Canada
Introduction
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. Canada gained legislative independence from Britain in 1931 and formalized its constitutional independence from the UK in 1982 when it passed the Canada Act in 1982. Economically and technologically, the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across the world's longest international border. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care, education, social services, and economic competitiveness, as well as responding to the particular concerns of predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Geography
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
Geographic coordinates
60 00 N, 95 00 W
Map references
North America
Area
total: 9,984,670 sq km
land: 9,093,507 sq km
water: 891,163 sq km
Land boundaries
total: 8,891 km
border countries (3): US 8,891 km (includes 2,475 km with Alaska)
note: Canada is the world's largest country that borders only one country
Coastline
202,080 km
note: the Canadian Arctic Archipelago - consisting of 36,563 islands, several of them some of the world's largest - contributes to Canada easily having the longest coastline in the world
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
Climate
varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
Terrain
mostly plains with mountains in west, lowlands in southeast
Elevation
highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m
lowest point: Atlantic/Pacific/Arctic Oceans 0 m
mean elevation: 487 m
Natural resources
bauxite, iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, uranium, rare earth elements, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower
Land use
agricultural land: 6.8% (2018 est.)
arable land: 4.7% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 1.6% (2018 est.)
forest: 34.1% (2018 est.)
other: 59.1% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
8,700 sq km (2012)
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Mississippi* (Gulf of Mexico) (3,202,185 sq km, Canada only 32,000 sq km), Nelson (Hudson Bay) (1,093,141 sq km), Saint Lawrence* (1,049,636 sq km, Canada only 839,200 sq km)
Arctic Ocean drainage: Mackenzie (1,706,388 sq km)
Pacific Ocean drainage: Yukon* (847,620 sq km, Canada only 823,800 sq km), Columbia* (657,501 sq km, Canada only 103,000 sq km)
note - watersheds shared with the US shown with *
Major aquifers
Northern Great Plains Aquifer
Major lakes (area sq km)
Fresh water lake(s): Huron* - 35,972 sq km; Great Bear Lake - 31,328 sq km; Superior* - 28,754 sq km; Great Slave Lake - 28,568 sq km; Lake Winnipeg - 24,387 sq km; Erie* - 12,776 sq km; Ontario* - 9,790 sq km; Lake Athabasca - 7,935 sq km; Reindeer Lake - 6,650 sq km; Nettilling Lake - 5,542 sq km
note - Great Lakes* area shown as Canadian waters
Major rivers (by length in km)
Mackenzie - 4, 241 km; Yukon river source (shared with the US [m]) - 3,185 km; Saint Lawrence river mouth (shared with US) - 3,058 km; Nelson - 2,570 km; Columbia river source (shared with the US [m]) - 1,953 km; Churchill - 1,600 km; Fraser - 1,368 km; Ottawa - 1,271 km; Athabasca - 1,231 km; North Saskatchewan - 1,220 km; Liard - 1,115 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Population distribution
vast majority of Canadians are positioned in a discontinuous band within approximately 300 km of the southern border with the United States; the most populated province is Ontario, followed by Quebec and British Columbia
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
volcanism: the vast majority of volcanoes in Western Canada's Coast Mountains remain dormant
Geography - note
note 1: second-largest country in world (after Russia) and largest in the Americas; strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km (100 mi) of the US border
note 2: Canada has more fresh water than any other country and almost 9% of Canadian territory is water; Canada has at least 2 million and possibly over 3 million lakes - that is more than all other countries combined
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Canadian(s)
adjective: Canadian
Ethnic groups
Canadian 32.3%, English 18.3%, Scottish 13.9%, French 13.6%, Irish 13.4%, German 9.6%, Chinese 5.1%, Italian 4.6%, North American Indian 4.4%, East Indian 4%, other 51.6% (2016 est.)
note: percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one ethnic origin
Languages
English (official) 58.7%, French (official) 22%, Punjabi 1.4%, Italian 1.3%, Spanish 1.3%, German 1.3%, Cantonese 1.2%, Tagalog 1.2%, Arabic 1.1%, other 10.5% (2011 est.)
