacrosse. -The native people of Canada invented the game of lacrosse.