CANADA

Canada is the second largest country on the world. It has borders with the USA (on the south and on the northwest – Alaska). From the west it is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, from the north by the Arctic Ocean and from the east by the Atlantic Ocean.

The population is around 29.6 million inhabitants. The country is divided into 10 provinces and 3 territories. The official languages are English and French. The capital city is Ottawa.

Most of inhabitants have European roots, but here are also North American Indians and Inuit.

 

Geography:

Canada can be geographically divided into seven regions with different landscape and climate. The north has the arctic climate so it is inhospitable for living.  The south has a very high density of population.

This country has many lakes. Lake Superior, L.Huron, L.Erie and L.Ontario are shared with the USA. The only Canadian lakes are Great Slave Lake and Lake Winnipeg. Canada is also interlaced with rivers (the Mackenzie, the St. Lawrence, the Columbia).

As for mountains, Canada has the Rocky Mountains and the highest point is Mt. Logan.

Major cities – Quebec, Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto.

 

History

The first people arrived to America from Asia probably about 30 000 years ago crossing from Siberia to Alaska. First contacts between Europeans were 1000 years ago when Icelandic Norsemen settled in Newfoundland. North America was explored by the English and the French. In 1497 John Cabot claimed the land for British Crown. In 1763, the agreement Treaty of Paris, which gave the British all French territory east of the Mississippi, was signed. Later Britain formed the united Province of Canada with own government.

In 1867, the Dominion of Canada was formed of four provinces. Other provinces joined it later.

In 1931 Canada’s constitutional autonomy from Britain was confirmed. Since WWII Canada’s economy has expanded and now it belongs into the richest countries in the world.

 

Economy:

Canada has impressive reserves of timber (wood), minerals and fresh water. The industry is based on these resources.

It occupies the first place in the mining of uranium. Services industries employ two-thirds of the Canadian work force. Canada is a member of NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement – the USA, Mexico).

 

Political system:

Canada is a constitutional monarchy, a federal state and parliamentary democracy with two official languages and two systems of law – civil law and common law.

The Canadian Parliament is composed of the Queen (who is represented by the Governor General), the Senate and the House of Commons. The real executive authority is the Cabinet under the direction of the Prime minister.

 

The Commonwealth of Great Britain

It is a free group of nations, former British colonies. There are many members of the Commonwealth, the largest are Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Republic of South Africa. The head of the Commonwealth is the Queen and so she is the head of all these countries but she has no actual powers there.

 

 

AUSTRALIA

Australia is divided into 6 states (New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia) and 2 territories (Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory).

2% of population are the Aborigines. The capital city is Canberra. The official language is English.

 

Geography:

Australia is situated southeast of Asia. It is the smallest continent. On the west and south it is washed by the Indian Ocean, in the east by Pacific Ocean (by the Coral and the Tasman seas).  The Great Barrier Reef, the biggest coral reef on the Earth, can be seen from the east coast.

Australia contains also many islands – Tasmania, Flinders Island, Kangaroo Island.  Its surface is mostly flat. The Great Western Plateau occupies nearly half of the continent. In the central Australia are deserts – Great Sandy Desert, Great Victoria Desert.

The second part is the Central-Eastern Lowland with rivers (the Murray and the Darling) and lakes. The third area are the Australian Cordilleras. A part of these mountains are the Australian Alps with the highest peak Mt.  Kosciusco.

In the northeast are heavy rainfalls, the center of the country is dry and hot. The climate varies from mild to warm and subtropical.

Thanks to a different historical development Australia has some unique animals – kangaroo, dingo, koala, emu,…).

Major cities – Sydney (the biggest), Melbourne.

 

History:

Australia’s native inhabitants, the Aborigines, arrived in Australia 50,000 years ago.

The first recorded sighting of Australia by Europeans is dated to 1606.

Captain James Cook explored the east coast in 1770. Soon the Britain got the entire continent, which became a convict colony from 1788 till 1850. Later gold was found there and immigration increased.

In 1901 the Commonwealth was proclaimed.

 

Political system:

Official title of Australia is the Commonwealth of Australia. It is a British dominion. Head of the state is Queen Elizabeth II. She is represented by Governor General. He has no real power.

Power lies in the hands of the Prime minister who is the head of government.

The Federal Parliament has its seat in Canberra and is divided into the Senate and the House of Representative.

 

Economy:

The living standard is very high. The main products of agriculture are sheep, wool and wheat. Australia has large deposits of iron ore, coal, bauxite, other metals, uranium etc.

The food industry ranks among the best in the world.