NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Canada
INTRODUCTION
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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. |
GEOGRAPHY
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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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Geographic coordinates:
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60 00 N, 95 00 W |
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Map references:
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North America |
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Area:
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total: 9,976,140 sq km
land: 9,220,970 sq km water: 755,170 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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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
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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, 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-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, 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 85% of the population is concentrated within 300 km of the US/Canada border |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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31,902,268 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 18.7% (male 3,059,023; female 2,910,203)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 10,975,701; female 10,857,869) 65 years and over: 12.9% (male 1,743,654; female 2,355,818) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.96% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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11.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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7.54 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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 (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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4.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 79.69 years
female: 83.25 years (2002 est.) male: 76.3 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.6 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.3% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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49,000 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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400 (1999 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% |