Overview
Canada is the second largest country in the world after Russia. Its population is only about one-fifth of Russia's however. Nearly 90% of Canadians live within 200 km of the border with the United States, which means that Canada contains vast expanses of wilderness to the north. The relationship to its powerful neighbour is a defining factor for Canada. The US and Canada have the world's largest trading relationship.
Map
Facts
| Full name | Canada |
|---|---|
| Population: | 33.6 million (UN, 2009) |
| Capital: | Ottawa |
| Largest city | Toronto |
| Area: | 9.9 million sq km (3.8 million sq miles) |
| Major languages: | English, French (both official) |
| Major religion: | Christianity |
| Life expectancy: | 78 years (men), 83 years (women) (UN) |
| Monetary unit: | 1 Canadian dollar = 100 cents |
| Main exports: | Machinery and equipment, automotive products, metals and plastics, forestry products, agricultural and fishing products, energy products |
| GNI per capita: | US $41,730 (World Bank, 2008) |
| Internet domain: | .ca |
| International dialling code: | +1 |
Knowledge
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Profile: The CommonwealthCountry profiles
...& Barbuda Jamaica Sierra Leone Australia Kenya Singapore The Bahamas Kiribati Solomons Bangladesh Lesotho South Africa Barbados Malawi Sri Lanka Belize Malaysia St Kitts Botswana Maldives St Lucia Brunei Malta St Vincent Cameroon Mauritius Swaziland Canada Mozambique...
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Radio 4 Empire - The death of Queen Victoria.Radio 4 Empire
Contemporary Sources Queen Victoria's death - reactions from the Empire Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the prime minister, addressed the Canadian House of Commons "In the first year of the Queen's reign there was rebellion in this very country.
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Radio 4 - Arid Eden: Nanuk's KingdomRadio 4
30pm Programme 1: Nanuk's Kingdom Iqaluit, capital of Canada's newest territory, Nunavut, is an outpost on the edge of the Arctic, surrounded by frozen ocean. The wonders of a polar desert unfold to reveal astonishing adaptations of the animals and plants that have made one of the harshest...
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Radio 4 Empire - The Empire and the Second WorldRadio 4 Empire
The Canadians contributed nearly 500,000 and their first contingents arrived in Britain by December 1939. The Australians raised more than half million men and women - 27,000 of them were killed.
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Radio 4 Making History - Latest programmeRadio 4 Making History
Useful links The Rolling of Drunken Duchesses Making History listener Anna Scharf requested information about the ships that took German internees and prisoners of war from the UK to Canada during World War Two. Estelle Lumb wrote from her home in Shipley to tell us that there were four sister...
Blogs
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Friday 15 May 200915 May 09 | Sarah McDermott - Newsnight: From the web team
And we hope we'll have time to discuss the new work of the Canadian poet Ann Michaels who won the Orange Prize in 1997. She has written her long awaited second novel The Winter Vault which returns to familiar territory of love and loss.
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Stoical in Ottawa19 Feb 09 | Justin Webb - The Reporters: Justin Webb
Boy, Canadians know the meaning of stoicism. Standing with the small multi-ethnic crowd outside the parliament building here in Ottowa - comprised mainly of the young and the old, the middle aged presumably at work - we witnessed the mounting expectation as the choppers circled and The Moment...
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Are Canadians falling into the Obama trap?04 Dec 08 | Justin Webb - The Reporters: Justin Webb
Like most of you, I begin each day with an assessment of the situation in Canada and troubling it is to those who follow constitutional issues north of the border. (For...
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Meet Ouch's guest bloggers30 Apr 07 | Vaughan - Ouch
I've lived and completed degrees equally in Canada, the US and the UK. Right now I live in the Canadian city which prides itself on being 'British'.
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O Canada!25 Oct 05 | Vaughan - Ouch
Over to the weblog's World Affairs desk now, for an interesting news story coming out of Canada, which is testing the country's attitudes to both disability and immigration to the limit. The Supreme Court has been deciding if the Canadian government can reject wealthy would-be immigrants due to the...
Coming Up
TV
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In Arctic FootstepsBBC Two, 17 Nov 09 19:00
In a stunning celebration of one of earth's last great wildernesses, Ray Mears goes on an epic adventure into Canada's unforgiving yet inspiring landscape. In this episode of the series, Ray follows in the footsteps of an unsung British hero who helped put modern Canada on the map.
Radio
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Through the NightBBC Radio 3, 15 Nov 09 01:00
Irving Rosenthal: Fantasie in C, BWV570 Canadian Brass 4.52am Suk, Josef (1874-1935):...
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Let The Peoples SingBBC Radio 3, 15 Nov 09 18:30
Including performances from the nine finalists: choirs spanning thousands of miles - from Latvia to Canada, Germany to Finland - competing in three categories: adult, youth and children. This is the one of the highest accolades for any non-professional choir in the world, and the music in the...
