Canada is officially a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy, in fact it is a federal state located on the mainland of North America, borders the United States in the south and northwest (the territory of Alaska), has a maritime border with Greenland in the Atlantic Ocean and the French territories of St. Pierre and Miquelon in the Cabot Strait, south of Newfoundland.
The country is part of the British Commonwealth: Queen Elizabeth II Windsor is formally the head of state. Again, formally, its representative in the country is the Governor-General. Rideau Hall and the Quebec Fortress are his residences.
David Lloyd Johnson has served as Governor General since 2010. Legislative functions are performed by the Parliament, which also includes the House of Commons, the Senate and Queen Elizabeth. The representative of the party who receives the most votes in the election becomes prime minister.
Geographical position
The capital of the country is Ottawa. From largest cities, as well as cultural and economic centers, one can single out Montreal, Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver.
This state is technologically and industrially advanced, and also has a diversified economy that is based on trade (more imports go to the United States, this is also facilitated by various trade agreements (Canadian-American free trade agreement, automobile agreement and North American free trade agreement) and natural resources.
Canada is divided into 13 provinces (Ontario, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Newfoundler and Labrador) and 3 territories (Nunavut, Yukon, Northwest Territories).
One of the mottos of Canada is from sea to sea. Firstly, the country is washed by three oceans: Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic. Vancouver is considered the largest Canadian port.
The largest inland port of the country is Montreal. Canada is a country of rivers and lakes. The largest are: the Mackenzie, Fraser, Nelson, Columbia, St. John and St. Lawrence rivers and the Great Lakes of Ontario, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Superior, Great Bear Lake and Great Slave Lake.
Climate
Canada's climate is characterized by cold winters and cool, windy, humid summers due to winds from the Arctic Ocean and the Rocky Mountains.
But the climate varies depending on the region of the country: in the north it is polar, in the prairie regions it is milder and more temperate with frequent temperature fluctuations, and in the west the weather is rainy and mild in winter, and the climate is maritime due to the proximity of the Pacific Ocean, in the south moderate summer and continental climate.
Water and forest resources
In addition to water resources, which serve as a source of the country's hydropower, which is also facilitated by sparsely populated areas (the province of Quebec is the center of the country's hydropower, and the Churchill, La Grande and Manicouagan rivers are centers of powerful dams), Canada is rich in other minerals.
Various types of forests help Canada to support itself in the timber industry and import it to other countries. On the territory of the state there are deposits of: potassium salts, oil, uranium, cobalt, asbestos, sulfur, natural gas, zinc ores, platinoids, gold, silver, copper ore and lead ores.
Characteristics of the economy of Canada
Thrives in Canada and agriculture. Due to the diversity of climate, soil types are also not the same: in Ontario and British Columbia, horticulture, Quebec is the center of dairy production, crops are grown in the west, and Prince Edward Island grows most of the country's potatoes.
1. On the map of world religions, determine the adherents of which religions live in Canada. Explain the location of the areas of these religions.
The vast majority of the population of Canada are Christians (mainly Catholics and Protestants), since historically the population of Canada was mostly represented by immigrants from Western Europe: Catholic France and Protestant England.
2. What are the features geographical location Canada?
Canada is the only country that is washed by the waters of three oceans at once: the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific, and therefore it has the longest coastline in the world. In the south, Canada borders on America, and in the north, thanks to a large number of polar islands (Victoria, Baffin Island, Newfoundland, Devon, Ellesmere, Banks and others), they go 800 kilometers beyond the Arctic Circle.
3. How does Canada resemble Russia?
Russia and Canada have long been called twin countries. These two countries are the largest in terms of the territory of the state. modern world. In terms of natural conditions and wealth of resources, Canada has many similarities with our country, and natural landscapes are very reminiscent of Russian ones. Although our common border is not even a line, but just a geographical point - North Pole, where the conditional boundaries of the Arctic polar sectors of both countries converge - Russia and Canada are considered neighboring countries. In the world, only Russia and Canada have vast undeveloped territories left, where there are many natural resources, but difficult climatic conditions.
4. Choose the correct answers:
1) Distinctive feature Canada's economy is in the large role of extractive industries and industries of primary processing of raw materials.
2) In the structure of the manufacturing industry, the leading positions are occupied by the chemical and light industries.
