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Canada
Flag Royal coat of arms
Motto:  Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)  (Latin) "From Sea to Sea"
Anthem: "O Canada"Royal anthem: "God Save the Queen"
Capital	Ottawa
Largest city	Toronto
Official languages	English, French
Recognised regional languages	Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun, Cree, Dëne Sųłiné, Gwich’in, Inuvialuktun, Slavey, Tłįchǫ Yatiì
Demonym(s)	Canadian
Government	Parliamentary democracy and Constitutional monarchy
• Monarch	HM Queen Elizabeth II
• Governor General	Michaëlle Jean
• Prime Minister	Stephen Harper
Establishment
• British North America Acts	July 1, 1867
• Statute of Westminster	December 11, 1931
• Canada Act	April 17, 1982
Area
• Total	9,984,670 km (3,855,100 sq mi) (2nd)
• Water (%)	8.92 (891,163 km²/344,080 mi²)
Population
• 2024 estimate	38,735,000 (36th)
• 2006 census	31,612,897
• Density	3.2/km (8.3/sq mi) (219th)
GDP (PPP)	2007 estimate
• Total	$1.269 trillion (13th)
• Per capita	$38,613 (12th)
GDP (nominal)	2007 estimate
• Total	$1.436 trillion (9th)
• Per capita	$43,674 (14th)
Gini	32.1 (2005) Error: Invalid Gini value
HDI (2007)	0.961 Error: Invalid HDI value (4th)
Currency	Dollar ($) (CAD)
Time zone	UTC−3.5 to −8
• Summer (DST)	UTC−2.5 to −7
Calling code	1
ISO 3166 code	CA
Internet TLD	.ca
Canada portal

Canada (/ˈkænədə/) is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean. It is the world's second largest country by total area, and shares land borders with the United States to the south and northwest.

The land occupied by Canada was inhabited for millennia by various aboriginal peoples. Beginning in the late 15th century, British and French expeditions explored and later settled the Atlantic coast. France ceded nearly all of its colonies in North America in 1763 after the Seven Years' War. In 1867, with the union of three British North American colonies through Confederation, Canada was formed as a federal dominion of four provinces. This began an accretion of additional provinces and territories and a process of increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom, highlighted by the Statute of Westminster in 1931, and culminating in the Canada Act in 1982 which severed the vestiges of legal dependence on the British parliament.

A federation comprising ten provinces and three territories, Canada is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. It is a bilingual and multicultural country, with both English and French as official languages at the federal level. Technologically advanced and industrialized, Canada maintains a diversified economy that is heavily reliant upon its abundant natural resources and upon trade—particularly with the United States, with which Canada has had a long and complex relationship. It is a member of the G8, NATO, and Commonwealth of Nations.

Etymology

The name Canada comes from a St. Lawrence Iroquoian word, kanata, meaning village or settlement. In 1535, indiginous inhabitants of the present-day Quebec City region used the word to direct French explorer Jacques Cartier towards the village of Stadacona. Cartier later used the word Canada to refer not only to that particular village, but also the entire area subject to Donnacona, the chief at Stadacona, and, by 1545, European books and maps had begun referring to this region as Canada.

The French colony of Canada referred to the part of New France along the Saint Lawrence River and the northern shores of the Great Lakes. Later, it was split into two British colonies, called Upper Canada and Lower Canada until their union as the British Province of Canada in 1841. Upon Confederation in 1867, the name Canada was adopted as the legal name for the entire country , and Dominion was conferred as the country's title. It was frequently referred to as the Dominion of Canada until the 1950s. As Canada asserted its political autonomy from Britain, the federal government increasingly used Canada on legal state documents and treaties. This was reflected in 1982 with the renaming of the national holiday from Dominion Day to Canada Day.

History

First Nation and Inuit traditions maintain that indiginous people have resided on their lands since the beginning of time, while archaeological studies support a human presence in the northern Yukon from 26,500 years ago, and in southern Ontario from 9,500 years ago. Europeans first arrived when the Vikings settled briefly at L'Anse aux Meadows around AD 1000; following the failure of that colony, there was no further attempt at North American exploration until 1497, when John Cabot explored Canada's Atlantic coast for England, followed by Jacques Cartier in 1534 for France. A century later, Samuel de Champlain arrived in 1603 to establish the first permanent European settlements at Port Royal and Quebec City, which would become, respectively, the capitals of Acadia and Canada, all-together known as New France.

