About Canada

Facts About Canada

Land Mass
At 9 970 610 km?, Canada is the world's second-largest country, surpassed only by the Russian Federation. Canada comprises 7% of the world's land mass, and 9% of its fresh water supply. Of a total of over ten million square kilometers, over nine million are land and 755 000 fresh water.

Capital
Ottawa, in the province of Ontario

Provinces and Territories
Canada has 10 provinces and 3 territories, each with its own capital city (in brackets): Alberta (Edmonton); British Columbia (Victoria); Prince Edward Island (Charlottetown); Manitoba (Winnipeg); New Brunswick (Fredericton); Nova Scotia (Halifax); Ontario (Toronto); Quebec (Quebec City); Saskatchewan (Regina); Newfoundland (St. John's); Northwest Territories (Yellowknife); Yukon Territory (Whitehorse) and Nunavut (Iqaluit).

As of April 1st 1999, Canada has a new Northern territory. The area that used to be the Northwest Territories as been divided in two. The eastern two-thirds of the former Northwest Territories are now known as Nunavut. In the Inuit language of Inukkiut, Nunavut means "Our Land." The creation of this new territory is the result of an agreement made between the Inuit and the Canadian Government regarding land settlement and Aboriginal rights. Nunavut encompasses almost one quarter of Canada's landmass, (2242 000 square kilometers). Statistics Canada estimates that 24900 people lived in the proposed Nunavut territory in 1995. The largest centers are the town of Iqaluit (population 4 300 in 1995) and the hamlet of Rankin Inlet (population 2 100). In December of 1995, Nunavut residents chose Iqaluit to be their capital.

Beginning in 1999, the Government of Nunavut will gradually assume responsibilities now exercised by the Government of the Northwest Territories.

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