CA is the abbreviation for Canada, the 2nd largest country in the world. Canada is a country located in North America, bordering United States of America. Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. Major cities include Toronto (population: 2,600,011), Montreal (population: 1,600,012), Calgary (population: 1,019,931), Ottawa (population: 812,118), Edmonton (population: 712,380), Mississauga (population: 668,538), North York (population: 636,011), Winnipeg (population: 632,052), Vancouver (population: 600,012), and Scarborough (population: 600,013).
Country Profile
- Capital: Ottawa
- Language: English, French
- Area: 9,984,670 km2
- Population: 37,602,092
- Currency: Canadian dollar (CAD)
- Time zone: UTC−3.5 to UTC−8
- Calling code: 1
- ISO 2-Letter Abbreviation: CA
- UN 3-Letter Abbreviation: CAN
- Internet TLD: .ca
- State Government Website: gc.ca
List of Canada Acronyms
The most commonly used abbreviations about Canada are CA which stands for Canada and CAD which means Canadian dollar (Canada currency). In the following table, you can see all acronyms related to Canada, including abbreviations for airport, city, school, port, government, and etc.
Abbreviation | Meaning |
ALPHABET | Aboriginal Business Canada |
ANAC | Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada |
APMR | Accreditation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Representatives of Canada |
ASMAC | Adhesives and Sealants Manufacturers Association of Canada |
AINC | Affaires Indienne et du Nord Canada |
APECA | Agence de Promotion Économique du Canada Atlantique |
ARCHIVE | Agence du Revenu du Canada |
ARC | Agence du Revenu du Canada |
ABTC | Agribiotech Canada, Inc. |
AC | Air Canada |
ACPA | Air Canada Pilots Association |
AFAC | Air Force Association of Canada |
ACRL | Alaska Canada Rail Link |
ADLC | Alberta Distance Learning Centre (Alberta, Canada0 |
XFS | Alexandria, Ontario, Canada – Alexandria / via Rail Service |
ARCC | Alfa Romeo Club of Canada |
AFPC | Alliance de la Fonction Publique du Canada |
AMEC | Alliance of Manufacturers and Exporters Canada |
ALPHABET | America Britain Canada |
ACSCC | American Cocker Spaniel Club of Canada |
AFCC | American Friends of Canada Committee |
ANC | Anglican Network in Canada |
ADLC | Animal Defence League of Canada |
ANAC | Animal Nutrition Association of Canada |
ABAC | Antiquarian Booksellers Association of Canada |
ACSCC | Antique and Classic Snowmobile Club of Canada |
AELC | Appleton Electric Limited Canada |
AN | Archives Nationales du Canada |
AE | Armed Forces Canada |
ANAVETS | Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans in Canada |
ARCHIVE | Arthritis Research Centre of Canada |
ARCC | Arthritis Research Centre of Canada |
ARC | Arthritis Research Centre of Canada |
AIIC | Associate of the Insurance Institute of Canada |
ALPHABET | Association Botanique du Canada |
ALPHABET | Association des Bèegues du Canada |
ABSCS | Association des Bibliothèques de la Santé du Canada |
AEIC | Association des Étudiant s Infirmiers(ières) du Canada (Canadian Nursing Student’s Association) |
AFMC | Association des Faculté de Médecine du Canada |
AIIC | Association des Infirmières et Infirmiers du Canada |
AMTEC | Association for Media and Technology in Education in Canada |
AND | Association for the Neurologically Disabled of Canada |
AFPC | Association of Faculties of Pharmacy in Canada |
APOC | Association of Postal Officials of Canada |
ARUCC | Association of Registrars of the Universities and Colleges of Canada |
AREC | Association of Romanian Engineers in Canada |
ABTC | Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada |
ACPBA | Atlantic Canada Pipe Band Association |
ACSEC | Atlantic Canada Sustainable Energy Coalition |