From these posts, colonists extensively settled the Saint Lawrence River valley and the present-day maritimes, while the French fur traders and Catholic missionaries moved westward into the Great Lakes, Hudson's Bay, and Mississippi watershed regions. During the same era, the English established fishing outposts on Newfoundland and established the Thirteen Colonies to the south. The close proximity of these two European powers, combined with the common desire to expand their respective colonial territory and share of the fur trade, led to a series of wars between them, ending with the 1763 Treaty of Paris, that granted the remainder of New France to Britain.

The Royal Proclamation (1763) carved the Province of Quebec out of New France and annexed Cape Breton Island to Nova Scotia. It also restricted the language and religious rights of French Canadians. In 1769, St. John's Island (now Prince Edward Island) became a separate colony. To avert conflict in Quebec, the Quebec Act of 1774 expanded Quebec's territory to the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley and re-established the French language, Catholic faith, and French civil law in Quebec; it angered many residents of the Thirteen Colonies, helping to fuel the American Revolution. The Treaty of Paris (1783) recognized American independence and ceded territories south of the Great Lakes to the United States. Approximately 50,000 United Empire Loyalists fled the United States to Canada. New Brunswick was split from Nova Scotia as part of a reorganization of Loyalist settlements in the Maritimes. To accommodate English-speaking Loyalists in Quebec, the Constitutional Act of 1791 divided the province into French-speaking Lower Canada and English-speaking Upper Canada, granting each their own elected Legislative Assembly.

Canada was the main front in the War of 1812 between the British Empire and the United States. The defence of the Canadian territories contributed to a sense of unity among the British North Americans, and, with the Americans defeated and sovereignty reaffirmed, large-scale immigration from the British Isles to Canada began in 1815. However, internal unrest errupted when desires for democratic representation resulted in the aborted Rebellions of 1837, after which the Canadas were re-united into the United Province of Canada, and responsible goverment was established for all British North American provinces by 1849. Canada's border was thereafter extended westward along the 49th parallel through the Oregon Treaty, which, combined with increasing birth rates, paved the way for British colonies on Vancouver Island and in British Columbia. Northern expiditions also reached into the Arctic, where Rupert's Land was claimed.

Following several constitutional conferences, the British North America Act brought about Confederation, creating "one Dominion under the name of Canada" on 1 July 1867, with four provinces: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. The new federal government quickly moved on expanding settlement westward; the Red River Rebellion, only two years later, was used as the catalyst for the creation of Manitoba in July 1870, and with the construction of three trans-continental railways, the prairies were opened to settlement and the colonies of British Columbia were linked to the central provinces. They, plus Prince Edward Island, joined Confederation in 1871, and the North-West Mounted Police was established to establish authority over the vast western territories. This paved the way for the creation of the Yukon territory, and, with the settlement of continental Europeans on the prairies, the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan in 1905.

Canada was automatically drawn into World War I in 1914, with the United Kingdom's declaration of war, and sent volunteers to the Western Front in the form of the Canadian Corps, which played a substantial role the Battle of Vimy Ridge and others. This display on the battlefields of Europe led to Canada joining the League of Nations as an independent member in 1919, after which the country's autonomy was recognised in the 1926 Balfour Declaration, and legally established with the 1931 Statute of Westminster. Independence coincided with the Great Depression, however, and hardship was felt by all of Canada, in response to which, political parties in the prairies enacted numerous welfare state measures, and farmers and labourers were incited into strikes and protests, many of which culminated in violent clashes with the police.

With the country's established sovereignty from the United Kingdom, Canada declared war on Germany ten days after Britain, and the first Canadian Army units arrived in the UK in December 1939. These troops played important roles in various naval and land battles throughout the war, while the country provided asylum and protection for the monarchs of various fallen European states and their families. Also during the war, the Canadian economy boomed, as industry manufactured military materiel for Canada, Britain, China and the Soviet Union. Despite another Conscription Crisis in Quebec, Canada became one of the first countries to join the United Nations in 1945, and finished the war with one of the largest armed forces in the world. Four years later, Newfoundland joined Confederation, in time to take advantage of the post-war prosperity and economnic expanison that ignited a baby boom and attracted immigration from war-ravaged European countries.