major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)
Religions
Catholic 39% (includes Roman Catholic 38.8%, other Catholic .2%), Protestant 20.3% (includes United Church 6.1%, Anglican 5%, Baptist 1.9%, Lutheran 1.5%, Pentecostal 1.5%, Presbyterian 1.4%, other Protestant 2.9%), Orthodox 1.6%, other Christian 6.3%, Muslim 3.2%, Hindu 1.5%, Sikh 1.4%, Buddhist 1.1%, Jewish 1%, other 0.6%, none 23.9% (2011 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 15.99% (male 3,094,008/female 2,931,953)
15-24 years: 11.14% (male 2,167,013/female 2,032,064)
25-54 years: 39.81% (male 7,527,554/female 7,478,737)
55-64 years: 14.08% (male 2,624,474/female 2,682,858)
65 years and over: 18.98% (male 3,274,298/female 3,881,126) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 51.2
youth dependency ratio: 23.9
elderly dependency ratio: 27.4
potential support ratio: 3.7 (2020 est.)
Median age
total: 41.8 years
male: 40.6 years
female: 42.9 years (2020 est.)
Population distribution
vast majority of Canadians are positioned in a discontinuous band within approximately 300 km of the southern border with the United States; the most populated province is Ontario, followed by Quebec and British Columbia
Urbanization
urban population: 81.7% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 0.95% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
6.255 million Toronto, 4.247 million Montreal, 2.606 million Vancouver, 1.581 million Calgary, 1.491 million Edmonton, 1.408 million OTTAWA (capital) (2021)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
29.4 years (2019 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
10 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145Infant mortality rate
total: 4.44 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.73 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 83.62 years
male: 81.32 years
female: 86.03 years (2021 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 98.9% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 1.1% of population
total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure
10.8% (2018)
Physicians density
2.31 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Hospital bed density
2.5 beds/1,000 population (2019)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 98.7% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 1.3% of population
total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 16 years
male: 16 years
female: 17 years (2019)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 20.2%
male: 20.9%
female: 19.4% (2020 est.)
Environment
Environment - current issues
metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting agricultural and forest productivity; air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities
Environment - international agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Marine Life Conservation
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 6.48 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 544.89 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 101.82 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
Land use
agricultural land: 6.8% (2018 est.)
arable land: 4.7% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 1.6% (2018 est.)
forest: 34.1% (2018 est.)
other: 59.1% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 81.7% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 0.95% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
forest revenues: 0.08% of GDP (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 25,103,034 tons (2014 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 5,168,715 tons (2008 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 20.6% (2008 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km)
Fresh water lake(s): Huron* - 35,972 sq km; Great Bear Lake - 31,328 sq km; Superior* - 28,754 sq km; Great Slave Lake - 28,568 sq km; Lake Winnipeg - 24,387 sq km; Erie* - 12,776 sq km; Ontario* - 9,790 sq km; Lake Athabasca - 7,935 sq km; Reindeer Lake - 6,650 sq km; Nettilling Lake - 5,542 sq km
note - Great Lakes* area shown as Canadian waters
Major rivers (by length in km)
Mackenzie - 4, 241 km; Yukon river source (shared with the US [m]) - 3,185 km; Saint Lawrence river mouth (shared with US) - 3,058 km; Nelson - 2,570 km; Columbia river source (shared with the US [m]) - 1,953 km; Churchill - 1,600 km; Fraser - 1,368 km; Ottawa - 1,271 km; Athabasca - 1,231 km; North Saskatchewan - 1,220 km; Liard - 1,115 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Mississippi* (Gulf of Mexico) (3,202,185 sq km, Canada only 32,000 sq km), Nelson (Hudson Bay) (1,093,141 sq km), Saint Lawrence* (1,049,636 sq km, Canada only 839,200 sq km)
Arctic Ocean drainage: Mackenzie (1,706,388 sq km)
Pacific Ocean drainage: Yukon* (847,620 sq km, Canada only 823,800 sq km), Columbia* (657,501 sq km, Canada only 103,000 sq km)
note - watersheds shared with the US shown with *
Major aquifers
Northern Great Plains Aquifer
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 4.888 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
industrial: 28.07 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
agricultural: 2.639 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources
2.902 trillion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Canada