3) In Canada, pipeline transport has received great development.
4) Characteristic Canada - uneven distribution of population and economy.
6. What is common and what are the differences in forms state structure USA and Canada?
The USA and Canada are federal states, however Canada is a constitutional monarchy (kingdom) with a parliamentary system, its monarch is the monarch of the British Commonwealth of Nations, and the USA is a presidential republic.
7. What are the features of the ethnic composition of the US and Canada? What are the similarities between them?
The population of the USA and Canada is represented by a very wide ethnic spectrum, but the national backbone of both countries is formed by people from Western Europe.
8. Name the branches of international economic specialization of the USA and Canada.
Canada is a highly developed country, although its face in the world economy is determined by its specialization in the production and export of mining, forestry, energy, and agricultural products. The face of the United States in the world economy is the automotive industry, electronics, electrical engineering, and the aerospace industry.
9. One of the provinces of Canada is called the "bread basket". What is this province? Why is she called that?
The province of Saskatchewan is called Canada's breadbasket. It is famous for its prairies and wheat fields. Saskatchewan is located in the western part of the country and borders Manitoba, Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and the United States.
10. There is a common expression among Canadians: "Canada has too little history and too much geography." How do you understand it? Can it also be attributed to Australia?
Canada and Australia are young states. They are former British colonies, they cannot boast of a rich history, but their territories are huge. Australia occupies an entire continent and Canada is the second largest country in the world.
Economic and geographical position of Canada
Remark 1
Canada occupies the northern part of the North American continent and is the second largest state in the world.
Its southern and northwestern border by land runs with the United States. In addition to land borders, Canada has maritime borders - in the northeast it borders on the Danish autonomous territory of Greenland and in the east on the French islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon.
The territory of Canada is washed by three oceans - the northern coast is washed by the Arctic Ocean, from the east it is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and in the west by the Pacific Ocean.
She also has polar possessions in the Arctic zone, there are claims to part continental shelf including the North Pole.
The country itself, its land and sea neighbors are highly developed capitalist states, well endowed with natural resources.
One of the important factors of Canadian prosperity is its efficient transport system, which combines railways, highways and airlines.
All these modes of transport have been developed in the south of the country. The small population of the northern part is almost not provided with transport, there are very few roads.
The north and south of the country are interconnected mainly by air transport. The longest highway in Canada connects the steppe regions with the western and eastern provinces. This "main street of Canada", as it is called, has a length of 8 thousand km.
Sufficient development has maritime and river transport. The St. Lawrence River is the largest transport artery, and the ports located on it are mainly of the lake type.
The largest airports are located in the central region of the country, for example, Mirabel Airport.
The main population of the country is concentrated in the south of Canada and mineral resources are mined here, in addition, the south of Canada is conveniently located to the mineral resources of the Great American Lakes, in the area of \u200b\u200bwhich there are US iron ore reserves.
What distinguishes Canada from the developed capitalist countries is its own raw materials and energy base, which exceeds the needs of the economy.
Canada is not only a member but also a founding member of NATO. She has a defensive army without nuclear weapons. The country took part on the side of the Allies in the First and Second World Wars. Participated on the US side in Korean War.
This industrial-agrarian country has great economic potential and occupies one of the leading places among developed countries in terms of gross national product.
Remark 2
Thus, despite the fact that most of the country lies in harsh conditions, its economic and geographical position is favorable and contributes to the high economic development of the economy. This is explained by the open access to three oceans, the presence of borders with highly developed countries, a well-developed transport system and proximity to international transport routes that contributed to the development of the territory and attracting immigrants, as well as large reserves of various mineral resources that underlie the development of the economy.
Natural conditions of Canada.
The relief of Canada is mainly represented by a hilly plain, which is bounded by mountain uplifts in the west and east.
The Canadian Cordillera stretches along the Pacific coast in the west. They begin on the border with Alaska and have a height of 2000-2700 m.
The rocky mountains are divided by river valleys into two ridges located meridionally in a southerly direction. The western slopes of these ranges are covered with coniferous forest, while the eastern slopes are rocky and bare. Individual peaks of these ranges have heights up to 4000 m.
To the west of the Rocky Mountains is a volcanic plateau.
