Canada

• population: 33 mil.
• official languages: English, French (11 Native Canadian languages)
• capital: Ottawa in Ontario
• major cities: Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Vancouver
• 10 provinces and 3 territories
• independence since 1867 (Canada Day, 1 July) when four British colonies united in the Dominion of Canada
• legal system based on English common law, except in Quebec (where is based on French law)
• government similar to Australian
• member of Commonwealth
• Inuit – native inhabitants – north of Canada

Geography and climate

• location: Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, Arctic Ocean on the North and the USA on the south
• area: almost 10 mil. sq km (second largest in the world after Russia)
• highest point: Mt Logan (5,959 m) in the Yukon
• The Rocky mountains (the Rockies) – national parks: Banff – first, Jasper
• climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in southeast

Symbols

• flag
  • two vertical bands or red with white square between them
  • 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered in the white square
• official colors are red and white
• national animal – the beaver

Sport and games

• Lacrosse
  • national game, one of the oldest ball games in the world
  • earlier form was played by Indians as part of their training for war
  • players use stick and leather bag filled with stones (today is used net with balls instead)
  • it’s named after French term for bischop’s staff which looks similar
  • 10 players, 2 teams, the aim is to shoot the ball into the oponent’s goal