etymology: the country name likely derives from the St. Lawrence Iroquoian word "kanata" meaning village or settlement
Government type
federal parliamentary democracy (Parliament of Canada) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm; federal and state authorities and responsibilities regulated in constitution
Capital
name: Ottawa
geographic coordinates: 45 25 N, 75 42 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
time zone note: Canada has six time zones
etymology: the city lies on the south bank of the Ottawa River, from which it derives its name; the river name comes from the Algonquin word "adawe" meaning "to trade" and refers to the indigenous peoples who used the river as a trade highway
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*
Independence
1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK per Statute of Westminster)
National holiday
Canada Day, 1 July (1867)
Constitution
history: consists of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and traditions dating from 1763; 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
amendments: proposed by either house of Parliament or by the provincial legislative assemblies; there are 5 methods for passage though most require approval by both houses of Parliament, approval of at least two thirds of the provincial legislative assemblies and assent and formalization as a proclamation by the governor general in council; the most restrictive method is reserved for amendments affecting fundamental sections of the constitution, such as the office of the monarch or the governor general, and the constitutional amendment procedures, which require unanimous approval by both houses and by all the provincial assemblies, and assent of the governor general in council; amended 11 times, last in 2011 (Fair Representation Act, 2011)
Legal system
common law system except in Quebec, where civil law based on the French civil code prevails
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: minimum of 3 of last 5 years resident in Canada
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Mary SIMON (since 6 July 2021)
head of government: Prime Minister Justin Pierre James TRUDEAU (Liberal Party) (since 4 November 2015)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from among members of his/her own party sitting in Parliament
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a 5-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the House of Commons generally designated prime minister by the governor general
note: the governor general position is largely ceremonial
Legislative branch
description: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:
Senate or Senat (105 seats; members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister and can serve until age 75)
House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (338 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote with terms up to 4 years)
elections: Senate - appointed; latest appointments in December 2018
House of Commons - last held on 20 September 2021 (next to be held NA)
election results:
Senate - composition as of December 2018 - men 51, women 54, percent of women 51.4%
House of Commons - percent of vote by party - CPC 33.7%, Liberal Party 32.6%, NDP 17.8%, Bloc Quebecois 7.7%, Greens 2.3%, other 5.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 159, CPC 119, NDP 25, Bloc Quebecois 32, Greens 2, independent 1; composition - men 236, women 102, percent of women 29%; note - total Parliament percent of women 30.2%
Judicial branch
highest courts: Supreme Court of Canada (consists of the chief justice and 8 judges); note - in 1949, Canada abolished all appeals beyond its Supreme Court, which prior to that time, were heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
judge selection and term of office: chief justice and judges appointed by the prime minister in council; all judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 75
subordinate courts: federal level: Federal Court of Appeal; Federal Court; Tax Court; federal administrative tribunals; Courts Martial; provincial/territorial level: provincial superior, appeals, first instance, and specialized courts; note - in 1999, the Nunavut Court - a circuit court with the power of a provincial superior court, as well as a territorial court - was established to serve isolated settlements
Political parties and leaders
Bloc Quebecois [Yves-Francois BLANCHET]
Conservative Party of Canada or CPC [Erin O'TOOLE]
Green Party [vacant]
Liberal Party [Justin TRUDEAU]
New Democratic Party or NDP [Jagmeet SINGH]
People's Party of Canada [Maxime BERNIER]
International organization participation
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Kirsten HILLMAN (since 17 July 2020)
chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
telephone: [1] (844) 880-6519
FAX: [1] (202) 682-7738
email address and website:
ccs.scc@international.gc.ca
https://www.international.gc.ca/country-pays/us-eu/washington.aspx?lang=eng
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco/Silicon Valley, Seattle
trade office(s): Houston, Palo Alto (CA), San Diego; note - there are trade offices in the Consulates General
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador David COHEN (since December 2021)
embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8
