|
Background:
|
A land of
vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became
a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties
to the British crown. Economically and technologically
the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its
neighbor to the south across an unfortified border.
Canada's paramount political problem is meeting public
demands for quality improvements in health care and
education services after a decade of budget cuts. Canada
also faces questions about integrity in government
following revelations regarding a corruption scandal in
the federal government that has helped revive the
fortunes of separatists in predominantly francophone
Quebec. |
|
Location:
|
Northern
North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the
east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic
Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US |
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Geographic coordinates:
|
60 00 N,
95 00 W |
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Map references:
|
North
America |
|
Area:
|
total:
9,984,670 sq km
land: 9,093,507 sq km
water: 891,163 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
somewhat
larger than the US |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total:
8,893 km
border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km
with Alaska) |
|
Coastline:
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202,080
km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the
continental margin |
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Climate:
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varies
from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
|
|
Terrain:
|
mostly
plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast
|
|
Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m |
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Natural resources:
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iron ore,
nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash,
diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal,
petroleum, natural gas, hydropower |
|
Land use:
|
arable
land: 4.57%
permanent crops: 0.65%
other: 94.78% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
|
7,200 sq
km (1998 est.) |
|
Natural hazards:
|
continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to
development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky
Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the
Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and
produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the
mountains |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
air
pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting
lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning
utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on
agricultural and forest productivity; ocean waters
becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial,
mining, and forestry activities |
|
Environment - international agreements:
|
party
to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Marine Life Conservation |
|
Geography - note:
|
second-largest country in world (after Russia);
strategic location between Russia and US via north polar
route; approximately 90% of the population is
concentrated within 160 km of the US border |
|
Population:
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33,098,932 (July 2006 est.) |
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Age structure:
|
0-14
years: 17.6% (male 2,992,811/female 2,848,388)
15-64 years: 69% (male 11,482,452/female
11,368,286)
65 years and over: 13.3% (male 1,883,008/female
2,523,987) (2006 est.) |
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Median age:
|
total:
38.9 years
male: 37.8 years
female: 39.9 years (2006 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
|
0.88%
(2006 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
10.78
births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
|
Death rate:
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7.8
deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
|
5.85
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
|
at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
|
|
Infant mortality rate:
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total:
4.69 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
|
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 80.22 years
male: 76.86 years
female: 83.74 years (2006 est.) |
|
Total fertility rate:
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1.61
children born/woman (2006 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.3%
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
56,000
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
1,500
(2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
|
noun:
Canadian(s)
adjective: Canadian |
|
Ethnic groups:
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British
Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%,
Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%,
mixed background 26% |
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Religions:
|
Roman
Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United
Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%),
other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified
11.8%, none 16% (2001 census) |
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Languages:
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English
(official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%
|
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Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Canada |
|
Government type:
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a constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary
democracy and a federation |
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Capital:
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Ottawa |
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Administrative divisions:
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10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British
Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and
Labrador, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*,
Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan,
Yukon Territory* |
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Independence:
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1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies);
11 December 1931 (independence recognized) |
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National holiday:
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Canada Day, 1 July (1867) |
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Constitution:
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made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial
decisions, and traditions; the written part of the
constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 29
March 1867, which created a federation of four
provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982,
which transferred formal control over the constitution
from Britain to Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of
Rights and Freedoms as well as procedures for
constitutional amendments |
|
Legal system:
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based on English common law, except in Quebec, where
civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
February 1952), represented by Governor General
Michaelle JEAN (since 27 September 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Stephen HARPER
(since 6 February 2006)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime
minister usually from among the members of his own party
sitting in Parliament
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary;
governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice
of the prime minister for a five-year term; following
legislative elections, the leader of the majority party
or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of
Commons is automatically designated prime minister by
the governor general |
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Legislative branch:
|
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate
or Senat (members appointed by the governor general with
the advice of the prime minister and serve until
reaching 75 years of age; its normal limit is 105
senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des
Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular
vote to serve for up to five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held 23
January 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: House of Commons - percent of
vote by party - Conservative Party 36.3%, Liberal Party
30.2%, New Democratic Party 17.5%, Bloc Quebecois 10.5%,
Greens 4.5%, other 1%; seats by party - Conservative
Party 124, Liberal Party 103, New Democratic Party 29,
Bloc Quebecois 51, other 1 |
|
Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the
prime minister through the governor general); Federal
Court of Canada; Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial
Courts (these are named variously Court of Appeal, Court
of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and
Court of Justice) |
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Political parties and leaders:
|
Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of
Canada (a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the
Progressive Conservative Party) [Stephen HARPER]; Green
Party [Jim HARRIS]; Liberal Party [Paul MARTIN]; New
Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
|
International organization participation:
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ACCT, AfDB, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN
(dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE
(observer), EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating state), FAO,
G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC,
NAFTA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OIF, OPCW,
OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMOVIC, UNTSO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael WILSON
chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20001
telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
FAX: [1] (202) 682-7701
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo,
Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami,
Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco, Seattle
consulate(s): Anchorage, Houston, Philadelphia,
Phoenix, Raleigh, San Diego |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
chief of mission: Ambassador David H. WILKINS
embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N
1G8
mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY
13669-0430
telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470
FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082
consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal,
Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg |
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Flag description:
|
two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half
width), with white square between them; an 11-pointed
red maple leaf is centered in the white square; the
official colors of Canada are red and white |
|
Economy - overview:
|
As an
affluent, high-tech industrial society in the trillion
dollar class, Canada resembles the US in its
market-oriented economic system, pattern of production,
and affluent living standards. Since World War II, the
impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and
service sectors has transformed the nation from a
largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and
urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and
the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
(which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase
in trade and economic integration with the US. Given its
great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern
capital plant, Canada enjoys solid economic prospects.