ACTRA | Atlantic Canada Trail Riding Association |
ACWTC | Atlantic Canada World Trade Centre |
AECL | Atomic Energy of Canada Limited |
B-AND-WC | Babcock & Wilcox Canada |
BACHELOR | Baking Association of Canada |
BCA-CA | Balanda Community Association of Canada |
YBAS | Banff, Alberta, Canada |
YBA | Banff, Alberta, Canada |
BCNE | Bank of Canada Non-Energy |
BBCC | Baptist Bible College Canada |
BGICL | Barclays Global Investors Canada Limited |
BCC | Beauceron Club of Canada |
BSDCC | Belgian Shepherd Dog Club of Canada |
BLCA | Bell Canada |
XVV | Belleville, Ontario, Canada – Belleville / via Rail Service |
BBBSC | Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada |
BFFC | Bollywood Film-Fare Canada |
BACHELOR | Boomerang Association of Canada |
XFV | Brantford, Ontario, Canada – Brantford / via Rail Service |
BCC | Breastfeeding Committee for Canada |
BACHELOR | Brewers Association of Canada |
BEAC | Broadcast Educators Association of Canada |
BEAC | Broadcast Educators of Canada |
BCC | Buddhist Churches of Canada |
BOMAC | Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada |
BACHELOR | Bureau d’Assurance du Canada |
CTCC | Cairn Terrier Club of Canada |
CCNGP | Calpine Canada Natural Gas Partnership |
XAZ | Campbellton, New Brunswick, Canada – Campbellton |
CANADA | Canada |
CANADA CANADA | CANADA |
CANUS | Canada – United States |
CUSLI | Canada – United States Law Institute |
CABRI | Canada Africa Business Resources International |
CAPBA | Canada Asia Pacific Business Association |
CBSC | Canada Business Service Centre |
CCE | Canada College of Education |
CCELC | Canada Committee on Ecological Land Classification |
CCDR | Canada Communicable Disease Report |
CCS-AND-CF | Canada Cuba Sports and Cultural Festivals |
CCM | Canada Cycle & Motor |
CCM | Canada Cycle Motor |
CANADA | Canada Department of Agriculture |
CANDU | CANada Deuterium Uranium |
CD | Canada Dry |
CEEDA | Canada East Equipment Dealers’ Association |
CEBC | Canada Egypt Business Council |
CEMO | Canada Emergency Measures Organization |
CEIU | Canada Employment and Immigration Union |
CFAC | Canada Family Action Coalition |
CAFC | Canada Firearms Centre |
CFFN | Canada Forum for Nepal |
CFTA | Canada Free Trade Agreement |
CANG | Canada Goose |
CGBC | Canada Green Building Council |
CHSA | Canada Health Spending Account |
CIDT | Canada Ice Dance Theatre |
CIES | Canada Immigration and Education Services |
CIC | Canada Immigration Center |
CIRB | Canada Industrial Relations Board |
CJ97 | Canada Jamboree 1997 |
CLRB | Canada Labour Relations Board |
CLAB | Canada Lands Administrative Boundary |
CLC | Canada Lands Company |
CMFSP | Canada Manitoba Farm Stewardship Program |
CMHA | Canada Mortgage and Housing Association |
CMHC | Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation |
CNWG | Canada News Wire Group |
COP | Canada Olympic Park |
CPPD | Canada Pension Plan Disability |
CPRA | Canada Petroleum Resources Act |
COPILOT | Canada Post |
CPSR | Canada Prairie Spring Red |
CPNP | Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program |
CPSSRB | Canada Public Service Staff Relations Board |
CSBFA | Canada Small Business Financing Act |
CSBFL | Canada Small Business Financing Loan |
CSBF | Canada Small Business Financing Program |
CSEARHAP | Canada South East Asia Regional HIV/AIDS Programme |
CSFAA | Canada Student Financial Assistance Act |
CSGVP | Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating |
CTWM | Canada Toronto West Mission |
CTSA | Canada Transpacific Stabilization Agreement |
CWBMA | Canada Well Being Measurement Act |
CWDA | Canada West Doorslammers Association |
CWHIC | Canada West Health Innovation Council |
CWES | Canada Western Extra Strong |