This growth, combined with the policies of successive Liberal governments, led to the emergence of a new Canadian identity, marked by the adoption of the current Maple Leaf Flag in 1965, the implementation of official bilingualism in 1969, and official multiculturalism in 1971. Socially democratic programmes were also founded, such as universal health care, the Canada Pension Plan, and Canada Student Loans, though provincial governments, particularly Quebec and Alberta, opposed many of these as incursions into their jurisdictions. Finally, another series of constitutional conferences resulted in the patriation of Canada's constitution from the United Kingdom, concurrent with the creation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. At the same time, Quebec was undergoing profound social and economic changes through the Quiet Revolution, giving birth to a nationalis movement in the province. and the more radical Front de libération du Québec (FLQ), who's actions ignited the October Crisis in 1970. A decade later, an unsuccessful referendum on sovereignty-association was held in 1980, after which attempts at constitutional amendment were attempted and failed in 1989. A second referendum followed in 1995, in which sovereignty was rejected by a slimmer margin of just 50.6% to 49.4%. In 1997, the Supreme Court ruled thatunilateral secession by a province would be unconstitutional, and the Clarity Act was passed by parliament, outlining the terms of a negotiated departure from Confederation.

After various peacekeeping missions between the 1950s and 1990s, Canada engaged in the NATO led Afghan War in 2001, though subsequently refusing to participate in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. At home, following various legal battles, as well as some violent confrontations at Oka, Ipperwash, and Gustafsen Lake, in 1999 Canada recognized Inuit self-government with the creation of Nunavut, settled Nisga'a claims in British Columbia, and, in 2008, the Prime Minister apologised for the creation of residential schools by previous governments.

Government and politics

Canada has a parliamentary government with strong democratic traditions. Parliament is made up of the Crown, an elected House of Commons and an appointed Senate. Each Member of Parliament in the House of Commons is elected by simple plurality in an electoral district or riding. General elections must be called by the Prime Minister within five years of the previous election, or may be triggered by the government losing a confidence vote in the House. Members of the Senate, whose seats are apportioned on a regional basis, are chosen by the Prime Minister and formally appointed by the Governor General, and serve until age 75. Three parties had representatives elected to the federal parliament in the 2008 elections: the Conservative Party of Canada (governing party), the Liberal Party of Canada (Official Opposition), the New Democratic Party (NDP) and the Bloc Québécois. The list of historical parties with elected representation is substantial.

Canada's federalist structure divides government responsibilities between the federal government and the ten provinces. Unicameral provincial legislatures operate in parliamentary fashion similar to the House of Commons. Canada's three territories also have legislatures, but with fewer constitutional responsibilities than the provinces, and with some structural differences (for example, the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut has no parties and operates on consensus).

Canada is also a constitutional monarchy, with The Crown acting as a symbolic or ceremonial executive. The Crown consists of Queen Elizabeth II (legal head of state) and her appointed viceroys, the Governor General (acting head of state) and provincial Lieutenant-Governors, who perform most of the monarch's ceremonial roles. . The political executive consists of the Prime Minister (head of government) and the Cabinet and carries out the day-to-day decisions of government. The Cabinet is made up of ministers usually selected from the House of Commons and headed by the Prime Minister , who is normally the leader of the party that holds the confidence of the House of Commons. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) is one of the most powerful institutions in government , initiating most legislation for parliamentary approval and selecting, besides other Cabinet members, Senators, federal court judges, heads of Crown corporations and government agencies, and the Governor General. The Crown formally approves parliamentary legislation and the Prime Minister's appointments. The leader of the party with the second most seats usually becomes the Leader of the Opposition and is part of an adversarial parliamentary system that keeps the government in check. Michaëlle Jean has served as Governor General since September 27, 2005; Stephen Harper, leader of the Conservative Party, has been Prime Minister since February 6, 2006; and Stéphane Dion, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, has been Leader of the Opposition since December 2, 2006.

Law

The constitution is the supreme law of the country, and consists of written text and unwritten conventions. The Constitution Act, 1867, affirmed governance based on parliamentary precedent "similar in principle to that of the United Kingdom" and divided powers between the federal and provincial governments; the Statute of Westminster, 1931, granted full autonomy; and the Constitution Act, 1982, added the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees basic rights and freedoms that usually cannot be overridden by any level of government – though a notwithstanding clause allows the federal parliament and provincial legislatures to override certain sections of the Charter for a period of five years – and added a constitutional amending formula.

