Canada Notes

Canada – Basic Facts• The name "Canada" was derived from the Huron-Iroquois word “Kanata”, which means

"settlement" or "meeting place."

• Made up of ten provinces and three Territories.

• Capital is Ottawa

• 2nd largest country in land area.

• Parliamentary Democracy (Canada is technically a constitutional monarchy and the head of

state is Queen Elizabeth. The Canadian Constitution limits her powers in government and she is generally considered a figurehead leader only)

– Prime Minister – head of parliament

– Parliament = Legislative and Executive combined– Canada's Major Parties

Liberal Party of CanadaConservative Party of CanadaLe Bloc QuébécoisNew Democratic Party of CanadaGreen Party of Canada

• More than 5,000 miles (8,050 km) of border with the US.

Territories and Provinces of Canada

• Atlantic Provinces– Nova Scotia

– New Brunswick

– Prince Edwards Island

– Newfoundland

• Core– Quebec

– Ontario

• Prairie Provinces – Manitoba

– Saskatchewan

– Alberta

• Pacific Provinces– British Columbia

– Nunavut

– Northwest Territory

– Yukon

Physical Geography • Mountains

– Rocky

– Coast

– Mackenzie

• Rivers

– Mackenzie

• Lakes

– Great Bear Lake

– Great Slave Lake

(The lake was named for the Slavey North

American Indians)

– Lake Athabasca

– Lake Winnipeg

Climate• Humid Continental (short summers) along the southern border of Canada

• Semiarid climate in the Prairie Provinces

• Highland climate in the Rockies

• Marine West Coast (along British Columbia)

• Subarctic (interior north of Canada)

• Tundra - Northern fringes

Economy• Primary industries

– Farming – Only 5% of land can be farmed

– Logging - #1 Export in $.

– Mining – Uranium, Zinc, Gold, Silver

– Fishing – Canada is #1 in exports

• Service Industry

– Finance, Real Estate, Tourism, Transportation

Culture• Ethnic Groups

– English, French

– Native – First Nations• Metis – French and Native

• Languages

– Officially a Bilingual Country – French, English

• Religion

– Protestant

– Catholic

• Population Patterns

– 90% of population lives within 100 miles of the US-Canadian border.

– 1/3 of Canada’s population lives in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.

• Sports

– Hockey

– Lacrosse

• Arts– Influenced by Natives

Regions of Canada

• Atlantic Provinces– Nova Scotia

– New Brunswick

– Prince Edwards Island

– Newfoundland

• Core– Quebec

– Ontario

• Prairie Provinces – Manitoba

– Saskatchewan

– Alberta

• Pacific Provinces– British Columbia

– Nunavut

– Northwest Territory

– Yukon