CWRW | Canada Western Red Winter |
CWSWS | Canada Western Soft White Spring |
CWWM | Canada Western White Multipurpose |
CWYS | Canada World Youth |
CAPLA | Canada, Asia-Pacific, Latin-America |
CFCF | Canada’s First, Canada’s Finest |
CNHS | Canada’s National History Society |
CNTM | Canada’s Next Top Model |
CVCA | Canada’s Venture Capital and Private Equity Association |
CYAP | Canada’s Year of Asia Pacific |
CCRCC | Canada-Czech Republic Chamber of Commerce |
CDUT | Canada-Deline Uranium Table |
CIC | Canada-Israel Committee |
CIFTA | Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement |
CIISHE | Canada-Israel Institute for Sport and Health Education |
CJTC | Canada-Japan Trade Council |
CMAAS | Canada-Manitoba Agreement on Agricultural Sustainability |
CNLOPB | Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board |
CNBSC | Canada-Nunavut Business Service Centre |
CRDP | Canada-Russia Disability Program |
CUDSS | Canada-United Kingdom Deep Submillimeter Survey |
CAN-US | Canada-United States |
CAMMAC | Canadian Amateur Musicians Musiciens Amateurs du Canada |
CLC-CTC | Canadian Labour Congress/Congres du travail du Canada |
CRC | Canadian Rehab Consultants Inc. (Toronto, ON, Canada |
XAW | Capreol, Ontario, Canada – Capreol / via Rail Service |
XZB | Casselman, Ontario, Canada – Casselman / via Rail Service |
CFRC | Casting for Recovery Canada |
CCFP | Certificant of the College of Family Practice of Canada |
XHS | Chemainus, British Columbia, Canada – Chemainus / via Rail Service |
CIC | Chemical Institute of Canada |
CCSEP | China-Canada Scholars’ Exchange Program |
CVMC | Christian Veterinary Missions of Canada |
CDICS | Chronic Diseases In Canada |
CCEL | CITIC Canada Energy Limited |
CIC | Citizenship and Immigration Canada |
CIC | Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada |
CITAC | Clinician Investigator Trainee Association of Canada |
CZCA | Coastal Zone Canada Association |
CMFC | Collège des Médecins de Famille du Canada |
CI | Commissariat à l’Information du Canada |
CANADA | Commission du Droit d’Auteur Canada |
CRC | Communications Research Centre Canada |
CPC-M-L | Communist Party of Canada |
CHICA | Community and Hospital Infection Control Association Canada |
CRFC | Community Radio Fund of Canada |
CC | Companion of the Order of Canada |
CBWC | Congress of Black Women of Canada |
CHFC | Cooperative Housing Federation of Canada |
CBACS | Council for Business and the Arts in Canada |
CMEC | Council of Ministers of Education, Canada |
COWAC | Council on World Affairs of Canada |
CCNC | Creative City Network of Canada |
CIC | Credit Institute of Canada |
CPIC | Crop Protection Institute of Canada |
CFSC | Cubic Field Services Canada, Ltd |
DFAC | Department of Foreign Affairs Canada |
DDACE | Detroit Diesel-Allison Canada East |
DEC | Developpement Economique Canada |
DEC | Dévéloppement Économique Canada pour les Régions du Québec |
DC | Dietitians of Canada |
DISCOUNT | Disaster Aid Canada |
DAC | Eastern Canada Response Corporation |
ECRC | Economic Developers Association of Canada |
EDAC | Electric Mobility Canada |
EMC | Electric Vehicle Association of Canada |
EVAC | Electric Vehicle Society of Canada |
EVSC | Electronic Commerce Council of Canada |
ECCC | Electronic Product Stewardship Canada |
EPSC | Engineering Institute of Canada |
EIC | English School of Canada |
ESC | Entomological Society of Canada |
ESC | Entraide Universitaire Mondiale du Canada |
EUMC | Environment Canada |
ECUADOR | Environment Canada |
ECONOMICS | Environment Canada |
EC | Epilepsy Canada |
ECUADOR | Epilepsy Canada |
ECONOMICS | Epilepsy Canada |
EC | Ernest Leitz of Canada |
ELCAN | Europe, Canada, Latin America |
ECLA | Evangelical Christian Church in Canada |
