2. Geography Canada is the 2nd largest country in the world at 3.9 million sq. miles. It is divided into 10 provinces: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador. And 3 territories: Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavut. The longest mountain range in Canada, which is over 3,000 miles long and stretches down to New Mexico, U.S. There are approximately 3 million lakes with an unknown amount more, yet to be discovered.
4. Geography There are four climate zones in Canada based on the annual daily average temperatures. ZONE A being the mildest, and ZONE D being the coldest. Areas in colder zones require energy efficient doors, windows, and skylights, due to the extreme colds these zones receive. Special consideration for travel and food supply must be taken by those in colder regions, because during the winter storms a it could be days before people can be mobilized. Due to Canada’s terrain and usually colder weather, it is home to many great ski parks, and hosted the 2010 winter Olympic games.
5. People As of 2010, Canada was reported to be home to 34.5 million people Many of the original settlers in Canada were the Inuit, people from Britain, and France. In 2006, the number one country for sending immigrants to Canada was China, closely followed by India. Canada, is home to dozens upon dozens of different nationalitiesand/or ethnicities. Quebec is a province where around 95% of its population speak its official language, French.
7. People With such a racial mixture in Canada there are many languages spoken, but only English or French is recognized as an official language. Both French and English are an official language in New Brunswick. It’s Estimated that only about 35,000 Inuit speak there native language. With some traditional food dishes from ethnic backgrounds, the majority of Canada it’s foods similar to the United States. Tourtiere is an especially good dish…(a favorite of mine)
8. History The colony of New France was colonized by trappers and settlers from Britain and France. The colony became part of the British empire after the British victory of the Seven Years’ War. After 1781, mass numbers of British empire loyalists left the U.S. to seek refuge in Canada. This greatly expanded the English-speaking community. The War of 1812 brought the different ethnicities within Canada together in an effort to stand against external threats. The U.S. declared war on Britain during the Napoleonic wars. The British colony of Canada formed one of the front lines of conflict. U.S. military leaders saw Canada as a non-threat. Following the War of 1812, Canada grew rapidly. English-speaking migrants were attracted to Canada’s business opportunities. The Population steadily increased. To avoid conflict, and another revolution, the British imperial governors of Canada defused the tension between ethnic groups by expanding home rule and allowing the provinces to govern their own internal affairs.
9. History Canada did not need to fight a war for its independence. Independence came gradually as the country’s autonomy was agreed upon by the British government and the Canadian government. Two major ethnic divisions: British Canadians and French Canadians. Conflict between the two divisions was ignored and avoided completely in order to prevent U.S. expansion from the south. By the late 19th century, Canada was an independent nation.
10. History Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick were joined together as the Dominion of Canada by the British North America Act of 1867. Others followed later. The act created a federal government lead by a governor-general, a British representative. The Dominion of Canada gained control over internal affairs without conflict. Britain controlled foreign affairs until 1931. The first Prime Minister of Canada was John A. Macdonald. Macdonald negotiated the purchase of the Northwest Territories of Canada from the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1869. A transcontinental railroad was completed in 1885 to strengthen the union, lead by Macdonald. The railroad brought other areas of Canada into the Dominion: Alberta and Saskatchewan in 1905, and Newfoundland in 1949. The Dominion provided a solid foundation for independence and unity in Canada and helped Canada grow into the largely diverse and unified nation that it is today.
