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Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]

wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; commercial fisheries provide annual catch of 1.5 million metric tons, of which 75% is exported

Budget [time series]

revenues: $106.5 billion expenditures: $117.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.7 billion (1996)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Canadian dollar (Can$) = 100 cents

Debt - external (Debt-external) [time series]

$253 billion (1996)

Economic aid [time series]

donor: ODA, $1.6 billion (1995) note: ODA and OOF commitments, $10.1 billion (1986-91)

Economic overview (Economy-overview) [time series]

As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high 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. Canada started the 1990s in recession, and real rates of growth have averaged only 1.1% so far this decade. Because of slower growth, Canada still faces high unemployment-especially in Quebec and the Maritime Provinces-and a large public sector debt. With its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, however, Canada will enjoy better economic prospects in the future. The continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas is raising the possibility of a split in the federation, making foreign investors somewhat edgy.

Electricity - capacity (Electricity-capacity) [time series]

113.645 million kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]

17,448 kWh (1995)

Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]

532.64 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$1-1.4408 (January 1998), 1.3846 (1997), 1.3635 (1996), 1.37241 (1995), 1.3656 (1994), 1.2901 (1993)

Exports [time series]

total value: $208.6 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: newsprint, wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, machinery, natural gas, aluminum, motor vehicles and parts; telecommunications equipment partners: US, Japan, UK, Germany, South Korea, Netherlands, China

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April-31 March Communications

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$658 billion (1997 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP-composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 3% industry: 31% services: 66% (1997)

Real GDP per capita (GDP-per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$21,700 (1997 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP-real growth rate) [time series]

3.5% (1997 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $194.4 billion (c.i.f., 1997) commodities: crude oil, chemicals, motor vehicles and parts, durable consumer goods, computers; telecommunications equipment and parts partners: US, Japan, UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

1.7% (1997 est.)

Industries [time series]

processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, transportation equipment, chemicals, fish products, petroleum and natural gas

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate-consumer price index) [time series]

1.8% (1997)

Labor force [time series]

total: 15.3 million (1997) by occupation: services 75%, manufacturing 16%, agriculture 3%, construction 5%, other 1% (1997)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 900, FM 29, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

excellent service provided by modern technology domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations international: 5 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations-5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

15.3 million (1990)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

70 (repeaters 1,400) (1991)

Televisions [time series]

11.53 million (1983 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

8.6% (December 1997)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 9,976,140 sq km land: 9,220,970 sq km water: 755,170 sq km

Area - comparative (Area-comparative) [time series]

slightly larger than US

Climate [time series]

varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Coastline [time series]

243,791 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Logan 5,950 m

Environment - current issues (Environment-current issues) [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment-international agreements) [time series]

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geographic coordinates [time series]

60 00 N, 95 00 W

Geography - note (Geography-note) [time series]

second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; nearly 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US/Canada border

Irrigated land [time series]

7,100 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Land use [time series]

arable land: 5% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 54% other: 38% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and North Pacific Ocean, north of the conterminous US

Map references [time series]

North America

Maritime claims [time series]

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas

Terrain [time series]

mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

10 provinces and 2 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory* note: the Northwest Territories will be split in two as of April 1999; the eastern section, which will be self-governing, will be renamed Nunavut, the west is as yet unnamed

Constitution [time series]

17 April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the machinery of the government was set up in the British North America Act of 1867; charter of rights and unwritten customs

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Canada

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon GIFFIN embassy: 100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1, Ottawa mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430 telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond A. J. CHRETIEN chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001 telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Romeo LeBLANC (since 8 February 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Jean CHRETIEN (since 4 November 1993) cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons is automatically designated by the governor general to become prime minister

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (202) 682-7726 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle consulate(s): Miami, Princeton, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (613) 238-5720 consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and Vancouver

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

three vertical bands of red (hoist side), white (double width, square), and red with a red maple leaf centered in the white band

Government type [time series]

federation with parliamentary democracy

Independence [time series]

1 July 1867 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE (observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIPONUH, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the prime minister through the governor general

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (a body whose members are appointed to serve until reaching 75 years of age by the governor general and selected on the advice of the prime minister; its normal limit is 104 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (301 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Commons-last held 2 June 1997 (next to be held by NA June 2002) election results: percent of votes by party-Liberal Party 38%, Reform Party 19%, Tories 19%, Bloc Quebecois 11%, New Democratic Party 11%, other 2%; seats by party - Liberal Party 155, Reform Party 60, Bloc Quebecois 44, New Democratic Party 21, Progressive Conservative Party 20, independents 1

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Ottawa

National holiday [time series]

Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Liberal Party [Jean CHRETIEN]; Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Reform Party [Preston MANNING]; New Democratic Party [Alexa MCDONOUGH]; Progressive Conservative Party [Jean CHAREST]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Canadian Armed Forces (includes Land Forces Command or LC, Maritime Command or MC, Air Command or AC, Communications Command or CC, Training Command or TC), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures-dollar figure) [time series]

$7.1 billion (FY97/98)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures-percent of GDP) [time series]

1.2% (FY97/98)

Military manpower - availability (Military manpower-availability) [time series]

males age 15-49: 8,200,963 (1998 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower-fit for military service) [time series]

males: 7,033,996 (1998 est.)

Military manpower - military age (Military manpower-military age) [time series]

17 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually (Military manpower-reaching military age annually) [time series]

males: 209,679 (1998 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 20% (male 3,106,331; female 2,961,328) 15-64 years: 68% (male 10,457,686; female 10,328,953) 65 years and over: 12% (male 1,619,704; female 2,201,396) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

12.12 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate [time series]

7.25 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

British Isles origin 40%, French origin 27%, other European 20%, Amerindian 1.5%, other, mostly Asian 11.5%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

5.59 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages [time series]

English (official), French (official)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 79.16 years male: 75.86 years female: 82.63 years (1998 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% (1986 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Canadian(s) adjective: Canadian

Net migration rate [time series]

6.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population [time series]

30,675,398 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.09% (1998 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 45%, United Church 12%, Anglican 8%, other 35% (1991)

Sex ratio [time series]

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 (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.65 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]

maritime boundary disputes with the US (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Machias Seal Island)

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; growing role as a transit point for heroin and cocaine entering the US market CAPE VERDE

Transportation

Airports [time series]

1,393 (1997 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]

total: 515 over 3,047 m: 17 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 149 914 to 1,523 m: 240 under 914 m: 93 (1997 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports-with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 878 1,524 to 2,437 m: 73 914 to 1,523 m: 350 under 914 m: 455 (1997 est.)

Heliports [time series]

17 (1997 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 1.021 million km paved: 358,371 km (including 19,000 km of expressways) unpaved: 662,629 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 638,267 GRT/902,923 DWT ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 9, chemical tanker 4, oil tanker 16, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 1, railcar carrier 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7, short-sea passenger 5, specialized tanker 1 note: does not include ships used exclusively in the Great Lakes (1997 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

crude and refined oil 23,564 km; natural gas 74,980 km

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Becancour (Quebec), Churchill, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, New Westminster, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Saint John (New Brunswick), Saint John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Sydney, Trois-Rivieres, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor

Railways [time series]

total: 72,963 km; note-there are two major transcontinental freight railway systems: Canadian National (privatized November 1995) and Canadian Pacific Railway; passenger service provided by government-operated firm VIA, which has no trackage of its own standard gauge: 72,963 km 1.435-m gauge (183 km electrified) (1996)

Waterways [time series]

3,000 km, including Saint Lawrence Seaway