ECCC | Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada |
ELCIC | Exotic Dancers’ Association of Canada |
EDAC | Exxon Mobil Canada Ltd |
EMC | Family Physician Airways Group of Canada |
FPAGC | Federated Women’s Institutes of Canada |
FWIC | Fédération des étudiants et des étudiantes en médecine du Canada |
FEMC | Fellow of College of Family Physicians of Canada |
FCFP | Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada |
FRCPC | Financial Consumer Agency of Canada |
FCAC | Fisheries Research Board of Canada |
FRBC | Friends of Makerere in Canada |
FOMAC | General Motors of Canada Limited |
GMCL | General Motors of Canada Ltd. |
GMCL | Geographical Names Board of Canada |
GNBC | Geomatics Industry Association of Canada |
GIAC | Ghana-Canada Association of British Columbia |
GCABC | Girl Guides Of Canada |
GGOC | Girls Incorporated of Upper Canada |
GIUC | Global Forest Watch Canada |
GFWC | Goldman Sachs Canada, Inc. |
GSCI | Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada |
GOAC | Guelph, Ontario, Canada – Guelph / via Rail Service |
XIA | Halifax Regional CAP Association (Canada) |
HRCAP | Health Partners International of Canada |
HPIC | Healthcare Business Woman’s Association of Canada |
HBAC | Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada |
HSF | Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Contractors of Canada |
HRAC | Hepatitis C Society of Canada |
HECSC | Historical Automobile Society of Canada |
HASC | Honda Canada Finance, Inc |
HCFI | Houston, British Columbia, Canada |
ZHO | Human Resources and Development Canada |
HRDC | Human Rights Institute of Canada |
HRIC | Hungarian Research Institute of Canada |
HRIC | Hunt Oil Company of Canada |
HOCC | Husband in Canada, Boyfriend in America |
HICBIA | Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada |
IMUC | Independent Financial Brokers of Canada |
IFBC | Indian Oil and Gas Canada |
IOGC | Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce |
ICCC | Indonesian Buddhist Fellowship of Canada |
IBFC | Injured Workers All Across Canada |
IWAAC | Institut National du Cancer du Canada |
INCC | Institute of Certified Management Consultants of Canada |
ICMCC | Institute of Professional Bookkeepers of Canada |
IPBC | Institutional Locksmiths Organization of Canada |
ILOC | International Institute for FRP in Construction (Canada) |
IIFC | Inuit Circumpolar Conference Canada |
ICCC | Ireland Canada University Foundation |
ICUF | IT Professional Assurance Lab (Canada) |
ITPAL | Jonquiere, Quebec, Canada – Jonquiere / via Rail Service |
XJQ | Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada |
YYU | Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada |
YYU-2 | Kidney Foundation of Canada |
KFOC | Kodak Graphic Communications Canada Company |
KGCCC | Kurdish Youth Association of Canada |
KYAC | La Cañada Flintridge Educational Foundation |
LCFEF | La Cañada High School |
LCHS | Labrador Retriever Club of Canada |
LRCC | Law Reform Commission of Canada |
LRCC | Leukemia-Lymphoma Society of Canada |
LLSC | Liberal Party of Canada |
LPC | Liberal Party of Canada |
LPCO | Liberal Party of Canada in Québec |
LPCQ | Libertarian Party of Canada |
LPOC | Libertarian Party of Canada |
LPC | Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada |
LMCC | Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association of Canada |
LAMAC | Little People of Canada |
LPC | Luggage, Leathergoods, Handbags, and Accessories Association of Canada |
LLHA | Magazine Association of Canada |
MACINTOSH | Managers Association of Financial Advisors of Canada |
MAFAC | Measurement Canada |
MC | Member of the Order of Canada |
CM | Member Of The Order Of Canada |
COMMENTARY | Mennonite Church Canada |