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Up All NightBBC Radio 5 live, 17 Nov 09 01:00
Including World Weather with Philip Eden; Pods and Blogs with Jamillah Knowles; Canada Desk with Steve Lus; and Archaeology with Win Scutt. ...
BBC iPlayer
TV
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Ray Mears Northern Wilderness - 1. The Forgotten1. The Forgotten Forest, 25 Oct 09Ray Mears goes on an epic adventure into Canada's unforgiving, yet stunning wilderness. His journey begins in the vast Boreal Forest at the heart of Canada.
Watch " Ray Mears Northern Wilderness - 1. The Forgotten " now -
Ray Mears Northern Wilderness - 2. The Company2. The Company that Built a Country, 01 Nov 09Ray Mears goes on an epic adventure into Canada's unforgiving, yet stunning wilderness. As Ray travels across land and by canoe, he tells the story of one of the greatest companies the world has ever known - the Hudson's Bay Company that opened up Canada. Ray...
Watch " Ray Mears Northern Wilderness - 2. The Company " now -
Blas - Episode 4Episode 4, 08 Nov 09A-measg nan rionnagan eadar-nàiseanta a bha a' gabhail pàirt - à Canada, na Barra MacNeils le am measgachadh air leth de dh' òrain, puirt agus dannsa-ceum! A' toirt còmhla nan dualchas beartach de cheòl is de dhannsa à Èirinn, Alba agus Canada - an còmhlan aighearach ùr - Tread.
Watch " Blas - Episode 4 " now -
Ray Mears Northern Wilderness - 3. The Unknown3. The Unknown Pioneer, 08 Nov 09Ray Mears goes on an epic adventure into Canada's unforgiving yet stunning wilderness. For Ray Mears there is one British pioneer who stands above all others in the exploration of Canada.
Watch " Ray Mears Northern Wilderness - 3. The Unknown " now
Radio
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Book of the Week - 2. Alaska and Canada2. Alaska and Canada, 10 Nov 09Wheeler finds traces of American entrepreneurial drive in the wide spaces of Alaska and visits a bedrock-mapping project on an isolated Canadian island.
Listento " Book of the Week - 2. Alaska and Canada " now -
Leading Edge - 12/11/200914 Nov 09Robert Grenier of Parks Canada is leading the search, and meets Geoff at an exhibition about the North West Passage at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.
Listento " Leading Edge - 12/11/2009 " now -
Science In Action - 13/11/200914 Nov 09And whole layers of soil are being detached on islands such as Ellesmere in Nunavut, Canada, allowing them to slip away. BBC reporter Tracey Logan went to see for herself the dramatic changes to the Arctic landscape. FLOURISHING...
Listento " Science In Action - 13/11/2009 " now -
Cerys on 6 - 13/11/200913 Nov 09Martha is the daughter of American folk/blues musician Loudon Wainwright III and Canadian folk singer-songwriter Kate McGarrigle. Along with her older brother, Rufus Wainwright, Martha was raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Listento " Cerys on 6 - 13/11/2009 " now -
The Friday Documentary - Africa's ForgottenAfrica's Forgotten Soldiers, 14 Nov 09Britain’s war effort was bolstered by soldiers from the white Commonwealth – Australia, Canada and New Zealand and later by the United States. The war in the Far East is often overlooked, as is the fighting that took place in Africa.
Listento " The Friday Documentary - Africa's Forgotten " now
Sport
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Live - Saturday football14 Nov 09 | FootballMeanwhile Macedonia have beaten Canada 3-0 in Skopje - all three goals coming in the second half." 1634: Ashley Williams plays a nice one-two with Robert Earnshaw but fires his shot miles off target from the edge of the Scotland box.
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Schedule/results 200914 Nov 09 | Results & Schedule
Rama, Canada, Marvin Sonsona v Alejandro Hernandez (WBO super-featherweight).
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Fleet re-sign heart op man Smith12 Nov 09 | EbbsfleetThe 29-year-old, who has spent most of his life living in Canada, even though he has Scottish parents, had just made the dream move to the USA when he received the devastating news. "I...
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Event guide: Curling12 Nov 09 | Sport GuidesVenue: Vancouver Olympic Centre Holders: Canada (men) and Sweden (women)
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Begovic hoping to face Portugal12 Nov 09 | IpswichThe former Canada Under-20 man told BBC Suffolk: "The criteria for a lot of national managers is you have to be playing club football and playing well.
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John welcomes north Wales-Canada plan28 Aug 09Rugby Canada's Welsh high performance boss Geraint John welcomes proposals for Canadian internationals to help develop north Wales rugby by playing for Gogledd Cymru. But John also admits a lot of work needs to be done to finalise the plans, which are also intended to benefit the Canucks.
Listento " John welcomes north Wales- Canada plan " now -
Report - Murray ready in Montreal11 Aug 09BBC Scotland's Katie Still catches up with Andy Murray at the Rogers Cup in Canada which, should he win, will see the Scot become the world number two.
Watch " Report - Murray ready in Montreal " now -
Nadal looks for form & fitness10 Aug 09Rafa Nadal urges caution on his return to the court in the Rogers Cup in Canada after a lengthy time out with a knee injury.
Listento " Nadal looks for form & fitness " now -
Scrum V's Wales v Canada analysis31 May 09Scrum V presenter Gareth Lewis is joined by former Wales captain Kingsley Jones and ex-Canada fly-half Gareth Rees to assess Wales' 32-23 win over Canada, plus post-match interviews from both sides.
Watch " Scrum V's Wales v Canada analysis " now -
Jones proud of Wales youngsters31 May 09Wales captain Ryan Jones says Wales' youthful side acquitted themselves well in Saturday's 32-23 win over Canada in Toronto.
Watch " Jones proud of Wales youngsters " now
Around the web
News From Other Sources
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Young Canadian trade advocates meet with PM14 Nov 09 | National Post
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Army's future lies in counter-insurgency: General14 Nov 09 | CNEWS
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Canada's Hayden wins gold, Gabor bronze14 Nov 09 | CBC North
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The Saturday Interview: Author, Yann Martel14 Nov 09 | Financial Post
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CA-BUSINESS Summary14 Nov 09 | Globe Investor
Weather
Weather for Ottawa
| Saturday | Sunday | Monday | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conditions |  light rain |  drizzle |  sunny |
| Max Temperature | Max:8°C/46°F | Max:11°C/52°F | Max:7°C/45°F |
| Min Temperature | Min:8°C/46°F | Min:3°C/37°F | Min:-3°C/27°F |
News
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Sherpa hospital in Himalayan heights14 Nov 09 | South Asia
He was born here in 1983 - delivered by a Canadian doctor who was volunteering at the time. His father used to work as a health assistant to the foreign doctors, but thanks to a grant from the Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation of Canada, he was able to complete his own medical degree and became the...
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Q&A: Closing Guantanamo13 Nov 09 | AmericasThis halted the trials of the five suspected plotters of the 9/11 attacks, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, as well as a Canadian national, Omar Khadr, who is accused of killing a US soldier in Afghanistan. Why were military commissions criticised? They...
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Royal couple end Canadian visit12 Nov 09 | UKThe Duchess of Cornwall has strong ancestral links to Canada Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall have ended their tour of Canada with a tree planting ceremony at the home of the Queen's representative. The prince and duchess planted a red oak at the governor general's official residence in...
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Prince makes Canada charity gift12 Nov 09 | UKThe dinner was at the residence of Governor General Michaelle Jean The Prince of Wales has asked for money to be donated to a military charity rather than be given gifts at the close of his tour of Canada. The Military Families Fund will be given 250,000 Canadian dollars, (£150,000)
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Priest abuse novel wins honour11 Nov 09 | Arts & CultureThe book was praised by the jury for tackling a delicate subject A book about sex abuse scandals in the Catholic Church has won Canada's main literary award, the Giller Prize. Linden MacIntyre, an investigative journalist who wrote the novel, dedicated his award to "priests...
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Quebec protests at Prince's visit11 Nov 09Anti-monarchy protesters tried to disrupt a visit by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall to Quebec on Tuesday, as they continued their 11-day tour of Canada. Prince Charles was scheduled to participate in a ceremony at a Montreal regiment, to present new colours to the officers.
Watch " Quebec protests at Prince's visit " now -
'Biting the Mango'10 Nov 09The story of one brave child's struggle to survive after she had her hands cut off by rebel soldiers in Sierra Leona. Mariatu Kamara now lives in Canada and looks to a bright future.
Watch " 'Biting the Mango' " now -
Olympic flame for Winter Games lit22 Oct 09The flame will burn at the Vancouver Games in February, following a torch relay across Canada and a shorter run in Greece. Bad weather disrupted the ceremony for the 2000 Sydney Summer Games, and the past three Winter Olympics - in Turin in 2006, Salt Lake City in 2002 and Nagano in 1998.
Watch " Olympic flame for Winter Games lit " now -
Fairytale not over for Swift08 Oct 09Singer Taylor Swift is re-launching the Fearless tour in February in Australia, before doing nearly 30 cities in the US and Canada. She decided to create a second tour after all 52 concerts in the first leg of the Fearless tour sold out in minutes, including Madison Square Garden.
Watch " Fairytale not over for Swift " now
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