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Statistics & Figures/Interesting Facts about Canada Those expecting Canada to be a blander version of the USA should check their assumptions at the door. Canada's wild northern frontier, which has etched itself into the national psyche, and its distinct patchwork of peoples have created a country that is decidedly different from its brash neighbour. It's the edginess between Canada's indigenous, French and British traditions that gives the nation its complex three-dimensional character. Add to this a constant infusion of US culture and a plethora of traditions brought by migrants, and you have a thriving multicultural society. Full country name: Canada Area: 9.97 million sq. km Population: 31.28 million Capital City: Ottawa (pop: 1,010,500) People: British descent (28%), French descent (23%), Italian descent (3%), aboriginal peoples (2%), plus significant minorities of German, Ukrainian, Dutch, Greek, Polish and Chinese descent Language: English, French Religion: Catholic (45%), Protestant (36%) and minorities from most of the world's major religions Government: constitutional monarchy Head of State: Governor-general Adrienne Clarkson Head of Government: Prime Minister Paul Martin GDP: US$774 billion GDP per capita: US$25,000 Annual Growth: 3% Inflation: 3% Major Industries: Processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, transportation equipment, chemicals, fish products, petroleum and natural gas. Major Trading Partners: USA, Japan, EU (UK, Germany, Netherlands), China and South Korea Facts for the Traveler Visas: Most western visitors don't need a visa to visit Canada. Travelers from South Africa, China, North Korea, Taiwan, Eastern European and developing countries do require them. Entry stamps for visits of up to six months are free. Health risks: Giardiasis, Rabies, Lyme Disease (Lyme Disease is a risk in wooded regions) Time Zone: GMT/UTC -7 (Mountain Standard Time), GMT/UTC -6 (Central Standard Time), GMT/UTC -5 (Eastern Standard Time), GMT/UTC -4 (Atlantic Standard Time), GMT/UTC -3.5 (Newfoundland Standard Time in the East), GMT/UTC -8 (There are six times zones in Canada. Pacific Standard Time in the West) Dialling Code: 1 Electricity: 110-120V ,60Hz Weights & measures: Metric When
to GoSpring, summer and autumn are all ideal for touring, though if you want to ski you'll naturally have to come in winter or early spring. For campers and those who want to visit the far north, the summer months of July and August are best. Summer is also when many of the country's festivals take place. Note that the peak tourist season is between mid-June and mid-September. Although spring and autumn have fewer crowds, lower prices and a more relaxed pace than the summer months, some visitor-oriented facilities and attractions may be closed during these shoulder seasons. Events The Quebec City Winter Carnival, which takes place during the last two weeks of February, features parades, ice sculptures, a snow slide, dances and music. Ottawa's three-week Interlude fetes all things snowy in February. The Montreal Jazz Festival at the end of June and the Ottawa International Jazz Festival in July both attract international and local players. Two major events in Toronto are Caravan, held in August, which is a cultural exchange offering ethnic music, dance and food, and the Gay Pride Day Parade through the downtown area which takes place in June. In September, there's the Toronto International Film Festival. Calgary hosts the popular Calgary Stampede in July, the highlight of which is the chuck wagon race and rodeo. In the west, Victoria celebrates the First Peoples' Festival in August with traditional craft work, dancing and war-canoe rides. Public holidays January 1 - New Year's Day 3rd Monday in February - Family Day (Alberta) Monday nearest March 17 - St Patrick's Day (Newfoundland) March/April - Good Friday & Easter Monday Monday nearest April 23 - St George's Day (Newfoundland) Monday before May 24 - Victoria Day (except in the Atlantic Provinces) June 24 - Fête National (Quebec) Monday nearest June 24 - Discovery Day (Newfoundland) July 1 - Canada Day Monday nearest July 13 - Orangeman's Day (Newfoundland) 1st Monday in August - Civic Holiday 3rd Monday in August - Discovery Day (Yukon) 1st Monday in September - Labor Day 2nd Monday in October - Thanksgiving November 11 - Remembrance Day December 25 - Christmas Day December 26 - Boxing Day Culture Among the foundations of Canada's cultural identity are the traditions of its native peoples. Arguably the country's most distinctive art is that of the Inuit of the north, particularly their stone and bone sculptures and carvings. Native Indian artists also excel at printmaking, basketry and carving. In the past Canadians have struggled with their cultural identity, the cultural infusion from their southern neighbour being particularly overwhelming. During the past three decades this sense of unease has produced a torrent of great writers, including Margaret Atwood, Alice Munro, Robertson Davies, Michael Ondaatje, Mordecai Richler and Réjean Ducharme, as well as a swag of world-renowned musicians, such as Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, kd lang, the Cowboy Junkies and Diana Krall. English and French are the country's two official languages, though the province of New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual area in the country. You will, however, notice both languages on maps, tourist brochures and product labels. The French spoken in Canada is not, for the most part, the language of France. In Quebec, where the majority of the population are of French descent, the local tongue is known as Quebecois. Most Quebeckers, however, will understand formal French. The differences between Quebec and English Canada don't just apply to language. The French influence of Quebec can be seen in architecture, music, food and religion. With little in common culturally, it is not difficult to understand how relations between French Quebec and English Canada have often been problematic at best. In terms of formal religion, the population is overwhelmingly Catholic, with a multicultural mix of Protestant, Jewish, Hindu, Islamic, Buddhist and Native Indian spiritual communities also. In reality, attendance at church is an ever-diminishing occurrence across all faiths. Gastronomy in English Canada was long based on the British 'bland is beautiful' tradition, but while there are no distinctive national dishes or unique culinary delights, good food is certainly plentiful. In most cities it is not difficult to find decent Greek, Italian, East Indian or Chinese restaurants. In Quebec, however, there are some extremely idiosyncratic dishes worth sampling: French pea soup, tourtières (meat pies) and poutine (French fries covered with gravy and cheese curds). In the Atlantic provinces the Acadian French make rapie pie (paté à la rapure) - a type of meat pie (meat, chicken or clam) topped with grated paste-like potato from which all of the starch has been removed. Quebec is also notable as the world's largest producer of maple syrup, produced from the boiled sap of sugar-maple trees. Canada produces some very good cheeses, cheddars in particular. On both coasts, seafood is plentiful, delicious and affordable. There are a range of laws and regulations governing the sale of alcohol in Canada: as a general rule it must be bought at government stores (except in Alberta, where there are private retailers, and in Quebec, where beer and wine can be bought at local convenience stores called dipanneurs), which in some cases are closed at night and on Sunday (except in Ontario) and always during holidays. |
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