Canada Physical Map 1997
Canada is a country located in the northern part of North America. A constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system, it is constituted as a federation bringing together ten provinces and three territories. The country is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Canada has two land borders with the United States, one to the south and one to the northwest with Alaska, as well as a maritime border with France, through the archipelago of St. Pierre-et-Miquelon, and Denmark, through Greenland. Canada's land territory covers 10 million square kilometers, making it the second largest country in the world after Russia. In 2019, it has more than 37 million inhabitants and is thus the 37th country in the world in terms of population. The territory contains more than 31,700 lakes, which makes Canada one of the countries with the largest reserves of fresh water in the world. The official languages at the federal level are English and French. The federal capital is Ottawa and the currency is the Canadian dollar.
The first occupants of Canadian territory were the First Nations, whose migrations date back about 15,000 years during the last glaciation, which lowered ocean levels and created a land bridge connecting Eurasia to America, allowing these to settle down.
Even though Vikings were present from the eleventh to the fourteenth century, the first explorations of Europeans began at the end of the fifteenth century, culminating with the expeditions of the French Jacques Cartier in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. After some unsuccessful experiences in the first half of the sixteenth century, on August 5, 1583, the English colony of Newfoundland was founded, followed by the first permanent French counters on the continent between 1600 and 1608, initiating the process of European colonization. Subsequently, other British and French colonies were established, notably in the region of the Atlantic coast (Nova Scotia, Acadia), in the valley of the St.Lawrence River and the Labrador peninsula (New France) as well as in the arctic zone, while other European powers such as Spain and Russia explore the rest of Canada. Following various conflicts, especially the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714), the French and Indian War (1754-1760) and the American War of Independence (1775-1783), Great Britain wins and loses territories in the 18th century, resulting in what corresponds to today's Canadian territory. Three of these colonies federated on July 1, 1867 and formed the Dominion of Canada, an independent nation under partial domination of the British Crown. Its total sovereignty is then guaranteed by the Balfour Declaration of 1926, the Statute of Westminster of 1931 and the repatriation of its Constitution in 1982. It should be noted that the National Assembly of Quebec has never ratified the law on the repatriation of the Canadian Constitution.
Contemporary Canadian history has been marked by vigorous territorial expansion, the Gold Rush and participation in the First World War. The country was hit hard by the Great Depression in 1929, but its economy rebounded thanks to its participation in World War II in which it emerged as a middle power and was one of the victors as a member of the Allies.
In 2015, Canada had the tenth highest per capita income and was ranked ninth by the UNDP in terms of the Human Development Index. It is the tenth largest economic power in the world by its GDP in 2017, the main sectors of its economy being services, telecommunications, agriculture, energy, aeronautics and automobile manufacturing. It maintains strong links with the United States (the closest Anglo-Saxon country and sharing part of its history), which are its main customer and supplier with whom one of the most intimate and deepest relations in the world between two nations. The country is a leader in scientific research and ranks among the most educated in the world, ranking first in the number of adults with post-secondary education, with 51% of them having at least a diploma. post-secondary among its population aged 25 to 64. Canada is a member of the United Nations, NATO, the G7, the Group of Ten, the G20, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Commonwealth of Nations, the Arctic Council, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, and the Organization of American States.
The first occupants of Canadian territory were the First Nations, whose migrations date back about 15,000 years during the last glaciation, which lowered ocean levels and created a land bridge connecting Eurasia to America, allowing these to settle down.
Even though Vikings were present from the eleventh to the fourteenth century, the first explorations of Europeans began at the end of the fifteenth century, culminating with the expeditions of the French Jacques Cartier in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. After some unsuccessful experiences in the first half of the sixteenth century, on August 5, 1583, the English colony of Newfoundland was founded, followed by the first permanent French counters on the continent between 1600 and 1608, initiating the process of European colonization. Subsequently, other British and French colonies were established, notably in the region of the Atlantic coast (Nova Scotia, Acadia), in the valley of the St.Lawrence River and the Labrador peninsula (New France) as well as in the arctic zone, while other European powers such as Spain and Russia explore the rest of Canada. Following various conflicts, especially the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714), the French and Indian War (1754-1760) and the American War of Independence (1775-1783), Great Britain wins and loses territories in the 18th century, resulting in what corresponds to today's Canadian territory. Three of these colonies federated on July 1, 1867 and formed the Dominion of Canada, an independent nation under partial domination of the British Crown. Its total sovereignty is then guaranteed by the Balfour Declaration of 1926, the Statute of Westminster of 1931 and the repatriation of its Constitution in 1982. It should be noted that the National Assembly of Quebec has never ratified the law on the repatriation of the Canadian Constitution.
Contemporary Canadian history has been marked by vigorous territorial expansion, the Gold Rush and participation in the First World War. The country was hit hard by the Great Depression in 1929, but its economy rebounded thanks to its participation in World War II in which it emerged as a middle power and was one of the victors as a member of the Allies.
In 2015, Canada had the tenth highest per capita income and was ranked ninth by the UNDP in terms of the Human Development Index. It is the tenth largest economic power in the world by its GDP in 2017, the main sectors of its economy being services, telecommunications, agriculture, energy, aeronautics and automobile manufacturing. It maintains strong links with the United States (the closest Anglo-Saxon country and sharing part of its history), which are its main customer and supplier with whom one of the most intimate and deepest relations in the world between two nations. The country is a leader in scientific research and ranks among the most educated in the world, ranking first in the number of adults with post-secondary education, with 51% of them having at least a diploma. post-secondary among its population aged 25 to 64. Canada is a member of the United Nations, NATO, the G7, the Group of Ten, the G20, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Commonwealth of Nations, the Arctic Council, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, and the Organization of American States.