The coastal Pacific mountains are also divided into two ridges running along the meridian. They are separated by a longitudinal valley, which is flooded in the southern part by the sea.
There are high sections in the western belt of mountains, in the south these are the coastal islands of Vancouver, Queen Charlotte, and in the northern part on the border with Alaska they end with the massifs of the mountains of St. Elijah and Logan - this is the highest point of Canada (5959 m). The mountains are covered with glaciers that cut off to the sea.
On the coast of the Atlantic Ocean of Canadian territory, the Appalachian Mountains of the United States continue.
Here, in the east of the country, there are the Notre Dame mountains on the right bank of the St. Lawrence, the Shikshok massif in the northern part of the Gaspé peninsula, the Kibkid mountains, cut through by the valley of the St. John River. The height of the mountains is not more than 700 m.
Newfoundland Island has a height of 805 m. From Lake Superior to the coast of the Arctic Ocean, a vast area of \u200b\u200bthe Canadian Shield stretches - this is a low country composed of crystalline rocks. On the modern surface of this country, traces of recent glaciation are visible - “ram's foreheads”, lake basins, rapids rivers, a thin soil layer.
On the Labrador Peninsula there are bare stone hills and rocks. The height of the terrain on the southern and western coasts of Hudson Bay is no more than 200 m. The terrain rises to 500 m towards Lake Superior. The eastern part of the Labrador Peninsula is mountainous.
On the northern coast of Canada, a low-lying strip stretches along the Mackenzie River, which extends far into the interior of the mainland.
Between the Canadian Shield and the Rocky Mountains there is a plain, up to 400 m high. Lakes are located on it:
- Manitoba,
- Winnipeg,
- Winnipegosis.
On the second stage of the plain, the Coto de Missouri plateau was formed, up to 1000 m high. Closer to the southern border of the country there are wooded and cypress mountains with flat tops, whose height is 1000-1100 m.
The northern part of Canada lies within the subarctic climate zone, the rest of the territory in a temperate continental climate, which is quite mild. For the winter period, temperatures range in the north from -35 degrees to +4 in the south of the Pacific coast.
In the south of the country, the average July temperature is +21 degrees, and in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago from -4 degrees in the north to +4 degrees in the south.
Outside the Arctic Circle, the amplitude is constantly kept below zero. Each region of the country is characterized by its individual climate.
The Atlantic Ocean in the south-east of the country somewhat softens the winter and at the same time brings heavy precipitation in the form of snowfalls. The summer period here is longer than in other areas, but it is not hot here. Atmospheric pressure changes frequently and dramatically.
West of the Rocky Mountains on the Pacific coast, the climate is milder and more temperate. Winters in the west are very wet, summers are moderate in the south and cooler in the north. The Rocky Mountains prevent this climate from spreading inland.
The cold Labrador Current, which runs along the Canadian coast, contributes to the formation of the climate of the Atlantic coast.
Natural resources of Canada
A diverse tectonic structure and a large area provided a wealth of mineral resources.
The country has on its territory precious metals, iron ore, hydrocarbons, coal, asbestos, potash salts, non-ferrous metal ores, uranium, etc.
Coal deposits are located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, in the province of Alberta, in the Appalachians, in the coastal provinces.
Iron ores occur in the Lake Superior basin and on the Labrador Peninsula. In the region of Lakes Huron and Athabasca there are reserves of uranium ore, in the province of Quebec and British Columbia there are large reserves of asbestos.
Plain territories are rich in minerals of sedimentary origin - hydrocarbons, potassium salts.
The western provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia became the main areas of oil production. The fuel and energy complex of the country is very developed.
Coal mining has grown since the second half of the 20th century. The reason was the discovery and development of deposits in the western provinces of the country. Coal is exported mainly to Japan.
The wealth of mineral resources enables Canada to be the largest supplier of minerals to the developed capitalist countries and, above all, to the USA.
About 45% of Canada's territory is occupied by forests; in terms of timber reserves, the country ranks 3rd. Large stocks of timber were the basis for the development of the timber and pulp and paper industries.
In the natural potential, a special place belongs to water resources, in terms of the reserves of which, after Brazil and Russia, it is also in 3rd place.
The most common in Canada are infertile podzolic soils, characteristic of the northern regions of the country. In areas with summer precipitation, fertile chernozem soils are formed. In areas with precipitation of at least 360 mm, chestnut soils were formed. Grayish soils are common in arid areas.
