ABOUT CANADA Manjunathan G

A province is a political boundary that divides Canada into different regions. Provinces are equivalent to our states.

10 province flags 10 province flags

Toronto is the biggest city in Canada.

Languages:

• Canada’s two official languages are English and

French.

• Non-official languages are important in Canada,

with over five million people listing one as a first

language. Some significant non-official first

languages include Chinese (8,53,745 first-

language speakers), Italian (4,69,485), German

(4,38,080), Punjabi (2,71,220), Tamil (2,00,000).

Land & Climate

• Canada is the second largest country in the

world, with over 3,851,877 square miles of

land.

• The International Boundary, the longest border

between two nations, 5,525 mile border

between Canada and the United States- with

1,538 miles of it lying between Canada and

Alaska.

• 7% of Canada’s land mass is covered with

over 2 million lakes, the largest being the

Northwest Territories’ Great Bear Lake.

• An estimated 14% of the world’s fresh water

supply is located in Canada.

• Some of Canada’s natural resources are;

iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, rare

earth elements, molybdenum, potash,

diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal,

petroleum, natural gas, and hydropower.

There are also impressive mountains. The highest one is Mount Logan (5,959 metres) and the

longest river is The Mackenzie.

Canadian Government and Politics

Symbols of CanadaJust a

few

National Flag of Canada

The Maple Tree

The Maple Leaf

The Coat of Arms

National Horse of Canada

The Beaver

The Great Seal

Hockey: Canada’s national winter sport

Currency All of Canada uses the Canadian

Dollar There are no 1 or 2 dollar bills in

Canada, they have been replaced by the 1 and 2 dollar coins – the “loonie” and the “toonie”.

In history, the Canadian dollar has usually been at least a bit weaker than the United States dollar, but recently the trend has changed.

Family, Marriage & RelationshipsThe family structure in CanadaHas been changing and becoming more diverse over the last 30+ years.

In 2011, 69.6% of households were family households, 26.8% were one-person households, and 3.7% of households consisted of unrelated persons.

In 2011, 68.6% percent of families consisted of a married couple with or without children, 15.5% of families consisted of common-law couples and 15.9% of families were single parent families.

It’s common for both parents in the family to work outside of the home.

The average family size in 2011 was 3 members

43.1% of marriages end in divorce before the 50th anniversary as of 2011.

There were 70,226 divorces in 2011.

The dating process usually begins around ages 13-16 in Canada.

Communication, gestures & body language

• Shaking hands is customary when being introduced to someone new in Canada.

• Many Canadians expect a firm handshake when meeting or departing as well as good eye contact.

• Saying “Hello”, nodding your head, or waving your hand are all acceptable ways to say Hello.

• when you have your hands in your pockets, it is considered bad form to speak .

• One to two feet of space between two people is the usual personal boundary

• Canadians maintain the distance.

Communication, gestures & body language

• In Quebec, the "thumbs down” sign is considered offensive, as is slapping an open palm over a closed fist.

• The “thumbs up" sign is used to mean "okay” throughout Canada.• Pointing at someone with your index finger is considered rude.• Using a toothpick, brushing your hair, or clipping your fingernails are all things not to do in public.

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Social norms

• It’s not uncommon in Canada for people who don’t know you

to greet you with “Hi!” or “how are you?” when walking

down the street

• Most Canadians only allow guests in rooms of their home

that they have designated as public or “guest” rooms.

• Many Canadians are non-smokers and they do not allow

smoking in their homes or vehicles.

• Recycling and not littering are valued behaviors.

• A line is usually formed when several people are waiting for

something, like at a coffee shop. Lines are first come first

serve, and it is considered very rude to cut in.

• Bargaining or haggling is not a common practice in Canada

other than for things like buying a house, a vehicle, or

dealing with a private seller.

Eating Habits• Punctuality is important, but arriving 15 minutes late for a

dinner party is acceptable.• Canadians usually have the standard 3 meals a day and

sometimes may have tea coffee in the afternoon or a snack break at work.

• Elbows should never be on the table when eating.• Eating while walking in public is not acceptable.• In Canada, many people eat with the fork in the left hand

and the knife in the right hand for foods that require cutting.

• After finishing a meal, eating utensils(plates) should be placed on the plate.

Common Foods

Canadians eat a lot of the same foods that

people do in the United States; they have

fast food, processed foods, milk, cheese,

eggs, breads, fruits, vegetables, pizza,

meat, seafood, and so on.

Poutine

Pierogies

Beaver tails

Canada’s Economy

Canada is the one of the world’s wealthiest nations.

Canada is a mixed market. Canada’s national unemployment rate was

8.6%. It is one of the world’s top 10 trading

nations. Canada is a mixed market. Since the early

1990s, the Canadian economy has been growing rapidly with low unemployment and large government surpluses on the federal level.

Canada’s Economy

The Canadian economy is domınated by the service industry.

Canada is one of the few developed nations that are net exporters of energy.

Canada is a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the G8.

Canada’s Economy

Canada is one of the world’s largest suppliers of agricultural products.

Which country does Canada import most of its goods from?

Fruits and Vegetables Plastics

Motor Vehicles

Office Machinery

Aircraft

Where does Canada export most of its goods to?

Wheat

Lumber

MetalsCorn

Newsprint

Places to visit

Fundy Bay

Yonge Square

Toronto Zoo

Science Center Ontario

Conclusion

Canada is a developed country.

Some common Canadian

favorites are –

Poutine: Fries layered with gravy and cheese

curds ;

chicken wings: Fried chicken wings with a

variety of different sauces ; Pierogies: A

dough dumpling stuffed with a filling like

cheese, meat, and/or potatoes ; Elk, moose,

buffalo, and deer; Tim Hortons Donuts ;

Beaver Tails: A type of pastry ; Maple syrup ;

East coast seafood71 ; Kraft macaroni and

cheese71 ; Beer71 from one of the many local

breweries ; Subway ; Raspberries ; Waffles ;

Stews ; Flax ; Quinoa ; Muffins..