MCCANADA | Mid-Canada Identification Zone |
MIDIZ | Mid-Canada Radar Line |
MCRL | Mid-Canada Television |
MCTV | Mineralogical Association of Canada |
MACINTOSH | Mines Action Canada |
MACINTOSH | Mining Association of Canada |
MCSC | Missing Children Society of Canada |
MACINTOSH | Mothers Against Canada |
MACINTOSH | Muslim Association of Canada |
NBOC | National Ballet of Canada |
NBHAC | National Barrel Horse Association of Canada |
NBCC | National Building Code of Canada |
NDCFC | National Downhill Cycling Foundation of Canada |
NLCE | National Library of Canada English |
NSAC | National Sunflower Association of Canada |
NEFC | Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada |
NWAC | Native Women’s Association of Canada |
NCTI | NAV Canada Training Institute |
XEM | New Richmond, Quebec, Canada – New Richmond / via Rail Service |
NNCI | Novo Nordisk Canada Inc. |
OPIC | Office de la Propriete Intellectuelle du Canada |
OC | Officer of the Order of Canada |
OPRP | OHIP Payment Review Program (Canada) |
OOCC | Olive Oil Council of Canada |
OC | Order of Canada |
OACC | Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada |
PLIX | Pacific Littoral ISR Experiment (Canada) |
PPAC | Pacific Pilotage Authority Canada |
PRCC | Pacific Rim College Canada |
PAC | Packaging Association of Canada |
PSC | Paralegal Society of Canada |
PAC | Partenariat Afrique Canada |
PAC | Partnership Africa Canada |
PAC | Patients’ Association of Canada |
PUGS | PC Users Group of Salt Spring (Canada) |
PAC | Pediatric AIDS Canada |
PICNIC | Pediatric Investigator Collaborative Network on Infections in Canada |
PSCC | Pediatric Surgical Chiefs of Canada |
PAOC | Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada |
PWAC | Periodical Writers Association of Canada |
PIJAC | Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council of Canada |
PCOG | Petro Canada Oil and Gas |
PHRCC | Petroleum Human Resources Council of Canada |
PEBC | Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada |
PCDF | Philippines-Canada Development Fund |
PAC | Pilots Association of Canada |
PPCA | Pirate Party of Canada |
PAC | Planetarium Association of Canada |
PFMAC | Plastic Film Manufacturers Association of Canada |
XPX | Pointe-Aux-Trembles, Quebec, Canada – Pointe Aux Trembles / via Rail Service |
PNIC | Poker Nuts in Canada |
PFIC | Pole Dance for Fitness Instruction Commission of Canada |
PPIC | Potash & Phosphate Institute of Canada |
PWAC | Professional Writers Association of Canada |
PPAC | Promotional Products Association of Canada |
PGAC | Propane Gas Association of Canada |
PAC | Public Archives of Canada |
PSC | Public Safety Canada |
RUDP | RADARSAT User Development Program (Canada) |
RPEC | Recyclage des Produits Electroniques Canada |
RFFC | Red Fridays Foundation of Canada |
YRLS | Red Lake, Ontario, Canada |
RCACC | Regional Community Airports Coalition of Canada |
ROMC | Register of Merit Canada |
RFCC | Registry of the Federal Court of Canada |
RPSC | Renaissance Performance Systems of Canada, Inc. |
RFOC | Residential Funding of Canada |
RCAP | Restricted Canada Air Pilot |
RICS | ROS /Item Client System (Public Works and Government Services Canada) |
RBCDS | Royal Bank of Canada – Dominion Securities |
RBCI | Royal Bank of Canada Investments |
RHC | Royal Highlanders of Canada |
RMCC | Royal Military College of Canada |
RPSC | Royal Philatelic Society of Canada |
RSOC | Royal Society of Canada |
SOCCI | Saab Owners Club of Canada Inc. |
SPECIALIST | Samaritan’s Purse Canada |
SCCSC | Shenzhen Concord College of Sino-Canada |
SCNS | Skate Canada Nova Scotia |
SCNC | Ski Combiné Nordique Canada |
SEPAC | Small Explorers and Producers Association of Canada |
