Canada in Brief
Canada is a diverse, progressive, peaceful and welcoming nation known for its pristine wilderness and stunning natural beauty. It’s vast and varied — a place for both bucket list adventure and sophisticated culture, Canada’s lively, multicultural cities contrast with the untouched wilderness at the edge of its urban centers.
Location
Canada is at the top of North America above the United States. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean. The US is to the south and to the north is the Arctic Ocean. Canada takes up nearly half of the North American continent.
Size
Canada is the second-largest country in the world after Russia. Its land covers 3.8 million square miles (9.9 million square kilometers).
Coast
The country has the longest coastline on the planet: 151,000 miles (243,000 kilometers).
Population
Canada’s population is 36 million, concentrated along the U.S.-Canada border. It is a sparsely populated country with just 10 people per square mile (four people per square kilometer).
Make-up
Canada has 10 provinces and 3 territories: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, The Northwest Territories and Yukon Territory.
Major Cities
Canada’s largest city is Toronto, Ontario, followed by Vancouver, British Columbia, Montreal, Quebec and Calgary, Alberta.
Demographics
Canada is a youthful country and immigrants make up 21% of its population, meaning one in five is foreign born. The majority of immigrants come from Asia. About 20% of the population identify as visible minorities. This is the population breakdown by province/territory.
Government
Canada is a constitutional monarchy and Parliamentary democracy. Its capital city is Ottawa, Ontario. The Prime Minister of Canada is Justin Trudeau, the Leader of the Liberal Party.
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Alberta
| Population | 4,067,175 |
|---|---|
| Capital City | Edmonton |
| Largest City | Calgary |
Travel Times to Calgary
| Los Angeles | 3 hr 5 min |
|---|---|
| Chicago | 5 hr 30 min |
| New York City | 5 hr 25 min |
| Boston | 7 hr 25 min |
Weather Average
Alberta enjoys a humid continental climate with warm summers and cold winters.
British Columbia
| Population | 4,648,055 |
|---|---|
| Capital City | Victoria |
| Largest City | Vancouver |
Travel Times to Vancouver
| Los Angeles | 2 hr 50 min |
|---|---|
| Chicago | 4 hr 35 min |
| New York City | 6 hr 0 min |
| Boston | 8 hr 10 min |
Weather Average
British Columbia has a number of different climatic zones. In general, temperatures are warmer in the south; rainfall is heaviest along the coast; and winters coldest in the interior.
Manitoba
| Population | 1,278,365 |
|---|---|
| Capital City | Winnipeg |
| Largest City | Winnipeg |
Travel Times to Winnipeg
| Minneapolis | 1 hr 30 min |
|---|---|
| Chicago | 2 hr 20 min |
| Los Angeles | 5 hr 25 min |
| San Francisco | 5 hr 50 min |
Weather Average
Manitoba has a moderately dry climate with sharp seasonal temperature changes. The summers are hot and winters are cold.
New Brunswick
| Population | 747,101 |
|---|---|
| Capital City | Fredericton |
| Largest City | Moncton |
Travel Times to Fredericton
| Boston | 4 hr 10 min |
|---|---|
| New York City | 3 hr 50 min |
| Chicago | 4 hr 45 min |
| Los Angeles | 8 hr 0 min |
Weather Average
New Brunswick has a typical continental climate with warm summers and cold winters, with slightly milder winters on the Gulf of St. Lawrence coastline.
Newfoundland and Labrador
| Population | 519,716 |
|---|---|
| Capital City | St. John's |
| Largest City | St. John's |
Travel Times to St. John's
| Boston | 3 hr 45 min |
|---|---|
| New York City | 5 hr 20 min |
| Chicago | 5 hr 30 min |
| Los Angeles | 8 hr 50 min |
Weather Average
Newfoundland and Labrador has a wide range of climates and weather, but broadly it has warm, humid summers and cold winters.
Northwest Territories
| Population | 41,786 |
|---|---|
| Capital City | Yellowknife |
| Largest City | Yellowknife |
Travel Times to Yellowknife
| Chicago | 7 hr 45 min |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 9 hr 20 min |
| New York City | 10 hr 55 min |
| Boston | 10 hr 45 min |
Weather Average
The mainland portion of the Northwest Territories has a subarctic climate, with short, cool summers and long, cold winters - perfect for aurora viewing.
Nova Scotia
| Population | 923,598 |
|---|---|
| Capital City | Halifax |
| Largest City | Halifax |
Travel Times to Halifax
| Boston | 1 hr 20 min |
|---|---|
| New York City | 1 hr 45 min |
| Chicago | 4 hr 30 min |
| Los Angeles | 7 hr 45 min |
Weather Average
Nova Scotia enjoys a maritime climate with warm summers and cold, wet and sometimes snowy winters.
Nunavut
| Population | 35,944 |
|---|---|
| Capital City | Iqaluit |
| Largest City | Iqaluit |
Travel Times to Iqaluit
| Boston | 7 hr 25 min |
|---|---|
| New York City | 7 hr 45 min |
| Chicago | 11 hr 15 min |
| Los Angeles | 15 hr 30 min |
Weather Average
Temperatures in Nunavut vary widely. In winter the days are short and cold, in the summer the Midnight Sun shines brightly over Nunavut with nearly 24-hour sunshine.
Ontario
| Population | 13,488,494 |
|---|---|
| Capital City | Toronto |
| Largest City | Toronto |
Travel Times to Toronto
| New York City | 1 hr 25 min |
|---|---|
| Boston | 1 hr 25 min |
| Chicago | 1 hr 50 min |
| Los Angeles | 4 hr 35 min |
Weather Average
Ontario has a continental climate, with hot summers and cold winters.
Prince Edward Island
| Population | 142,907 |
|---|---|
| Capital City | Charlottetown |
| Largest City | Charlottetown |
Travel Times to Charlottetown
| Boston | 2 hr 55 min |
|---|---|
| New York City | 4 hr 30 min |
| Chicago | 4 hr 45 min |
| Los Angeles | 9 hr 5 min |
Weather Average
Prince Edward Island has a moderate climate that is strongly influenced by the surrounding seas with warm summers and cold winters.
Quebec
| Population | 8,164,361 |
|---|---|
| Capital City | Québec City |
| Largest City | Montréal |
| Major Airports |
|
Travel Times to Montréal
| New York City | 1 hr 10 min |
|---|---|
| Boston | 1 hr 10 min |
| Chicago | 1 hr 55 min |
| Los Angeles | 5 hr 15 min |
Weather Average
Quebec has wide temperature variations. In the south, the weather is continental, with four seasons varying from hot summers to cold, snowy winters with lots of rain. The central and northern regions have longer, colder winters and shorter cooler summers.
Saskatchewan
| Population | 1,098,352 |
|---|---|
| Capital City | Regina |
| Largest City | Saskatoon |
Travel Times to Regina
| Chicago | 4 hr 30 min |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 5 hr 55 min |
| New York City | 6 hr 10 min |
| Boston | 6 hr 45 min |
Weather Average
Saskatchewan receives more hours of sunshine than any other Canadian province. It experiences a humid continental climate with hot summers and very cold winters.
Yukon
| Population | 35,874 |
|---|---|
| Capital City | Whitehorse |
| Largest City | Whitehorse |
Travel Times to Whitehorse
| Los Angeles | 7 hr 40 min |
|---|---|
| Chicago | 9 hr 0 min |
| New York City | 12 hr 15 min |
| Boston | 12 hr 20 min |
Weather Average
The Yukon has a sub-arctic continental climate with shorter warm summers and very cold, dark winters - perfect for aurora viewing!
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