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Introduction |
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Background: |
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. Canada's paramount political
problem is meeting public demands for quality improvements in
health care and education services after a decade of budget
cuts. The issue of reconciling Quebec's francophone heritage
with the majority anglophone Canadian population has moved to
the back burner in recent years; support for separatism abated
after the Quebec government's referendum on independence failed
to pass in October of 1995.
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Geography |
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Location: |
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: |
60 00 N, 95 00 W
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Map references: |
North America
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Area: |
total:
9,984,670 sq km
land: 9,093,507 sq km
water: 891,163 sq km
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Area -
comparative: |
somewhat larger
than the US
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Land boundaries: |
total: 8,893
km
border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with
Alaska)
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Coastline: |
202,080 km
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea:
12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the
continental margin
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Climate: |
varies from
temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
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Terrain: |
mostly plains with
mountains in west and lowlands in southeast
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Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m
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Natural
resources: |
iron ore, nickel,
zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver,
fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower
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Land use: |
arable land:
4.96%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 95.02% (2001)
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Irrigated land: |
7,200 sq km (1998
est.)
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Natural hazards: |
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: |
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: |
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur
85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
Compounds, Marine Life Conservation
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Geography -
note: |
second-largest
country in world (after Russia); strategic location between
Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the
population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border
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People |
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Population: |
32,805,041 (July
2005 est.)
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Age structure: |
0-14 years:
17.9% (male 3,016,032/female 2,869,244)
15-64 years: 68.9% (male 11,357,425/female 11,244,356)
65 years and over: 13.2% (male 1,842,496/female
2,475,488) (2005 est.)
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Median age: |
total: 38.54
years
male: 37.54 years
female: 39.56 years (2005 est.)
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Population
growth rate: |
0.9% (2005 est.)
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Birth rate: |
10.84 births/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Death rate: |
7.73 deaths/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Net migration
rate: |
5.9
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
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Sex ratio: |
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 (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality
rate: |
total: 4.75
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy
at birth: |
total
population: 80.1 years
male: 76.73 years
female: 83.63 years (2005 est.)
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Total fertility
rate: |
1.61 children
born/woman (2005 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult
prevalence rate: |
0.3% (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS -
people living with HIV/AIDS: |
56,000 (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS -
deaths: |
1,500 (2003 est.)
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Nationality: |
noun:
Canadian(s)
adjective: Canadian
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Ethnic groups: |
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: |
Roman Catholic
42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican
6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim
1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census)
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Languages: |
English (official)
59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%
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Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% (1986 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
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Government |
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Country name: |
conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Canada
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Government type: |
confederation with
parliamentary democracy
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Capital: |
Ottawa
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Administrative
divisions: |
10 provinces and 3
territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New
Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories*,
Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec,
Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*
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Independence: |
1 July 1867 (union
of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931
(independence recognized)
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National
holiday: |
Canada Day, 1 July
(1867)
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Constitution: |
made up of
unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and
traditions; the written part of the constitution consists of the
Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a federation of
four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982, which
transferred formal control over the constitution from Britain to
Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as
well as procedures for constitutional amendments
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Legal system: |
based on English
common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based on
French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal
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Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by
Governor General Adrienne CLARKSON (since 7 October 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Paul MARTIN (since 12
December 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Anne MCLELLAN (since 12
December 2003)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister
from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor
general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime
minister for a five-year term; following legislative elections,
the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority
coalition in the House of Commons is automatically designated
prime minister by the governor general
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Legislative
branch: |
bicameral
Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (members
appointed by the governor general with the advice of the prime
minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age; its normal
limit is 105 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des
Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to
serve for up to five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held 28 June 2004
(next to be held by NA 2009)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by
party - Liberal Party 36.7%, Conservative Party 29.6%, New
Democratic Party 15.7%, Bloc Quebecois 12.4%, Greens 4.3%,
independents 0.4%, other 0.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party
134, Conservative Party 99, Bloc Quebecois 54, New Democratic
Party 19, independent 2
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Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court of
Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister through the
governor general); Federal Court of Canada; Federal Court of
Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court of
Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court,
and Court of Justice)
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Political
parties and leaders: |
Bloc Quebecois
[Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of Canada (a merger of the
Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party)
[Stephen HARPER]; Green Party [Jim HARRIS]; Liberal Party [Paul
MARTIN]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]
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Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA
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International
organization participation: |
ACCT, AfDB, APEC,
ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C,
CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating state), FAO,
G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,
NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
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Flag
description: |
two vertical bands
of red (hoist and fly side, half width), with white square
between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered in the
white square; the official colors of Canada are red and white
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Economy |
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Economy -
overview: |
As an affluent,
high-tech industrial society, newly entered in the trillion
dollar class, Canada closely resembles the US in its
market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and
affluent living standards. Since World War II, the impressive
growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has
transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one
primarily industrial and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade
Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase
in trade and economic integration with the US. Given its great
natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant
Canada enjoys solid economic prospects. Solid fiscal management
has produced a long-term budget surplus which is substantially
reducing the national debt, although public debate continues
over how to manage the rising cost of the publicly funded
healthcare system. Exports account for roughly a third of GDP.
Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with its principal
trading partner, the United States, which absorbs more than 85%
of Canadian exports.
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GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $1.023 trillion (2004 est.)
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GDP - real
growth rate: |
2.4% (2004 est.)
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GDP - per
capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $31,500 (2004 est.)
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GDP -
composition by sector: |
agriculture:
2.3%
industry: 26.4%
services: 71.3% (2004 est.)
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Labor force: |
17.37 million
(2004)
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Labor force - by
occupation: |
agriculture 3%,
manufacturing 15%, construction 5%, services 74%, other 3%
(2000)
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Unemployment
rate: |
7% (2004)
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Population below
poverty line: |
NA
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Household income
or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
2.8%
highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)
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Distribution of
family income - Gini index: |
31.5 (1994)
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Inflation rate
(consumer prices): |
1.9% (2004 est.)