Canada See Appendix 1 is the second largest country in the world (10 million sq. km.), surpassed in size only by Russia. Canada occupies 1/12 of the earth's land and has the longest coastline, equal to 3 equators. Canada is located in North America. It borders the United States to the south and northwest, the US land border being considered the longest unguarded border in the world. The "border" with Russia is the shortest, as it is just a mathematical point - the North Pole, where the borders of the polar sectors of these countries converge. In the north, Canada is washed by the Arctic Ocean. To the northeast by Baffin Bay and Davis Strait, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the west by the Pacific Ocean.
Canada's climate varies from temperate in the south to arctic in the north.
Although most of the land is occupied by lakes and lowlands overgrown with forests, Canada also has mountain ranges, plains and even a small desert. The Great Plains, or prairies, cover Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and parts of Alberta. Now it is the main agricultural land of the country. Western Canada is known for its Rocky Mountains, while the east contains the country's most important cities, as well as Niagara Falls, the Canadian Shield, an ancient mountainous region formed over 2.5 billion years ago. years ago, covers most of the north of the country. In the arctic region, only tundra can be found, which breaks up into islands to the north, covered with ice almost all year round.
The highest point in Canada is Mount Logan at 5,950 meters above sea level.
Physical and geographical position of Canada:
In physical and geographical terms, Canada is divided into five main parts: the Appalachian-Acadian region (southeast of the country), the Canadian Shield, the Interior Lowlands, the Great Plains (in the center) and the Cordillera (in the west). The territory of the country is a complex geological structure, where there are rocks of various ages. Next to the oldest geological formation, which is the Canadian Shield, there are young mountains - the Cordillera.
More than half of the country's territory is occupied by the Laurentian Plateau, which is part of the Canadian Shield. This is the oldest part of Canadian land, covered by a glacier in the recent past and still bearing traces of glaciation: smoothed rocks, moraines, chains of lakes. The plateau is a gently undulating plain. This is the most severe and uninhabited part of the country, but with huge reserves of minerals.
From the north and south, the plateau is surrounded by large lowlands - the Interior Plains, the Laurentian Lowland and the lowlands of the Hudson Strait, which represent a characteristic picture of the Canadian landscape and brought Canada the glory of a country of boundless expanses with favorable natural conditions.
In spring, the boundless expanse of the steppes is covered with a green carpet, in summer - golden, and in winter - a white blanket. Such steppes are mainly located in the southern parts of the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, which is why these provinces are called steppe. The Laurentian lowland is in the most favorable climatic conditions- temperate climate and the most fertile soils. That is why the main economic region of the country is located here.
In the southeast of the country lie the Appalachian Mountains, an ancient mountain system rich in minerals like our Urals. Their average height does not exceed 600 m. The Appalachians are covered with dense forests. To the northwest of the Appalachians is the Canadian Shield, which consists of granites and gneisses. There are many swamps, lakes, rapids rivers. From the west and south, the shield is bordered by a chain of lakes - from the Great Bear Lake to the Great Lakes. The Canadian Shield Region is a harsh and sparsely populated part of the country.
West of the Canadian Shield are the Great Plains. Their southern part - the Interior Lowlands - is the breadbasket of Canada (75% of the country's cultivated land). In the western part of Canada on the Pacific coast is one of the greatest and most beautiful mountain systems in the world - the Cordillera, stretching for 2.5 thousand km from north to south and 750 km from west to east. Within Canada, they are subdivided into the Rocky Mountains (in the east), the Coast Range (in the west), and the plateau that lies between them. The height of the mountains is 2000-3000 m above sea level. These relatively young mountains are also rich in minerals, most of which are exploited.
Economic and geographical position of Canada:
Canada occupies most of the North of North America. 75% of the territory is the zone of the north. Canada has a common land border with the United States in the south and northwest (between Alaska and Yukon) and stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Arctic Ocean in the north. It also shares maritime borders with France (Saint Pierre and Miquelon) and Denmark (Greenland). Since 1925 Canada has owned part of the Arctic between 60? h.d. and 141? z.d., however, these possessions are not generally recognized.
