Canada, the second-largest country in the world by surface area but with a small population, excels economically.
Canada, a federation of former British colonies, practices parliamentary democracy in the same way as the United Kingdom. Relations with the US are now crucial, particularly in terms of trade, but Canada frequently takes independent paths.
The official languages are both English and French, and the primarily French-speaking province of Quebec, where pressure for full sovereignty has waned recently, has broad cultural autonomy. 4% of the population is made up of indigenous people.
Canada is one of the richest and top-trading countries in the world. Canada has a sizable oil reserve, a thriving service industry, and is a significant exporter of minerals, food, and energy.
- Capital:. Ottawa.
- Area:. 9,984,670 sq km.
- Population:. 39.2 millions.
- Languages:. French and English.
- a reasonable lifespan. 79 years old for men and 83 for women.
King Charles III, represented by a governor general, is the head of state.
Justin Trudeau serves as prime minister.
In the federal elections in September 2021, Justin Trudeau, the son of Pierre Trudeau, who dominated Canadian politics in the 1970s, won a third election victory for the Liberal Party.
It is the second minority government under Trudeau. The outcomes from the federal election in 2019 barely changed. [The Liberals won the most seats with 160, but since a majority in the House of Commons requires 170 seats, they were forced to form a minority administration with help from other parties.
With a vote share of 32.6% and the ability to lose the popular vote to the Conservatives as they did in 2019, the Liberals set a record for the lowest vote share of a party that would go on to form government.
With 119 seats won, two fewer than in 2019, the Conservatives under Erin O'Toole remained the official opposition.
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Both public broadcasting and the commercial media are thriving in Canada. The public Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) provides services to indigenous people in the north in addition to operating national radio and television networks in both French and English.
The media in Canada are free to express a variety of viewpoints and opinions. For broadcasts of Canadian content, quotas are in place.
1583 - . England establishes its first overseas colony in Newfoundland.
1627 . - The Company of New France was founded to rule and profit from "New France," or France's colonies in North America.
1763 - . New France, which becomes the colony of Quebec, is one of the colonies that Britain acquires under the terms of the Treaty of Paris.
1867 - . The British North America Act creates the Dominion of Canada by uniting Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.
1885 . - The Canadian Pacific railroad has been finished.
1931 - . Canada and other British dominions are given total autonomy under the Statute of Westminster.
1939 . - World War II: Canadian forces are deployed across the globe, including in Italy, Europe, and the Atlantic.
1982 - . The remaining final legal authority held by the UK is transferred to Canada, which then adopts a new constitution that includes a charter of rights.
1995. - Quebec rejects independence by a slim 1 percent margin in a referendum.