mailing address: 5480 Ottawa Place, Washington DC 20521-5480
telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335
FAX: [1] (613) 241-7845
email address and website:
OttawaNIV@state.gov
https://ca.usembassy.gov/
consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, Vancouver
consulate(s): Winnipeg
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 maple leaf has long been a Canadian symbol
National symbol(s)
maple leaf, beaver; national colors: red, white
National anthem
name: O Canada
lyrics/music: Adolphe-Basile ROUTHIER [French], Robert Stanley WEIR [English]/Calixa LAVALLEE
note: adopted 1980; originally written in 1880, "O Canada" served as an unofficial anthem many years before its official adoption; the anthem has French and English versions whose lyrics differ; as a Commonwealth realm, in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)
Economy
Economic overview
Canada 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 has a large oil and natural gas sector with the majority of crude oil production derived from oil sands in the western provinces, especially Alberta. Canada now ranks third in the world in proved oil reserves behind Venezuela and Saudi Arabia and is the world’s seventh-largest oil producer.
TThe 1989 Canada-US Free Trade Agreement and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (which includes Mexico) dramatically increased trade and economic integration between the US and Canada. Canada and the US enjoy the world’s most comprehensive bilateral trade and investment relationship, with goods and services trade totaling more than $680 billion in 2017, and two-way investment stocks of more than $800 billion. Over three-fourths of Canada’s merchandise exports are destined for the US each year. Canada is the largest foreign supplier of energy to the US, including oil, natural gas, and electric power, and a top source of US uranium imports.
Given its abundant natural resources, highly skilled labor force, and modern capital stock, Canada enjoyed solid economic growth from 1993 through 2007. The global economic crisis of 2007-08 moved the Canadian economy into sharp recession by late 2008, and Ottawa posted its first fiscal deficit in 2009 after 12 years of surplus. Canada's major banks emerged from the financial crisis of 2008-09 among the strongest in the world, owing to the financial sector's tradition of conservative lending practices and strong capitalization. Canada’s economy posted strong growth in 2017 at 3%, but most analysts are projecting Canada’s economic growth will drop back closer to 2% in 2018.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$1,742,790,000,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)
$1,842,330,000,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)
$1,808,660,000,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)
note: data are in 2010 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
1.66% (2019 est.)
2.02% (2018 est.)
3.17% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$45,900 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)
$49,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)
$48,800 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)
note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1,741,865,000,000 (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.9% (2019 est.)
2.2% (2018 est.)
1.5% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings
Fitch rating: AA+ (2020)
Moody's rating: Aaa (2002)
Standard & Poors rating: AAA (2002)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 1.6% (2017 est.)
industry: 28.2% (2017 est.)
services: 70.2% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 57.8% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 20.8% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 23% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.7% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 30.9% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -33.2% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
wheat, rapeseed, maize, barley, milk, soybeans, potatoes, oats, peas, pork
Industries
transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, fish products, petroleum, natural gas
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 2%
industry: 13%
services: 6%
industry and services: 76%
manufacturing: 3% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
9.4% (2008 est.)
note: this figure is the Low Income Cut-Off, a calculation that results in higher figures than found in many comparable economies; Canada does not have an official poverty line
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
33.3 (2017 est.)
31.5 (1994)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 24.8% (2000)
Budget
revenues: 649.6 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: 665.7 billion (2017 est.)
Public debt
89.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
91.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
note: figures are for gross general government debt, as opposed to net federal debt; gross general government debt includes both intragovernmental debt and the debt of public entities at the sub-national level
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
Current account balance
-$35.425 billion (2019 est.)