The USA is a developed state. It ranks fourth in the world in terms of territory. The United States borders in the south with Mexico, and also has a maritime border with Russia. The US has the largest economy in the world. Many natural resources, including energy and raw materials. High-tech production. developed Scientific research. The service sector is well developed and the industry is competitive.
The country's transport system includes more than 1.1 million kilometers of roads, ten major international and about three hundred regional and local airports, 72,093 kilometers of railways and more than 300 commercial seaports providing access to the waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic oceans. , the waters of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. In 2005, the country's transport sector revenue accounted for 4.2% of Canada's GDP, up 0.5% compared to oil and natural gas revenues.
Canada can be divided into 7 physiographic regions. Arctic mountains. Most of Ellesmere Island and the northeast coast of Baffin Island is occupied by a series of high mountains and steep slopes. This region is high latitude and extremely cold. The surface is bound by permafrost, in most of the territory - ice sheets.
Laurentian (Canadian) shield. The territory of this region is characterized by outcrops of ancient crystalline bedrocks. Local landforms are a legacy of the Ice Age. As the massive ice sheets retreated northward, they cleared and smoothed the surface. There are thousands of lakes within this area, with Hudson Bay in the center. The entire region, which has the shape of a circle, covers almost half of Canada (4.6 million km). The area is extremely rich in mineral resources; deposits of almost all elements of the periodic table have been found here.
Appalachian mountains. The Maritime Provinces and the insular Newfoundland represent the northernmost edge of the Appalachian system, which runs through the eastern United States into Canada. This is a mountainous region of ancient rocks.
Interior Plains. Bordering the Canadian Shield to the west, this region of plains and gently undulating terrain extends from the United States into the Steppe Provinces and continues northwest to the Pacific coast. The Canadian Shield and the Interior Plains are an area of low relief that covers approximately 60% of Canada and the United States.
The Rocky Mountains rise sharply along the western edge of the Interior Plains. In contrast to the gently undulating plains, the Rocky Mountains have peaks often exceeding 3,000 meters.
Intermountain regions. To the west is a relatively narrow corridor of plateaus and valleys that separates the Rocky Mountains from the mountain ranges along the Pacific coast. This area, extremely complex in geological terms, is a labyrinth of plateaus, low ridges and valleys.
Pacific mountain system. The western edge of the continent is a mountainous country stretching from Alaska through the Yukon Territory and British Columbia to the Sierra Nevada in Southern California.
The climatic regions of Canada and Russia are very similar. In the North, the tundra region extends from the Canadian archipelago through the Ungava Peninsula east of Hudson Bay and ends on the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland. South of the tundra is a vast subarctic climate region running from the Yukon and the Northwest Territories east across the country to Hudson Bay and continuing into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In the south, this zone reaches the northern shore of Lake Superior. To the south of the subarctic belt there is an area of humid continental climate, spreading through the southern part of the Steppe provinces and through the Great Lakes region to the Maritime provinces. However, all natural zones in Canada are shifted to the south compared to Russia (especially its European part). The fact is that instead of the warm Gulf Stream, its eastern shores are washed by the cold Labrador Current, and the North Pole, according to scientists, in the distant past was located on the territory of present-day Canada, where the north magnetic pole Earth. Here in much more southern latitudes than ours - sometimes even in Montreal! - you can see the northern lights. The climate in Montreal is about the same as in Moscow, although Montreal, like the capital, Ottawa, is located at the latitude of Simferopol. And at the latitude of Moscow in eastern Canada - already the tundra. As in Russia, approximately 70% of Canada's territory is usually attributed to the region of the North.
Political and geographical position of Canada:
Canada is a federal state that occupies most of the mainland of North America and the adjacent numerous islands. Today Canada is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system, a bilingual and multicultural country where English and French recognized as official at the federal level.
It is washed by the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans, borders on the USA in the south and in the northwest, with Denmark (Greenland) and France (Saint Pierre and Miquelon) in the northeast. Canada's border with the United States is the longest common border in the world. Capital of Canada Ottawa.
Over the past 60 years, Canada has become an advocate for diversity, working with other countries to resolve international conflicts.
As a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Canada has a non-nuclear defensive military. There are currently 62,000 permanent military personnel in service and 26,000 personnel in reserve. Canadian military establishment composed of infantry, navy and air force. Most of the armament includes 1,500 infantry fighting vehicles, 34 warships and 861 aircraft.
