Canada

Canada is the second largest country in the world. Only Russia has a greater land area. About 27 million people live in Canada. Much of Canada is uninhabited or thinly populated because the country has rugged terrain and severe climate. Like the country’s landscape, Canada’s people are also varied. About 37 per cent of all Canadians are of British descendant and about 32 per cent are of French ancestry.

Canada’s population has doubled since World War II ended in 1945. The rapid growth resulted from heavy immigration and a high birth rate. Canada has become a new home for political refugees from many nations.

Canada has two official languages, English and French. About 67 per cent of Canadians speak only English, and 17 per cent of them speak only French.

Canada began as a nation with a largely rural population. But today, more than 75 per cent of the nation’s people live in urban areas. Motorways now link the cities with the many suburbs that have sprung up. Toronto and Montreal have modern underground railway systems.

Canada has 25 metropolitan areas with a population of more than 100,000. About 24 per cent of Canada’s people live in rural areas, but only about 4 per cent live on farms.

Today, each province and territory in Canada has its own school system. The Canadian government directs the education of children on India reserves, the children of members of the armed forces, and the inmates of state penitentiaries. In all except three of the universities in Quebec, classes are taught in French. In the other nine provinces, most of the universities teach in English. Canada has an extensive system of public libraries.

Canada covers more than half of North America. It borders on the northwest and the rest of the continental United States on the south. Canada has six time zones. Canada has eight major land regions. They are (1)the Pacific Ranges and Lowlands, (2) the Rocky Mountains, (3)the Arctic Islands, (4) the interior Plains, (5) the Canadian Shield, (6) the Hudson Bay Lowlands, (7) the St. Lawrence Lowlands, and (8) the Appalachian Region.

Canada’s northern location gives the country a cold climate, but conditions vary considerably from region to region. During the winter, westerly winds bring frigid Arctic air to the most of Canada. Average January temperatures are below-18 degrees C in two-thirds of the country. January temperatures average above freezing only along the coast of British Columbia. This area has a moderate climate because of mild winds from the Pacific Ocean.

Northern Canada has short, cool summers. In the northern Arctic Islands, July temperatures average below 4 degrees C. Southern Canada has summers that are long and warm enough for growing crops. Winds from the Gulf of Mexico often bring hot weather to southern Ontario and the St. Lawrence River Valley. Temperatures in southern Ontario average about 21 degrees C in July.

Some coastal areas of British Columbia receive more than 250 centimetres of precipitation annually. Most of it falls during the autumn and winter. The Canadian prairies have from 25 to 50 centimetres of precipitation a year, mainly as rain during the summer. These conditions help make the prairies ideal for growing grain.

South eastern Canada has a humid climate. The average annual precipitation ranges from about 75 centimetres in southern Ontario to about 150 centimetres on the coast of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. More than 250 centimetres of snow covers eastern Canada in winter.

Today, farming, fishing, forestry, or fur trapping are still important and produce valuable exports. But the main economic fields are service industries and manufacturing.

Service industries account for 63 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product. They employ about 72 per cent of workers. Service industries are especially important in the major metropolitan areas of Canada.

The leading group of service industries in Canada includes such economic activities as education and health care, data processing and legal services, and the operation of hotel and recreation facilities. These general services employ about a third of Canada’s workers.

Financial service is the second most important service industry in terms of the gross domestic product. Toronto and Montreal are the leading financial centres. The main Canadian stock exchange is in Toronto.

Manufacturing provides 20 per cent of the gross domestic product. Manufacturing in Canada is divided about equally into two broad fields. The first involves processing minerals and other natural resources for export, and the second provides products for use by Canadians. Factories in Ontario and Quebec produce more than three-fourths of the value of Canada’s manufactured goods.

Mining provides 6 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product. Canada is one of the world’s leading exporters of minerals. Canada is among the major producers of a wide variety of minerals.

Agriculture accounts for 3 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product. Canada is a leading timber-producing nation.

Fishing is Canada’s oldest industry. The Grand Banks, off the coast of New Foundland, ranks among the world’s best fishing grounds.

Canada uses energy at a high rate per person. This rate result largely from the huge quantities needed for certain activities. Canada ranks among the leading countries in electric power production.

Canada also ranks among the leading countries in the world in international trade. About 70 per cent of Canada'’ trade, both exports and imports, is with the United States.

Canada’s landscape includes many natural barriers to travel. These barriers include mountains, forests and bodies of water. Canadians have built an outstanding system of railway, road, water, and air transportation.

Canadians have one of the world’s most advanced communication systems, including telephone and telegraph services, television and radio, mail service and publishing. Canada has about 100 daily newspapers that are printed in English and about 10 in French.

Canada is a beautiful country with a lot of interesting tourist attractions to see. I hope to visit Canada one day myself.

Kasutatud kirjandus

Eneke 2, kirjastus “Valgus” 1983, Tallinn

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada