CANADA

Background
A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing
dominion in 1867, while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and
technologically, the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south
across the world's longest unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of
meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care, education, social
services, and economic competitiveness, as well as responding to the particular concerns
of predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy
resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment.

Geography
Location: Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North
Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US
Area:
total: 9,984,670 sq km
land: 9,093,507 sq km
water: 891,163 sq km
note: Canada is the world's largest country that borders only one country
Elevation Extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m
Natural Resources: iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, rare earth elements,
molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas,
hydropower
Natural Hazards: continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development;
cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from
the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and
snow east of the mountains
volcanism: the vast majority of volcanoes in Western Canada's Coast Mountains remain
dormant
Environment current issues: metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle
emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity; air pollution and resulting acid
rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; ocean waters becoming contaminated
due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities
Note: second-largest country in world (after Russia) and largest in the Americas; strategic
location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population
is concentrated within 160 km (100 mi) of the US border; Canada has more fresh water
than any other country and almost 9% of Canadian territory is water; Canada has at least 2
million and possibly over 3 million lakes - that is more than all other countries combined

People and Society

Nationality: Canadian
Ethnic Groups: Canadian 32.2%, English 19.8%, French 15.5%, Scottish 14.4%, Irish
13.8%, German 9.8%, Italian 4.5%, Chinese 4.5%, North American Indian 4.2%, other
50.9%
note: percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify
more than one ethnic origin (2011 est.)

Languages: English (official) 58.7%, French (official) 22%, Punjabi 1.4%, Italian 1.3%,
Spanish 1.3%, German 1.3%, Cantonese 1.2%, Tagalog 1.2%, Arabic 1.1%, other 10.5%
(2011 est.)
Religions: Catholic 40.6% (includes Roman Catholic 38.8%, Orthodox 1.6%, other Catholic
.2%), Protestant 20.3% (includes United Church 6.1%, Anglican 5%, Baptist 1.9%, Lutheran
1.5%, Pentecostal 1.5%, Presbyterian 1.4%, other Protestant 2.9%), other Christian 6.3%,
Muslim 3.2%, Hindu 1.5%, Sikh 1.4%, Buddhist 1.1%, Jewish 1%, other 0.6%, none 23.9%
(2011 est.)
Population: 35,099,836 (July 2015 est.)

Government
Government type: a parliamentary democracy, a federation, and a constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Ottawa
geographic coordinates: 45 25 N, 75 42 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
note: Canada has six time zones
Administrative Divisions: 10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia,
Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories*, Nova
Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon*
Independence: 1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931
(recognized by UK per Statute of Westminster)
Executive branch:
head of government: Prime Minister Justin TRUDEAU (Liberal Party) (since 4 November
2015)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from among members of his
own party sitting in Parliament
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the
monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a 5-year term; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the House of Commons
generally designated prime minister by the governor general
Legislative branch:
description: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (105 seats;
members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister and can
serve until age 75) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (338 seats;
members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve a
maximum of 4-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held on 19 October 2015 (next to be held in 2019)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 39.5%,
Conservative Party 31.9%, NDP 19.7%, Bloc Quebecois 4.7%, Greens 3.4%, other .8%;
seats by party - Liberal Party 184, Conservative Party 99, NDP 44, Bloc Quebecois 10,
Greens 1
Judicial branch:
highest court(s): Supreme Court of Canada (consists of the chief justice and 8 judges); note
- in 1949, Canada finally abolished all appeals beyond its Supreme Court to the Judicial
Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
judge selection and term of office: chief justice and judges appointed by the prime minister in
council; all judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 75

subordinate courts: federal level: Federal Court of Appeal; Federal Court; Tax Court; federal
administrative tribunals; courts martial; provincial/territorial: provincial superior, appeals,
first instance, and specialized courts; in 1999, the Nunavut Court - a circuit court with the
power of a superior court and the territorial courts - was established to serve isolated
settlements
Flag description:
two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width) with white square between them; an
11-pointed red maple leaf is centered in the white square; the maple leaf has long been a
Canadian symbol
National symbol(s):
maple leaf, beaver; national colors: red, white

Economy
Economy - overview:
As a high-tech industrial society in the trillion-dollar class, Canada resembles the US in its
market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards. Since
World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has
transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban.
The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free
Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade
and economic integration with the US, its principal trading partner. Canada enjoys a
substantial trade surplus with the US, which absorbs about three-fourths of Canadian
merchandise exports each year. Canada is the US's largest foreign supplier of energy,
including oil, gas, and electric power, and a top source of US uranium imports. Given its
abundant natural resources, highly skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada
enjoyed solid economic growth from 1993 through 2007. Buffeted by the global economic
crisis, the economy dropped into a sharp recession in the final months of 2008, and Ottawa
posted its first fiscal deficit in 2009 after 12 years of surplus. Canada's major banks,
however, emerged from the financial crisis of 2008-09 among the strongest in the world,
owing to the early intervention by the Bank of Canada and the financial sector's tradition of
conservative lending practices and strong capitalization. Canada achieved marginal growth
in 2010-14 and plans to balance the budget by 2015 despite the recent drop in oil prices. In
addition, the country's petroleum sector is rapidly expanding, because Alberta's oil sands
significantly boosted Canada's proven oil reserves. Canada now ranks third in the world in
proved oil reserves behind Saudi Arabia and Venezuela and is the worlds fifth-largest oil
producer.
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; fish; forest products
Industries:
transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food products,
wood and paper products, fish products, petroleum, natural gas
Exports - commodities:
motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment;
chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity,
aluminum

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), trade pact signed in 1992 that would
gradually eliminate most tariffs and other trade barriers on products and services passing
between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The pact would effectively create a
free-trade bloc among the three largest countries of North America.
NAFTA was inspired by the success of the European Community in eliminating tariffs in
order to stimulate trade among its members. A Canadian-U.S. free-trade agreement was
concluded in 1988, and NAFTA basically extended this agreements provisions to
Mexico. NAFTA was negotiated by the administrations of U.S. president George Bush,
Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney, and Mexican president Carlos Salinas de
Gortari. Preliminary agreement on the pact was reached in August 1992, and it was
signed by the three leaders on December 17, 1992. NAFTA was ratified by the three
countries national legislatures in 1993 and went into effect on January 1, 1994.
NAFTAs main provisions called for the gradual reduction of tariffs, customs duties, and
other trade barriers between the three members, with some tariffs being removed
immediately and others over periods of as long as 15 years. NAFTA ensured eventual
duty-free access for a vast range of manufactured goods and commodities traded
between the signatories. Other provisions were designed to give U.S. and Canadian
companies greater access to Mexican markets in banking, insurance, advertising,
telecommunications, and trucking.

Canada is the 12th largest export economy in the world and the
33rd most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity
Index (ECI). In 2013, Canada exported $438B and imported $437B,
resulting in a positive trade balance of $1.69B. In 2013 the GDP of
Canada was $1.83T and its GDP per capita was $52k.
The top exports of Canada are Crude Petroleum ($80.5B), Cars
($45.9B), Refined Petroleum ($18.6B), Petroleum Gas ($12.6B)
and Vehicle Parts ($10.7B), using the 1992 revision of the HS
(Harmonized System) classification.

Its top imports are Cars ($26.1B), Crude Petroleum ($24.3B),

Vehicle Parts ($21.4B), Refined Petroleum ($17B) and Delivery
Trucks ($13.1B).
The top export destinations of Canada are the United States
($320B), China ($20.6B), Japan ($11.1B), the United Kingdom
($9.7B) and Mexico ($7.68B). The top import origins are the United
States ($230B), China ($48.9B), Mexico ($23.6B), Germany ($13.9B)
and Japan ($12.8B). Canada borders the United States by land and
Greenland and Saint Pierre and Miquelon by sea.

Exports
In 2013 Canada exported $438B, making it the 12th largest
exporter in the world. During the last five years the exports of
Canada have increased at an annualized rate of 0.3%, from $431B
in 2008 to $438B in 2013. The most recent exports are led by Crude
Petroleum, which represent 18.3% of the total exports of Canada,
followed by Cars, which account for 10.5%.

Export

HS Code

Crude
Petroleum

HS92
ID2709

Product
Descriptio
n of HS
code

Annual
trade
value
(2013 or
2014) in $

Describe
export
products
and why
your
country
exports