Canada

Canada is a federated country in the northern part of North America, member of the Commonwealth of nations
· its area is 9.9 million square kilometres, which makes it the 2nd largest country in the world, the population is 28 million and consists of 45% British, 25% French, German, , Italy and Ukraine origins; the aborigines are Indians and Eskymos
· 46% of population are Roman catholics and 41% Protestants; the official languages are French and English
· Canada is a federal parliamentary democracy with the Governor-general, representing the British monarch, as a head of the state; the Head of Government is a Prime minister; Canada has a Bicameral legislature which consists of House of Commons (295 members) and Senate(112 senators)
· Canada is washed by the Arctic ocen from the north, North Atlantic ocean from the east and North Pacific ocean from the west; among the islands in the north the biggest are Baffin Island, Queen Elizabeth Islands and Victoria island; there are two main bays - Hudson and Baffin
· the country is divided into ten provinces (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan) and two territories (Northwest Territories, Yukon Territory); there are big lakes - Great Bear Lake, Great Slave Lake, Lake Winnipeg and portions of the Great Lakes under Canadian jurisdiction; the highest peak Mt Logan lies in the Rocky mts
· the climate is mostly continental with rain and snow falls, typical animals are bears, seals and grizzlys
· Canada was discovered in 1497 by John Cabot; in 1763 French were defeated by British and it became an English colony; in 1867 Canada became the 1st British dominion
· Canada belongs to the richest countries of the world, its main products are wheat, wood, petrolium, iron ore, oil and gold, main industrial products are motor vehicles and paper