Canada's judiciary plays an important role in interpreting laws and has the power to strike down laws that violate the Constitution. The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court and final arbiter and is led by the Right Honourable Madam Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, P.C. since 2000. Its nine members are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister and Minister of Justice. All judges at the superior and appellate levels are appointed after consultation with non-governmental legal bodies. The federal cabinet also appoints justices to superior courts at the provincial and territorial levels. Judicial posts at the lower provincial and territorial levels are filled by their respective governments.

Common law prevails everywhere except in Quebec, where civil law predominates. Criminal law is solely a federal responsibility and is uniform throughout Canada. Law enforcement, including criminal courts, is a provincial responsibility, but in rural areas of all provinces except Ontario and Quebec, policing is contracted to the federal Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Foreign relations and military

Canada and the United States share the world's longest undefended border, co-operate on military campaigns and exercises, and are each other's largest trading partners. Canada has nevertheless maintained an independent foreign policy, most notably maintaining full relations with Cuba and declining to participate in the Iraq War. Canada also maintains historic ties to the United Kingdom and France and to other former British and French colonies through Canada's membership in the Commonwealth of Nations and La Francophonie (French-Speaking Countries). Canada is noted for having a strong and positive relationship with the Netherlands which Canada helped liberate during World War II, and the Dutch government traditionally gives tulips, a symbol of the Netherlands, to Canada each year in remembrance of Canada's contribution to its liberation.

Canada currently employs a professional, volunteer military force of about 64,000 regular and 26,000 reserve personnel. The unified Canadian Forces (CF) comprise the army, navy, and air force. Major CF equipment deployed includes 1,400 armoured fighting vehicles, 34 combat vessels, and 861 aircraft.

Strong attachment to the British Empire and Commonwealth in English Canada led to major participation in British military efforts in the Second Boer War, the First World War, and the Second World War. Since then, Canada has been an advocate for multilateralism, making efforts to resolve global issues in collaboration with other nations. Canada joined the United Nations in 1945 and became a founding member of NATO in 1949. During the Cold War, Canada was a major contributor to UN forces in the Korean War and founded the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) in cooperation with the United States to defend against aerial attacks from the Soviet Union.

Canada has played a leading role in UN peacekeeping efforts. During the Suez Crisis of 1956, Lester B. Pearson eased tensions by proposing the inception of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force. Canada has since served in 50 peacekeeping missions, including every UN peacekeeping effort until 1989 and has since maintained forces in international missions in Rwanda, the former Yugoslavia, and elsewhere.

Canada joined the Organization of American States (OAS) in 1990; Canada hosted the OAS General Assembly in Windsor, Ontario, in June 2000 and the third Summit of the Americas in Quebec City in April 2001. Canada seeks to expand its ties to Pacific Rim economies through membership in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC).

Since 2001, Canada has had troops deployed in Afghanistan as part of the U.S. stabilization force and the UN-authorized, NATO-commanded International Security Assistance Force. Canada and the U.S. continue to integrate state and provincial agencies to strengthen security long the Canada – United States border through the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Canada's Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) has participated in three major relief efforts in recent years; the two-hundred member team has been deployed in relief operations after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake in South Asia, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the Kashmir earthquake in October 2005.

In February 2007, Canada, Italy, Britain, Norway, and Russia announced their funding commitments to launch a $1.5 billion project to help develop vaccines they said could save millions of lives in poor nations, and called on others to join them. In August 2007, Canadian sovereignty in Arctic waters was challenged following a Russian expedition that planted a Russian flag at the seabed at the North Pole. Canada has considered that area to be sovereign territory since 1925.

Provinces and territories

Canada is a federation composed of ten provinces and three territories; in turn, these may be grouped into regions. Western Canada consists of British Columbia and the three Prairie provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) . Central Canada consists of Quebec and Ontario. Atlantic Canada consists of the three Maritime provinces (New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia), along with Newfoundland and Labrador. Eastern Canada refers to Central Canada and Atlantic Canada together. Three territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut) make up Northern Canada. Provinces have more autonomy than territories. Each has its own provincial or territorial symbols.

The provinces are responsible for most of Canada's social programs (such as health care, education, and welfare) and together collect more revenue than the federal government, an almost unique structure among federations in the world. Using its spending powers, the federal government can initiate national policies in provincial areas, such as the Canada Health Act; the provinces can opt out of these but rarely do so in practice. Equalization payments are made by the federal government to ensure that reasonably uniform standards of services and taxation are kept between the richer and poorer provinces.

