For other uses, see Canada (disambiguation).

Canada
Vertical triband (red, white, red) with a red maple leaf in the centre
Flag
Motto: "A Mari Usque Ad Mare" (Latin)
"From Sea to Sea"
(As seen on the Arms of Canada)
Anthem: "O Canada"
Royal anthem: "God Save the Queen"[1]
Projection of North America with Canada in green
Capital Ottawa
4524'N 7540'W
Largest city
Toronto
Official languages
English French
Recognised regional languages
Chipewyan Cree Gwich in Inuinnaqtun Inuktitut Inuvialuktun North Slavey South Slav
ey Tli?cho
Ethnic groups
76.7% White
14.2% Asian
4.3% Aboriginal
2.9% Black
1.2% Latin American
0.5% multiracial
0.3% other
Demonym Canadian
Government
Federal parliamentary
constitutional monarchy[2]
Monarch Elizabeth II
Governor General
David Johnston
Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin
Legislature
Parliament
Upper house
Senate
Lower house
House of Commons
Establishment from the United Kingdom
Constitution Act
July 1, 1867
Statute of Westminster December 11, 1931
Canada Act
April 17, 1982
Area
Total 9,984,670 km2 (2nd)
3,854,085 sq mi
Water (%)
8.92 (891,163 km2 / 344,080 mi2)
Population
Q2 2015 estimate
35,749,600[3] (37th)
2011 census
33,476,688[4]
Density 3.41/km2 (228th)
8.3/sq mi
GDP (PPP)
2015 estimate
Total $1.640 trillion[5] (15th)
Per capita
$45,722[5] (20th)
GDP (nominal) 2015 estimate
Total $1.615 trillion[5] (11th)
Per capita
$45,028[5] (15th)
Gini (2010)
33.7[6]
medium 103rd[7]
HDI (2013)
Steady 0.902[8]
very high 8th
Currency
Canadian dollar ($) (CAD)

Time zone
(UTC-3.5 to -8)
Summer (DST)
(UTC-2.5 to -7)
Date format
dd-mm-yyyy
mm-dd-yyyy
yyyy-mm-dd (CE)
Drives on the right
Calling code
+1
ISO 3166 code CA
Internet TLD
.ca
Canada is a country, consisting of ten provinces and three territories, in the n
orthern part of the continent of North America. It extends from the Atlantic to
the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 million square ki
lometres (3.85 million square miles) in total, making it the world's second-larg
est country by total area and the fourth-largest country by land area. Canada's
common border with the United States forms the world's longest land border.
The land now called Canada has been inhabited for millennia by various Aborigina
l peoples. Beginning in the late 15th century, British and French colonies were
established on the region's Atlantic coast. As a consequence of various conflict
s, the United Kingdom gained and lost North American territories until left, in
the late 18th century, with what mostly comprises Canada today. Pursuant to the
British North America Act, on July 1, 1867, three colonies joined to form the au
tonomous federal Dominion of Canada. This began an accretion of provinces and te
rritories to the new self-governing Dominion. In 1931, Britain granted Canada ne
ar total independence with the Statute of Westminster 1931 and full sovereignty
was attained when the Canada Act 1982 severed the vestiges of legal dependence o
n the British parliament.
Canada is a federal parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy, Queen
Elizabeth II being the current head of state. The country is officially bilingu
al at the federal level. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and mu
lticultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries,
with a population of approximately 35 million as of 2015. Its advanced economy
is one of the largest in the world, relying chiefly upon its abundant natural re
sources and well-developed international trade networks. Canada's long and compl
ex relationship with the United States has had a significant impact on its econo
my and culture.
Canada is a developed country and one of the wealthiest in the world, with the t
enth highest nominal per capita income globally, and the eighth highest ranking
in the Human Development Index. It ranks among the highest in international meas
urements of government transparency, civil liberties, quality of life, economic
freedom, and education. Canada is a Commonwealth Realm member of the Commonwealt
h of Nations, a member of the Francophonie, and part of several major internatio
nal and intergovernmental institutions or groupings including the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization, the G8, the Group of Ten, the G20, the North American Free
Trade Agreement and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.