Quick Facts

Population: 32,207,113 (July 2003)

Languages: English official, French official, other

Political system: Confederation with parliamentary democracy

Capital: Ottawa

Education: 97 % literacy rate (1986 est.)

Culture: British Isles origin 28% ; French origin 23% ; other European 15% ; Amerindian 2% ; other NA ; mostly Asian NA ; African NA ; Arab 6% ; mixed background 26%

Religions: Roman Catholic 46% , Protestant 36% , other 18%

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)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $29,400 (2002 .est)

Terrain: Mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Geography: 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 border

Climate: Varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north