Geography and climate

Canada occupies a major northern portion of North America, sharing land borders with the continental United States to the south and with the U.S. state of Alaska to the northwest, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west; to the north lies the Arctic Ocean. By total area (including its waters), Canada is the second largest country in the world—after Russia—and largest on the continent. By land area it ranks fourth. Since 1925, Canada has claimed the portion of the Arctic between 60°W and 141°W longitude, but this claim is not universally recognized. The northernmost settlement in Canada and in the world is Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Alert on the northern tip of Ellesmere Island—latitude 82.5°N—just 817 kilometres (450 nautical miles) from the North Pole. Canada has the longest coastline in the world: 243,000 kilometres.

The population density, Template:Pop density km2 to sq mi, is among the lowest in the world. The most densely populated part of the country is the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor along the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence River in the southeast.

To the north of this region is the broad Canadian Shield, an area of rock scoured clean by the last ice age, thinly soiled, rich in minerals, and dotted with lakes and rivers. Canada by far has more lakes than any other country and has a large amount of the world's freshwater.

In eastern Canada, most people live in large urban centres on the flat Saint Lawrence Lowlands. The Saint Lawrence River widens into the world's largest estuary before flowing into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The gulf is bounded by Newfoundland to the north and the Maritimes to the south. The Maritimes protrude eastward along the Appalachian Mountain range from northern New England and the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are divided by the Bay of Fundy, which experiences the world's largest tidal variations. Ontario and Hudson Bay dominate central Canada. West of Ontario, the broad, flat Canadian Prairies spread toward the Rocky Mountains, which separate them from British Columbia.

In northwestern Canada, the Mackenzie River flows from the Great Slave Lake to the Arctic Ocean. A tributary of a tributary of the Mackenzie is the South Nahanni River, which is home to Virginia Falls, a waterfall about twice as high as Niagara Falls.

Northern Canadian vegetation tapers from coniferous forests to tundra and finally to Arctic barrens in the far north. The northern Canadian mainland is ringed with a vast archipelago containing some of the world's largest islands.

Average winter and summer high temperatures across Canada vary depending on the location. Winters can be harsh in many regions of the country, particularly in the interior and Prairie provinces which experience a continental climate, where daily average temperatures are near −15 °C (5 °F) but can drop below −40 °C (−40 °F) with severe wind chills. In non-coastal regions, snow can cover the ground almost six months of the year (more in the north). Coastal British Columbia is an exception and enjoys a temperate climate with a mild and rainy winter.

On the east and west coast, average high temperatures are generally in the low 20s °C (70s °F), while between the coasts the average summer high temperature ranges from 25 to 30 °C (75 to 85 °F) with occasional extreme heat in some interior locations exceeding 40 °C (104 °F). For a more complete description of climate across Canada see Environment Canada's Website.

Canada is also geologically active, having many earthquakes and potentially active volcanoes, notably Mount Meager, Mount Garibaldi, Mount Cayley and the Mount Edziza volcanic complex. The volcanic eruption of Tseax Cone in 1775 caused a catastrophic disaster, killing 2,000 Nisga'a people and the destruction of their village in the Nass River valley of northern British Columbia; the eruption produced a Template:Unit km lava flow and according to legend of the Nisga'a people, it blocked the flow of the Nass River.

Economy

Canada is one of the world's wealthiest nations, with a high per-capita income, and is a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the G8. It is one of the world's top 10 trading nations. Canada is a mixed market, ranking lower than the U.S. but higher than most western European nations on the Heritage Foundation's index of economic freedom. Since the early 1990s, the Canadian economy has been growing rapidly with low unemployment and large government surpluses on the federal level. Today Canada closely resembles the U.S. in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards. As of October 2007, Canada's national unemployment rate of 5.9% is its lowest in 33 years. Provincial unemployment rates vary from a low of 3.6% in Alberta to a high of 14.6% in Newfoundland and Labrador. According to the Forbes Global 2000 list of the world's largest companies in 2008, Canada had 69 companies in the list, ranking 5th next to France. As of 2008, the Canada’s total government debt burden is the lowest in the G8. The OECD projects that Canada’s net debt-to-GDP ratio will decline to 19.5% in 2009, less than half of the projected average of 51.9% for all G8 countries. According to these projections, Canada’s debt burden will have fallen over 50 percentage points from the peak in 1995, when it was the second highest in the G8.