SDAC | Soap and Detergent Association of Canada |
SPECIALIST | Socialist Party of Canada |
SAHC | Société d’Angioédème Héréditaire du Canada |
SADC | Societé d’Assurances-Dépôts du Canada |
SOCAN | Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada |
SRPC | Society of Rural Physicians of Canada |
STARFIRE | Speculative Fiction Canada |
SF | Speculative Fiction Canada |
SMSCC | Sports Medicine and Science Council of Canada |
SLCSF | Sri Lanka-Canada Scholarship Foundation |
CYJT | Stephenville, NF, Canada – Stephenville International Airport |
YSFS | Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan, Canada – Stony Rapids |
SCCD | Supreme Court of Canada Decisions |
SDTC | Sustainable Development Technology Canada |
SACC | Syndicat des Agents Correctionnels du Canada |
TESOC | Tamil Eelam Society of Canada |
TC | Teamsters Canada |
TOCL | Technip Offshore Canada Limited |
TC | Telecommunities Canada |
TC | Telefilm Canada |
TTMAC | Terrazzo, Tile & Marble Association of Canada |
TCTP | Thailand Canada Telecentre Project |
TKFC | The Kidney Foundation of Canada |
TRAAC | Therapeutic Recreation Association of Atlantic Canada |
YOUTH | Thompson, Manitoba, Canada – Thompson |
TRACC | Tire Recycling Atlantic Canada Corporation |
TTCS | Trade Team Canada Sectors |
TCTO | Trans Canada Trail Ontario |
TC | Translogistique Canada |
TC | Transport Canada |
TCRN | Transport Canada Registration Number |
TSB | Transportation Safety Board of Canada |
TMAC | Treasury Management Association of Canada |
TUCE | Trout Unlimited Canada Edmonton Chapter |
TDRC | Truck Drivers Resource Canada |
TPIC | Truss Plate Institute of Canada |
UCET | Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Toronto and Eastern Canada |
UPAC | Ultralight Pilots Association of Canada |
UCRCC | Undocumented Convention Refugees in Canada Class |
UISER | UNESCO Institute for Statistics (Quebec, Canada) |
UAJAPPFI | United Association of Journeymen & Apprentices of the Plumbing & Pipe Fitting Industry of the US and Canada |
UHCC | United Hindu Congress Canada |
USCFTA | United States-Canada Free Trade Agreement |
UUCL | United Utilities Canada Limited |
UT | Unitrade Specialized Canada Catalog |
UT-2 | Unitrade Specialized Canada Catalog |
UCL | Univac Canada, Ltd. |
UNCA | UtiliCorp Networks Canada Alberta, Ltd. |
VOIC | Vegetable Oil Industry of Canada |
VICC | Vehicle Information Center of Canada |
VADC | Veteran Agility Dog of Canada |
VCEP | Vietnam Canada Environmental Project |
VRSC | Visual Researchers’ Society of Canada |
VCCC | Volvo Cars of Canada Corp. |
WMCC | Waste Management of Canada Corporation |
WCBT | West Canada Bike Tours |
WCAN | Western Canada Airsoft Network |
WCCBA | Western Canada Charter Boat Association |
WCTD | Western Canada Tire Dealers |
WCWC | Western Canada Wilderness Committee |
WD | Western Economic Development Canada |
WD | Western Economic Diversification Canada |
WRWC | Wildlife Reserve of Western Canada |
WHISCA | Willing Hearts International Society Canada |
WJCC | Won Ji Canada Corporation |
WUSC | World University Service of Canada |
WWFC | World Wildlife Fund Canada |
WGC | Writers Guild of Canada |
XCT | Xbox Canada Tournaments |
XCC | Xstrata Canada Corporation |
YTCC | Youth Tourism Consortium of Canada |
YVCC | Youth Volunteer Corps of Canada |
ZOC | Zionist Organization of Canada |
Geography
The country’s geography is very diverse, and several of Canada’s conservation areas are on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. The country can be roughly divided into seven areas, with different landscapes and climates. Canada has a total coastline of 96 089 km, the longest in the world. The country is divided into ten provinces and three major territories.