-$42.862 billion (2018 est.)
Exports
$477.31 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)
$555.83 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)
$556.89 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Exports - partners
US 73% (2019)
Exports - commodities
crude petroleum, cars and vehicle parts, gold, refined petroleum, natural gas (2019)
Imports
$510.29 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)
$583.6 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)
$589.55 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Imports - partners
US 57%, China 11%, Mexico 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities
cars and vehicle parts, delivery trucks, crude petroleum, refined petroleum (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$86.68 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$82.72 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external
$2,124,887,000,000 (2019 est.)
$1,949,796,000,000 (2018 est.)
Exchange rates
Canadian dollars (CAD) per US dollar -
1.28035 (2020 est.)
1.3228 (2019 est.)
1.32925 (2018 est.)
1.2788 (2014 est.)
1.0298 (2013 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 20.2%
male: 20.9%
female: 19.4% (2020 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
143.5 million kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8Electricity - from fossil fuels
23% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191Electricity - from nuclear fuels
9% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
56% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30Electricity - from other renewable sources
12% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72Crude oil - proved reserves
170.5 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3Refined petroleum products - production
2.009 million bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10Refined petroleum products - consumption
2.445 million bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10Refined petroleum products - exports
1.115 million bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8Natural gas - proved reserves
2.056 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 13.926 million (2020)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36.9 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 36,093,021 (2020)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 95.63 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: Canada has highly developed, technologically advanced telecom services; LTE and broadband are nearly universal; competition between the DSL and cable platforms with investment in fiber networks; regulatory efforts ensure operators have spectrum available to develop 5G services; policy to improve service speeds and enable digital economy and e-services; operator’s 5G network facilitates smart-city vehicle and pedestrian traffic; high value in e-commerce transactions; international connections through submarine, terrestrial, and satellite systems; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2020)
domestic: 35 per 100 fixed-line; 93 per 100 mobile-cellular; comparatively low mobile penetration provides further room for growth; domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations (2019)
international: country code - 1; landing points for the Nunavut Undersea Fiber Optic Network System, Greenland Connect, Persona, GTT Atlantic, and Express, KetchCan 1 Submarine Fiber Cable system, St Pierre and Miquelon Cable submarine cables providing links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean, and 2 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media
2 public TV broadcasting networks, 1 in English and 1 in French, each with a large number of network affiliates; several private-commercial networks also with multiple network affiliates; overall, about 150 TV stations; multi-channel satellite and cable systems provide access to a wide range of stations including US stations; mix of public and commercial radio broadcasters with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the public radio broadcaster, operating 4 radio networks, Radio Canada International, and radio services to indigenous populations in the north; roughly 1,119 licensed radio stations (2016)
Internet users
total: 35.63 million (2021 est.)
percent of population: 91% (2019 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 15,776,602 (2020)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41.8 (2020 est.)
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 51 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 879
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 89.38 million (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 3,434,070,000 mt-km (2018)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 523
over 3,047 m: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 19
1,524 to 2,437 m: 147
914 to 1,523 m: 257
under 914 m: 79 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 944
1,524 to 2,437 m: 75
914 to 1,523 m: 385
under 914 m: 484 (2013)
Heliports
26 (2013)
Pipelines
840,000 km oil and gas (2017)
Railways
total: 77,932 km note: 129 km electrified (2021) (2014)
standard gauge: 77,932 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)
Roadways
total: 1,042,300 km (2011)
paved: 415,600 km (includes 17,000 km of expressways) (2011)
unpaved: 626,700 km (2011)
Waterways
636 km (Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States) (2011)
country comparison to the world: 77Merchant marine
total: 679
by type: bulk carrier 22, container ship 1, general cargo 66, oil tanker 15, other 575 (2021)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Halifax, Saint John (New Brunswick), Vancouver
oil terminal(s): Lower Lakes terminal
container port(s) (TEUs): Montreal (1,745,244), Vancouver (3,398,860) (2019)
LNG terminal(s) (import): Saint John
river and lake port(s): Montreal, Quebec City, Sept-Isles (St. Lawrence)
dry bulk cargo port(s): Port-Cartier (iron ore and grain),
Fraser River Port (Fraser) Hamilton (Lake Ontario)
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Canadian Forces: Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force, Canadian Joint Operations Command, Canadian Special Operations Forces Command; Primary Reserve (army, air, naval reserves); Coast Guard (Department of Fisheries and Oceans) (2021)
note - the Army reserves include the Canadian Rangers, which provides a limited presence in Canada's northern, coastal, and isolated areas for sovereignty, public safety, and surveillance roles
Military expenditures
1.42% of GDP (2020 est.)