In the past century, the growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. As with other first world nations, the Canadian economy is dominated by the service industry, which employs about three quarters of Canadians. However, Canada is unusual among developed countries in the importance of the primary sector, with the logging and oil industries being two of Canada's most important.

Canada is one of the few developed nations that are net exporters of energy. Atlantic Canada has vast offshore deposits of natural gas and large oil and gas resources are centred in Alberta. The vast Athabasca Oil Sands give Canada the world's second largest oil reserves behind Saudi Arabia. In Quebec, British Columbia, Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick, Ontario and Manitoba, hydroelectricity is a cheap and clean source of renewable energy.

Canada is one of the world's most important suppliers of agricultural products, with the Canadian Prairies one of the most important suppliers of wheat, canola and other grains. Canada is the world's largest producer of zinc and uranium and a world leader in many other natural resources such as gold, nickel, aluminium, and lead; many towns in the northern part of the country, where agriculture is difficult, exist because of a nearby mine or source of timber. Canada also has a sizeable manufacturing sector centred in southern Ontario and Quebec, with automobiles and aeronautics representing particularly important industries.

Economic integration with the United States has increased significantly since World War II. This has prompted Canadian nationalists to worry about cultural and economic autonomy in an age of globalization as American television shows, movies and corporations have become omnipresent. The Automotive Products Trade Agreement in 1965 opened the borders to trade in the auto manufacturing industry. In the 1970s, concerns over energy self-sufficiency and foreign ownership in the manufacturing sectors prompted Pierre Trudeau's Liberal government to set up the National Energy Program (NEP) and Foreign Investment Review Agency (FIRA). In the 1980s, Brian Mulroney's Progressive Conservatives abolished the NEP and changed the name of FIRA to Investment Canada to encourage foreign investment. The Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement (FTA) of 1988 eliminated tariffs between the two countries, while North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) expanded the free trade zone to include Mexico in the 1990s. In the mid-1990s, the Liberal government under Jean Chrétien began posting annual budgetary surpluses and began steadily paying down the national debt. Since 2001, Canada has successfully avoided economic recession and has maintained the best overall economic performance in the G8.

Demographics

Canada's 2006 census counted a total population of 31,612,897, an increase of 5.4% since 2001. Population growth is from immigration and, to a lesser extent, natural growth. About three-quarters of Canada's population live within 150 kilometres (90 mi) of the US border. A similar proportion live in urban areas concentrated in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor (notably the Greater Golden Horseshoe including Toronto and area, Montreal, and Ottawa), the BC Lower Mainland (consisting of the region surrounding Vancouver), and the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor in Alberta.

According to the 2006 census, there are 43 ethnic origins that at least one hundred thousand people in Canada claim in their background.

The largest ethnic group is English (21%), followed by French (15.8%), Scottish (15.2%), Irish (13.9%), German (10.2%), Italian (5%), Chinese (4%), Ukrainian (3.6%), and First Nations (3.5%); Approximately, one third of respondents identified their ethnicity as "Canadian". Canada's aboriginal population is growing almost twice as fast as the Canadian average, and 3.8% of Canada's population claimed aboriginal identity in 2006. Also, 16.2% of the population belonged to non-aboriginal visible minorities.

In 2001, 49% of the Vancouver population and 42.8% of Toronto's population were visible minorities. In March 2005, Statistics Canada projected that people of non-European origins will constitute a majority in both Toronto and Vancouver by 2012. According to Statistics Canada's forecasts, the number of visible minorities in Canada is expected to double by 2017. A survey released in 2007 reveals that virtually 1 in 5 Canadians (19.8%) are foreign born. Nearly 60% of new immigrants hail from Asia (including the Middle East).

Canada has the highest per capita immigration rate in the world, driven by economic policy and family reunification; Canada also accepts large numbers of refugees. Newcomers settle mostly in the major urban areas of Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. In the 2006 census, there were 5,068,100 people considered to belong to a visible minority, making up 16.2% of the population. Between 2001 and 2006, the visible minority population rose by 27.2 %.