Top-notch fiscal management has produced consecutive
balanced budgets since 1997, although public debate
continues over how to manage the rising cost of the
publicly funded healthcare system. Exports account for
roughly a third of GDP. Canada enjoys a substantial
trade surplus with its principal trading partner, the
US, which absorbs more than 85% of Canadian exports.
Canada is the US' largest foreign supplier of energy,
including oil, gas, uranium, and electric power. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
|
$1.08
trillion (2005 est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
|
$1.023
trillion (2005 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
2.9%
(2005 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita (PPP):
|
$32,900
(2005 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 29.1%
services: 68.7% (2005 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
16.3
million (December 2005) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture 2%, manufacturing 14%, construction 5%,
services 75%, other 3% (2004) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
6.8%
(2005 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line:
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15.9%;
note - this figure is the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO), a
calculation that results in higher figures than found in
many comparable economies; Canada does not have an
official poverty line (2003) |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
lowest
10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 23.8% (1994) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
|
33.1
(1998) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
2.2%
(2005) |
|
Investment (gross fixed):
|
20.2% of
GDP (2005 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $159.6 billion
expenditures: $152.6 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004) |
|
Public debt:
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38.7% of
GDP (2004-2005) |
|
Agriculture - products:
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wheat,
barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy
products; forest products; fish |
|
Industries:
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transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and
unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper
products, fish products, petroleum and natural gas |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
2.9%
(2005 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
566.3
billion kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - consumption:
|
520.9
billion kWh (2003) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
22
billion kWh (2004) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
33
billion kWh (2004) |
|
Oil - production:
|
2.4
million bbl/day (2004) |
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Oil - consumption:
|
2.3
million bbl/day (2004) |
|
Oil - exports:
|
1.6
million bbl/day (2004) |
|
Oil - imports:
|
963,000
bbl/day (2004) |
|
Oil - proved reserves:
|
178.9
billion bbl
note: includes oil sands (2004 est.) |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
165.8
billion cu m (2003 est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
90.95
billion cu m (2003 est.) |
|
Natural gas - exports:
|
91.52
billion cu m (2003 est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports:
|
8.73
billion cu m (2003 est.) |
|
Natural gas - proved reserves:
|
1.673
trillion cu m (2004) |
|
Current account balance:
|
$16.89
billion (2005 est.) |
|
Exports:
|
$364.8
billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
motor
vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft,
telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics,
fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural
gas, electricity, aluminum |
|
Exports - partners:
|
US 85.1%,
Japan 2.1%, UK 1.6% (2004) |
|
Imports:
|
$317.7
billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
machinery
and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil,
chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods |
|
Imports - partners:
|
US 58.9%,
China 6.8%, Mexico 3.8% (2004) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
|
$33
billion (31 December 2005) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$439.8
billion (30 November 2005) |
|
Economic aid - donor:
|
ODA, $2.6
billion (2004) |
|
Currency (code):
|
Canadian
dollar (CAD) |
|
Exchange rates:
|
Canadian
dollars per US dollar - 1.2118 (2005), 1.301 (2004),
1.4011 (2003), 1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
1 April -
31 March |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
20.61
million (2004) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
14,984,400 (2004) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general assessment: excellent service provided by
modern technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with about
300 earth stations
international: country code - 1-xxx; 5 coaxial
submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat
(4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 245,
FM 582, shortwave 6 (2004) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
80 (plus
many repeaters) (1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.ca |
|
Internet hosts:
|
3,525,392
(2005) |
|
Internet users:
|
20.9
million (2005) |
|
Airports:
|
1,331
(2005) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total:
508
over 3,047m: 18
2,438 to 3,047m: 15
1,524 to 2,437m: 151
914 to 1,523m: 247
under 914m: 77 (2005) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total:
823
1,524 to 2,437m: 66
914 to 1,523m: 351
under 914m: 406 (2005) |
|
Heliports:
|
319
(2005) |
|
Pipelines:
|
crude and
refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980 km
(2003) |
|
Railways:
|
total:
48,683 km
standard gauge: 48,683 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)
|
|
Roadways:
|
total:
1,408,900 km
paved: 497,342 km (including 16,906 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 911,558 km (2002) |
|
Waterways:
|
631 km
note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km,
including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared
with United States (2003) |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total:
169 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,784,229 GRT/2,657,499
DWT
by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 49, chemical
tanker 6, combination ore/oil 1, container 1, passenger
6, passenger/cargo 65, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll
off 6
foreign-owned: 6 (France 1, Germany 3, United
States 2)
registered in other countries: 112 (2005) |
|
Ports and terminals:
|
Fraser
River Port, Goderich, Halifax, Montreal, Port Cartier,
Quebec, Saint John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles,
Vancouver |
|
Military branches:
|
Canadian
Forces: Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air
Command, Canada Command (homeland security) (2006) |
|
Military service age and obligation:
|
16 years
of age for voluntary military service; women comprise
approximately 11% of Canada's armed forces (2001) |
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
males
age 16-49: 8,216,510 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males
age 16-49: 6,740,490 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
|
males:
223,821 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$9,801.7
million (2003) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
1.1%
(2003) |
|
Disputes - international:
|
managed
maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon
Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and
around the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock;
working toward greater cooperation with US in monitoring
people and commodities crossing the border; uncontested
sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans Island in the
Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland
|
|
Illicit drugs:
|
illicit
producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and
export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits
growers to plant large quantities of high-quality
marijuana indoors; transit point for ecstasy entering
the US market; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering
because of its mature financial services sector |
This page was last updated on 23
March, 2006
|