Canada has several mountain ranges, including the Appalachian Mountains, Rocky Mountains and Coastal Mountains. The largest waterways are the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes in the south, where the famous Niagara Falls are located. The Canadian shield, which covers almost half of the country’s area, is seen as the core of the North American continent. This is a mountainous area of rivers, which provides the basis for the country’s hydropower production. The large prairie areas of the Midwest are used for agriculture. Tundra in the north, and areas of ice all year round, form Arctic Canada.
Canada’s environmental problems have long been pollution and acid rain. There are a number of problems associated with the extraction of oil sands. For example, toxins such as arsenic and mercury have leaked into rivers. Overfishing in the 1990s threatened several species, and fish stocks have not yet reached the same level as in 1980. Global warming means that fewer sea areas are ice covered, and researchers also warn that forest fires could become a threat in the future because of dry weather.
History
The first people came to the country along a land bridge over the Bering Strait, between Russia and Alaska, about 30,000 years ago. The Inuit people’s ancestors spread over the northern areas.
Englishmen discovered Canada in the late 15th century. French expeditions hit the ground, and the first French colony, New France, was created in 1604. The colonists’ conquests, and new diseases, caused the number of foreigners to decline rapidly. In 1755, the seven-year war broke out, between the French and British colonists, which led to Canada coming under British rule. Canada was divided into two areas: the Protestant English Upper Canada and the Catholic French Lower Canada. A rebellion led to Upper and Lower Canada being merged into the province of Canada in 1840. The British decided to establish a federal state with their own parliament and at the same time gained autonomy, as the first colony in the British Commonwealth
Canada became a member of the League of Nations in 1919, taking full control of its own affairs in 1926. In the 1931 Westminster Treaty, the United Kingdom confirmed that its parliament no longer had any power over Canada. The Nunavut Territory was established in 1999; Inuit then gained autonomy in one fifth of Canada’s area.
Society and politics
Canada is a constitutional monarchy and a federal state. Power is shared between a federal government and ten state governments with a high degree of internal self-government. The British monarch is the head of state, represented in the country by a Governor General. The executive power lies with the prime minister and the government. Parliament has the legislative power and consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Canada has a parliamentary system, which means that the government is based on the majority in parliament. Government power in Canada alternates between the Liberal Party and various Conservative parties.
Canada is one of the most developed countries in the world, but has in recent years fallen on the UN rankings, due to increasing pay gaps. Many indigenous people live in poverty and depend on government contributions. The unemployment rate for the indigenous population is twice as high as for the rest of the population, and the level of wages is considerably lower. Important political issues are therefore to improve the conditions of the indigenous people, and to reduce the differences between the poor and the rich. Terrorism legislation has also been a contentious issue, as many believe it is a threat to freedom of expression and legal certainty.
The French-speaking province of Québec has long had a strong desire for independence. The wish led to a referendum in 1980 and 1995, but until now the area has remained part of Canada.
Economics and Commerce
Canada is a prosperous country and has large amounts of natural resources, a well-educated workforce and high-tech industry. About ten percent of the world’s forests are located in Canada, and the country has vast mineral resources such as gold, nickel, uranium and lead. Traditionally, the forest, oil, gas and mining industries, as well as fishing, have been important trade routes, but the importance of these industries is diminishing. The service sector has become the most important part of the economy, employing four out of five Canadians. Agriculture still plays an important role, even though only one percent work in the industry.
Unemployment has gradually declined since the financial crisis, and is now at its lowest level since the 1970s. However, there are large regional differences, and unemployment among young people is high.
Due to a relatively small domestic market, foreign trade has always been important to the Canadian economy. Mining and oil and gas extraction still generate large export revenues. The United States is Canada’s most important trading partner, followed by China. With the NAFTA Free Trade Agreement, trade with Mexico has become increasingly important.