In common with many other developed countries, Canada is experiencing a demographic shift towards an older population, with more retirees and fewer people of working age. In 2006, the average age of the civilian population was 39.5 years. The census results also indicate that despite an increase in immigration since 2001 (which gave Canada a higher rate of population growth than in the previous intercensal period) the aging of Canada's population did not slow in the period.

Support for religious pluralism is an important part of Canada's political culture. According to the 2001 census, 77.1% of Canadians identify as being Christians; of this, Catholics make up the largest group (43.6% of Canadians). The largest Protestant denomination is the United Church of Canada. About 16.5% of Canadians declare no religious affiliation, and the remaining 6.3% are affiliated with religions other than Christianity, of which the largest is Islam numbering 1.9%, followed by Judaism at 1.1%.

Canadian provinces and territories are responsible for education. Each system is similar, while reflecting regional history, culture and geography. The mandatory school age ranges between 5–7 to 16–18 years, contributing to an adult literacy rate that is 99%. Postsecondary education is also administered by provincial and territorial governments, who provide most of the funding; the federal government administers additional research grants, student loans and scholarships. In 2002, 43% of Canadians aged between 25 and 64 had post-secondary education; for those aged 25 to 34 the post-secondary education rate reaches 51%.

Culture

Canadian culture has historically been influenced by British, French, and Aboriginal cultures and traditions. It has also been influenced heavily by American culture because of its proximity and migration between the two countries. The great majority of English speaking immigrants to Canada between 1755-1815 were Americans from the Lower Thirteen Colonies who were drawn there by promises of land or exiled because of their loyalty to Britain during the American War for Independence. American media and entertainment are popular, if not dominant, in English Canada; conversely, many Canadian cultural products and entertainers are successful in the U.S. and worldwide. Many cultural products are marketed toward a unified "North American" or global market.

The creation and preservation of distinctly Canadian culture are supported by federal government programs, laws and institutions such as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

Canada is a geographically vast and ethnically diverse country. Canadian culture has also been greatly influenced by immigration from all over the world. Many Canadians value multiculturalism and see Canadian culture as being inherently multicultural. Multicultural heritage is the basis of Section 27 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

National symbols are influenced by natural, historical, and First Nations sources. Particularly, the use of the maple leaf as a Canadian symbol dates back to the early 18th century and is depicted on its current and previous flags, the penny, and on the coat of arms. Other prominent symbols include the beaver, Canada Goose, Common Loon, the Crown, the RCMP, and more recently the totem pole and Inukshuk.

Canada's official national sports are ice hockey in the winter and lacrosse in the summer. Ice hockey is a national pastime and the most popular spectator sport in the country. It is the most popular sport Canadians play, with 1.65 million active participants in 2004. Canada's six largest metropolitan areas – Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary, and Edmonton – have franchises in the National Hockey League (NHL), and there are more Canadian players in the league than from all other countries combined. After hockey, other popular spectator sports include curling and football; the latter is played professionally in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Golf, baseball, skiing, soccer, volleyball, and basketball are widely played at youth and amateur levels, but professional leagues and franchises are not as widespread.

Canada hosted several high-profile international sporting events, including the 1976 Summer Olympics, the 1988 Winter Olympics, and the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Canada will be the host country for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia.

Language

Canada's two official languages are English and French. Official bilingualism in Canada is law, defined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Official Languages Act, and Official Language Regulations; it is applied by the Commissioner of Official Languages. English and French have equal status in federal courts, Parliament, and in all federal institutions. The public has the right, where there is sufficient demand, to receive federal government services in either English or French, and official language minorities are guaranteed their own schools in all provinces and territories.

English and French are the mother tongues of 59.7% and 23.2% of the population respectively, and the languages most spoken at home by 68.3% and 22.3% of the population respectively. 98.5% of Canadians speak English or French (67.5% speak English only, 13.3% speak French only, and 17.7% speak both). English and French Official Language Communities, defined by First Official Language Spoken, constitute 73.0% and 23.6% of the population respectively.

Although 85% of French-speaking Canadians live in Quebec, there are substantial Francophone populations in Ontario, Alberta and southern Manitoba, with an Acadian population in the northern and southeastern parts of New Brunswick constituting 35% of that province's population, as well as concentrations in southwestern Nova Scotia, on Cape Breton Island, and through central and western Prince Edward Island. Ontario has the largest French-speaking population outside Quebec. The Charter of the French Language in Quebec makes French the official language in Quebec, and New Brunswick is the only province to have a statement of official bilingualism in its constitution. Other provinces have no official languages as such, but French is used as a language of instruction, in courts, and for other government services in addition to English. Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec allow for both English and French to be spoken in the provincial legislatures, and laws are enacted in both languages. In Ontario, French has some legal status but is not fully co-official. Several aboriginal languages have official status in Northwest Territories. Inuktitut is the majority language in Nunavut, and one of three official languages in the territory.

