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Travel to Canada: Research your vacation Canada travel plans with us!
Some Facts About Canada
Canada is a huge and fascinating land of contrasts. Although its area of nearly 4 million square miles (10 million square kilometers) makes
it the second largest nation on Earth, after Russia, it has a population of only 6.9 persons per square mile (2.7 persons per square kilometer).
By contrast, the population of China, a nation slightly smaller than Canada in area, is 40 times greater!
Canada's Climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
Terrain: mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast
Elevation extremes:
Canada's lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Canada's highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m
Natural Resources: iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower
Canada's Population: 32,207,113 (July 2003 est.)
Age Structure:
0-14 years: 18.5% (male 3,052,005; female 2,903,007)
15-64 years: 68.6% (male 11,099,907; female 10,984,903)
65 years and over: 12.9% (male 1,774,262; female 2,393,029) (2003 est.)
Languages: English 59.3% (official), French 23.2% (official), other 17.5%
Canada's Capital: Ottawa
Canada's four seasons, each distinctly different, add to this country's appeal. In autumn, the crisp air invites you outdoors to enjoy the brilliant colors of fall foliage. In winter, the landscape is blanketed by glistening white snow. Learn to ski on nearby ski hills or ice skate along frozen rivers. Spring arrives as early as February on the West Coast, bringing with it the scent of lilacs, daffodils and hyacinths. And in the summer, Canada is gloriously warm and inviting. As Canada is so large, the climate varies widely. The southernmost part of Canada, Point Pelee, is on the same latitude as northern California, while the Canadian northland extends deep into the Arctic. The summer in Canada is similar to that of the northern half of the U.S., with warm-hot weather from May to October, while residents of Vancouver Island can play golf 12 months of the year. The ski season runs from December until the end of March in the East, to the end of May in the West.
Popular places to travel in Canada:
- Montreal: Dubbed one of the world's most livable cities, Montreal's charm lies in its relaxed atmosphere rather than its star attractions,
and a quiet amble can be as memorable as a visit to the sights.
- Ottawa: Canada's capital sprawls along the southern bank of the Ottawa River, on the eastern tip of Ontario. As you'd expect, it's a government town,
dominated physically and spiritually by the neo-Gothic Parliament Buildings. The city has the usual plethora of impressive buildings common to capital cities
- Toronto: Canada's largest city. You'll hear a babble of more than 100 languages spoken on Toronto's streets, and it's estimated that 40%
of the population was born overseas. Toronto's most obvious symbol is the CN Tower, the world's tallest freestanding structure.
- Vancouver: Its hilly terrain and many bridges offer stunning views of the ocean, bays and Vancouver itself. Stanley Park is one of the world's great city parks which is located in Vancouver.
- Quebec City: Quebec City is the heart of French-Canada.
- Winnipeg: Canada's wild west begins in the prairie province of Manitoba, and Winnipeg is its capital. The Exchange District is one of the city's most interesting areas,
crammed with Victorian commercial buildings and featuring distinctive old advertising signs.
- Edmonton: Edomonton is the capital of Alberta and it holds the the world's largest shopping and entertainment mall.
- Whitehorse: Named for the Whitehorse Rapids, which are said to resemble the mane of a white horse, this northern community became the capital of the Yukon in 1953. Take in the MacBride Museum - a charming log cabin featuring intriguing archeological, historical and mining exhibits. Nearby is the original cabin of famous Yukoner, Sam McGee.
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