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Investment
(gross fixed): |
19.4% of GDP (2004
est.)
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Budget: |
revenues:
$151 billion
expenditures: $144 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
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Public debt: |
NA (2004 est.)
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Agriculture -
products: |
wheat, barley,
oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest
products; fish
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Industries: |
transportation
equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food
products; wood and paper products; fish products, petroleum and
natural gas
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Industrial
production growth rate: |
2% (2004 est.)
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Electricity -
production: |
548.9 billion kWh
(2002)
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Electricity -
production by source: |
fossil fuel:
28%
hydro: 57.9%
nuclear: 12.9%
other: 1.3% (2001)
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Electricity -
consumption: |
487.3 billion kWh
(2002)
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Electricity -
exports: |
36.13 billion kWh
(2002)
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Electricity -
imports: |
13 billion kWh
(2002)
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Oil -
production: |
3.11 million
bbl/day (2004 est.)
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Oil -
consumption: |
2.2 million bbl/day
(2003 est.)
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Oil - exports: |
1.37 million
bbl/day (2004)
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Oil - imports: |
987,000 bbl/day
(2004)
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Oil - proved
reserves: |
178.9 billion bbl
including shale oil (2004 est.)
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Natural gas -
production: |
165.8 billion cu m
(2003 est.)
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Natural gas -
consumption: |
55.8 billion cu m
(2003 est.)
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Natural gas -
exports: |
91.52 billion cu m
(2003 est.)
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Natural gas -
imports: |
8.73 billion cu m
(2003 est.)
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Natural gas -
proved reserves: |
1.691 trillion cu m
(2004)
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Current account
balance: |
$28.2 billion (2004
est.)
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Exports: |
$315.6 billion
f.o.b. (2004 est.)
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Exports -
commodities: |
motor vehicles and
parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications
equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber,
crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum
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Exports -
partners: |
US 85.2%, Japan
2.1%, UK 1.6% (2004)
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Imports: |
$256.1 billion
f.o.b. (2004 est.)
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Imports -
commodities: |
machinery and
equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals,
electricity, durable consumer goods
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Imports -
partners: |
US 58.9%, China
6.8%, Mexico 3.8% (2004)
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Reserves of
foreign exchange and gold: |
$36.27 billion
(2003)
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Debt - external: |
$570 billion (2004)
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Economic aid -
donor: |
ODA, $2 billion
(2004)
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Currency (code): |
Canadian dollar
(CAD)
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Currency code: |
CAD
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Exchange rates: |
Canadian dollars
per US dollar - 1.301 (2004), 1.4011 (2003), 1.5693 (2002),
1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000)
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Fiscal year: |
1 April - 31 March
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Communications |
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Telephones -
main lines in use: |
19,950,900 (2003)
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Telephones -
mobile cellular: |
13,221,800 (2003)
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Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: excellent service provided by modern technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth
stations
international: country code - 1-xxx; 5 coaxial submarine
cables; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean
and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
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Radio broadcast
stations: |
AM 245, FM 582,
shortwave 6 (2004)
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Radios: |
32.3 million (1997)
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Television
broadcast stations: |
80 (plus many
repeaters) (1997)
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Televisions: |
21.5 million (1997)
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Internet country
code: |
.ca
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Internet hosts: |
3,210,081 (2003)
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Internet Service
Providers (ISPs): |
760 (2000 est.)
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Internet users: |
16.11 million
(2002)
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Transportation |
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Railways: |
total:
48,683 km
standard gauge: 48,683 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)
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Highways: |
total:
1,408,800 km
paved: 497,306 km (including 16,900 km of expressways)
unpaved: 911,494 km (2002)
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Waterways: |
631 km
note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the
Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States
(2003)
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Pipelines: |
crude and refined
oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980 km (2003)
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Ports and
harbors: |
Fraser River Port,
Goderich, Montreal, Port Cartier, Quebec, Saint John's
(Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Vancouver
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Merchant marine: |
total: 169
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,784,229 GRT/2,657,499 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 49, chemical tanker 6,
combination ore/oil 1, container 1, passenger 6, passenger/cargo
65, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 6
foreign-owned: 6 (France 1, Germany 3, United States 2)
registered in other countries: 112 (2005)
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Airports: |
1,326 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with
paved runways: |
total: 503
over 3,047 m: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 150
914 to 1,523 m: 245
under 914 m: 75 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with
unpaved runways: |
total: 823
1,524 to 2,437 m: 67
914 to 1,523 m: 347
under 914 m: 409 (2004 est.)
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Heliports: |
319 (2004)
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Military |
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Military
branches: |
Canadian Armed
Forces: Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air Command,
Canada Command (homeland security) to be operational in early
2006 (2005)
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Military
manpower - military age and obligation: |
16 years of age for
voluntary military service; women comprise some 11% of Canada's
armed forces (2001)
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Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 16-49:
8,216,510 (2005 est.)
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Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 16-49:
6,740,490 (2005 est.)
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Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
223,821 (2005 est.)
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Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$9,801.7 million
(2003)
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Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.1% (2003)
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Transnational Issues |
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Disputes -
international: |
managed maritime
boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea,
Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed Machias Seal
Island and North Rock; working toward greater cooperation with
US in monitoring people and commodities crossing the border;
uncontested sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans Island in
the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland
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Illicit drugs: |
illicit producer of
cannabis for the domestic drug market and export to US; use of
hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities
of high-quality marijuana indoors; transit point for heroin and
cocaine entering the US market; vulnerable to narcotics money
laundering because of its mature financial services sector
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