Canada participated in the First and Second World Wars on the side of the Allies. She also participated in the Korean War on the side of the United States. Canada has been active in international missions under the command of the UN and NATO since 1950, including peacekeeping operations, various missions in former Yugoslavia, and supported Coalition forces in the 1st Gulf War. Since 2001, Canada has had a contingent in Afghanistan in partnership with the US Stabilization Force and the NATO International Force, supported by the UN. The emergency response team participated in three important rescue operations following the December 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia, after Hurricane Katrina in September 2005 on the American coast, and after the October 2005 Kashmir earthquake.
Canada is made up of ten provinces and three territories. See Appendix 2. Canada's newest administrative unit is Nunavut (established in 1999).
The provinces are states that exist under the Canadian constitution and have supreme power within their jurisdiction, independent of the federal government.
The Canadian territories are administrative divisions administered by the Canadian federal Parliament, which by ordinary law grants certain powers to their local administrations.
The ten modern provinces are Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan. Three territories: Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon.
Canada is an independent state in North America, its area is 9.98 million square kilometers, which is 8.62% of the entire earth's surface and the second largest in the world after Russia. The form of government in the country is a constitutional monarchy with a functioning parliament, the head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who is the monarch of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Canada is a country with two official languages - French and English, its capital is the city of Ottawa, the largest cities are Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary. The population as of 2016 is 36 million people, the average density is low - 3.5 people per sq. km. kilometer (one of the lowest in the world).
Geographic characteristics
Canada occupies more than 40% of the North American continent, more than 75% of its territory is located in the northern part of the continent. Canada occupies a huge area of almost 10 million km 2 between the USA, Alaska, the Arctic Ocean and the island of Greenland. It is washed by the waters of three oceans: the Arctic in the north, the Atlantic in the west and the Pacific in the east. The south and northwest of the country has borders with the United States (the southern border with the United States is the longest border between countries in the world), the northeast borders Denmark by sea (Greenland), the eastern regions - with the French islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon.
Nature
Mountains and plains
The relief of the country is complex and diverse, most of the territory is occupied by hilly plains, which in the western part, along the Pacific coast, are limited by the Cordillera (here is the highest point of Canada - Mount Logan, 5956 m high), in the eastern part (the coast of the Atlantic Ocean) - northern spurs of the low mountains of the Appalachians, located in the United States. To the east of the Rocky Mountains, which are part of the Pacific Cordillera, are the Canadian Prairies (part of the Great Plains), these are foothill plateaus stretching from north to south for more than 3.6 thousand kilometers. In the northern part of the country, starting from the St. Lawrence River and Lake Superior, there is the Canadian crystalline shield, which stretches to the very Arctic Ocean, it is composed of such hard crystalline rocks as granite, gneiss, slate ...
Rivers and lakes
Canada has a dense, well-developed river network. Canadian rivers are of considerable length and are full-flowing, they belong to the basins of three oceans: the Arctic (most), the Pacific and the Atlantic. The most significant rivers of Canada are the St. Lawrence River and its numerous tributaries (Ottawa, Saginay, San Maurice), Niagara, Fraser, Mackenzie, Nelson, Saskatchewan.
Canada is one of the world's leading countries in terms of the number of lakes, there are about 4 million of them. The largest of them: five Great Lakes (Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie, Ontario) partially located on the territory of Canada, as well as such lakes in the north-west of the country as the Great Bear Lake, the Great Slave Lake, Winnipeg, Athabasca, Manitoba, etc. ...
Oceans and seas surrounding Canada
Canada is surrounded by oceans on three sides: the Pacific in the west, the Atlantic in the east, and the Arctic Ocean in the north. As a result, it has a long coastline that creates favorable conditions for creating trade relations with other countries. The largest Canadian ports are the cities of Vancouver and Montreal...