1.29% of GDP (2019)
1.31% of GDP (2018)
1.44% of GDP (2017)
1.16% of GDP (2016)
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 70,000 total active personnel (23,000 Army; 12,000 Navy; 12,000 Air Force; 23,000 other) (2021)
note - the Army also has 19,000 part-time, volunteer soldiers in the Reserve Force, including about 5,500 Rangers who serve in sparsely settled northern, coastal, and isolated areas of Canada
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the CAF's inventory is a mix of domestically-produced equipment and imported weapons systems from Australia, Europe, Israel, and the US; since 2010, the leading supplier is the US; Canada's defense industry develops, maintains, and produces a range of equipment, including aircraft, combat vehicles, naval vessels, and associated components (2021)
Military deployments
up to 530 Latvia (NATO); up to 200 Ukraine; up to 850 Middle East (multiple missions, including support to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and NATO assistance mission Iraq) (2021)
Military service age and obligation
17 years of age for voluntary male and female military service (with parental consent); 16 years of age for Reserve and Military College applicants; Canadian citizenship or permanent residence status required; maximum 34 years of age; service obligation 3-9 years (2021)
Military - note
Canada is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949
Canada is part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD; established 1958); NORAD is a Canada-US bi-national military command responsible for monitoring and defending North American airspace; traditionally, a Canadian Armed Forces officer has served as the deputy commander of NORAD
Canada’s defense relationship with the US extends back to the Ogdensburg Declaration of 1940, when the two countries formally agreed on military cooperation, including the establishment of the Permanent Joint Board on Defense (PJBD), which continued to be the highest-level bilateral defense forum between Canada and the US as of 2021
British troops withdrew from Canada in 1871 as part of the UK-US Treaty of Washington; following the withdrawal, the first Canadian militia, known as the Royal Canadian Regiment, was organized in 1883 to protect Canadian territory and defend British interests abroad, which it did in the South African War (1899-1902), Canada’s first overseas conflict; militia units formed the backbone of the more than 425,000 Canadian soldiers that went to Europe during World War I in what was called the Canadian Expeditionary Force; the Royal Canadian Navy was created in 1910, while the Canadian Air Force was established in 1920 and became the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1924; the Canadian Army was officially founded in 1942; a unified Canadian Armed Forces was created in 1968
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Gulf of Maine, including the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; Canada and the United States dispute how to divide the Beaufort Sea and the status of the Northwest Passage but continue to work cooperatively to survey the Arctic continental shelf; US works closely with Canada to intensify security measures for monitoring and controlling legal and illegal movement of people, transport, and commodities across the international border; sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland; commencing the collection of technical evidence for submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in support of claims for continental shelf beyond 200 nm from its declared baselines in the Arctic, as stipulated in Article 76, paragraph 8, of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 22,400 (Venezuela) (refugees and migrants), 8,082 (Nigeria), 6,387 (Turkey), 6,085 (Pakistan), 5,916 (China), 5,085 (Iran) (2020)
stateless persons: 4,139 (2020)
Illicit drugs
illicit production of fentanyl primarily for Canada's domestic drug market with at least small quantities smuggled to the US; complex laboratories setup for fentanyl production have been found and Mexican traffickers present in the country; Canada legalized marijuana in 2018