Forests
The territory of Canada is almost half covered with forests, the average forest cover is 45%. The taiga zone stretches from northwest to southeast to the coast of the Atlantic Ocean at a distance of about 5 thousand kilometers. More than 150 species of trees grow here, of which 30 are coniferous species of great economic importance (pine, spruce, fir, larch) and 119 species of deciduous trees, of which 7 species of hardwood trees are used in the economy. In the Atlantic provinces of Quebec and Ontario, a zone of deciduous and mixed forests begins. Here, along with numerous coniferous trees, a large number of different types oak (red, white, northern), maple (sugar, red, silver), ash and linden. The red-yellow shade of autumn maple leaves gives Canadian forests a unique uniqueness and special charm, and maple syrup as an excellent sugar substitute is widely known all over the world, for these and other merits, a maple leaf is even put on the flag of the Canadian state ...
Plants and animals of Canada
The extreme north of the country lies in the zone of the Arctic desert, to the south of it the zone of tundra and forest-tundra extends. Here the vegetation is very poor and is represented by mosses, lichens, dwarf trees and shrubs. Coniferous trees predominate in the taiga zone: black and white spruces, pines, larches, arborvitae, Douglas and Sitka spruces, red and Alaskan cedars grow on the Pacific coast, balsam firs, black and red firs, American larches grow on the Atlantic coast. To the south of the taiga there is a zone of mixed and broad-leaved forests, which are characterized by the growth of birches, lindens, maples, poplars, and oaks. In the west of the country, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, the Canadian Prairies lie in the steppe zone, there are many agricultural lands from wild vegetation, wormwood, feather grass, and various steppe forbs.
The animal world of Canada is rich and diverse; bears, reindeer, musk musk oxen, tundra wolves, polar hares, arctic foxes, lemmings live in the tundra. The Canadian taiga is a habitat for lynx, cougar, wolverine, grizzly bear, elk, caribou and wapiti, martens, and beavers. Bighorn sheep and bighorn goats live in the mountainous regions, the number of bison is preserved in nature reserves and national parks, there are many different rodents in the steppes, there are numerous colonies on the lakes various kinds birds, fresh and marine waters are rich in fish ...
Climate of Canada
The Canadian temperate climate, within which most of the country lies, is characterized by severe, cold winters with large quantity precipitation in the form of snow and cool summers. The average January temperature ranges from -35 0 C in the northern regions, influenced by the subarctic climate zone and the cold masses of the Arctic Ocean, to +4 0 C in the south of the Pacific coast. In July, sharp fluctuations in temperature within the country are also noticeable: from -4 0, +4 0 С in the north, to +21 0, +22 0 С in the south. In the north, there is an insignificant amount of precipitation (100 mm), much more on the east coast of the Atlantic (1200 mm) and on the Pacific west coast (1500 mm) ...
Resources
Natural resources of Canada
Canada has a rich and diverse mineral resource base, it is rich in ores of non-ferrous and precious metals, iron ore, large reserves of oil and natural gas are located here, coal is mined, potash salts, asbestos, raw materials for the production of building materials...
Industry and Agriculture Canada
In terms of GDP, the Canadian economy ranks 14th in the world, the leading sectors of Canadian industrial production are mining and fuel and energy, non-ferrous metallurgy, chemistry and petrochemistry, oil refining, automotive and precision engineering, forestry and wood processing industries.
Canada's agriculture is characterized by a high level of intensification, its structure is dominated by animal husbandry: reindeer breeding (northern regions), pig breeding, dairy cattle breeding and poultry farming (southeast), beef cattle breeding in the steppe, sheep breeding in the western mountainous regions. Canada is one of the world's largest grain exporters, with wheat mainly grown in the flat southern lands...
culture
Peoples of Canada
The culture of Canada is multifaceted and diverse due to the fact that its population has a motley ethnic composition, here almost every 6th inhabitant of the country comes from another state. Canada is a country with two official languages: English and French, the third, most common language is Chinese, 850 thousand Chinese live here (4% of the population). The French population of Canada is about 6 million people (23% of the total population), they live mainly in the provinces of Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick, the English-speaking population (23 million people, 75% of the population) live in nine Canadian provinces, as well as in Yukon and the Northwest Territories...
In this country, the development of a policy of not only bilingualism, but also multiculturalism is welcomed. In summer and spring in major cities celebratory festivals of various peoples inhabiting Canada are held: Scots, Irish, French, Filipinos, Japanese, Chinese, etc. On the city streets you can meet the influence of the culture of the ancient Eskimo and Indian tribes that once lived on the territory of Canada: these are totem poles painted with ancient ritual signs, other art objects of the Indian and Eskimo cultures.