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 (853,745 first-language speakers), Italian (469,485), German (438,080), and Punjabi (271,220).

International rankings

See also

Notes

1. "Canada's population clock" (source code). Statistics Canada. 2007-12-04. Retrieved 2007-12-21. StartPop = 32976026; EndPop = 33305836; StartDate = new Date(2007, 6, 1); EndDate = new Date(2008, 6, 1) {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |note= ignored (help)
2. ^ "Canada". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
3. ^ Central Intelligence Agency (2006-05-16). "The World Factbook: Canada". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 2007-05-06.
4. "Territorial evolution" (html/pdf). Atlas of Canada. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2007-10-09. In 1867, the colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are united in a federal state, the Dominion of Canada....
5. "Canada: History" (html/pdf). Country Profiles. Commonwealth Secretariat. Retrieved 2007-10-09. The British North America Act of 1867 brought together four British colonies ... in one federal Dominion under the name of Canada.
6. Hillmer, Norman. "Commonwealth" (html). Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Project. Retrieved 2007-10-09. With CONFEDERATION in 1867, Canada became the first federation in the British Empire ... {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
7. Trigger, Bruce G. (1978). "Saint-Lawrence Iroquoians". Handbook of North American Indians Volume 15. Washington: Smithsonian Institution. pp. 357–361. OCLC 58762737. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
8. Jacques Cartier (1545). "Relation originale de Jacques Cartier". Tross (1863 edition). Retrieved 2007-02-23.
9. Martin, Robert (1993). "1993 Eugene Forsey Memorial Lecture: A Lament for British North America". The Machray Review. Prayer Book Society of Canada. Retrieved 2008-11-05. Strictly speaking, the official name of the new country was, simply, "Canada", but usage sanctioned "Dominion of Canada.
10. Hodgetts, J. E. (2004). "Dominion". Oxford Companion to Canadian History. Toronto: Oxford University Press. p. 183. ISBN 0195415590. The title conferred on Canada by the preamble to the Constitution Act, 1867, whereby the provinces declare 'their desire to be federally united into one Dominion under the Crown of the United Kingdom'. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
11. "Canada Day". Department of Canadian Heritage. On October 27, 1982, July 1st which was known as "Dominion Day" became "Canada Day".
12. Cinq-Mars, J. (2001). "On the significance of modified mammoth bones from eastern Beringia" (PDF). The World of Elephants - International Congress, Rome. Retrieved 2006-05-14.
13. Wright, J.V (27 September 2001). "A History of the Native People of Canada: Early and Middle Archaic Complexes". Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. Retrieved 2006-05-14.
14. "John Cabot". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica.
15. "Cartier, Jacques". World book Encyclopedia. World Book, Inc. ISBN 071660101X. {{cite encyclopedia}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
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18. David Mills. "Durham Report". Historica Foundation of Canada. Retrieved 2006-05-18.
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20. "Canadian Cofederation: Responsible Government". Library and Archives Canada. The Executive Council would be governed by the leader of the political party that held an elected majority in the Legislative Assembly. That same leader would also appoint the members of the Executive Council. The governor would therefore be forced to accept these "ministers", and if the majority of the members of the Legislative Assembly voted against them, they would have to resign. The governor would also be obliged to ratify laws concerning the internal affairs of the colony once these laws had been passed to the Legislative Assembly.
21. Farthing, John (1957). Freedom Wears a Crown. Toronto: Kingswood House. ASIN B0007JC4G2.
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25. Bélanger, Claude (3 August 2000). "Quiet Revolution". Quebec History. Marionopolis College, Montreal. Retrieved 2008. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
26. ^ Dickinson, John Alexander (2003). A Short History of Quebec (3rd edition ed.). Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press. ISBN 0-7735-2450-9. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
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31. Heard, Andrew (2008). "The Executive I: Crown and Cabinet". Canadian Government (Course notes). Simon Fraser University. Retrieved 2008-11-02. o symbolic executive: Queen (de jure head of state) ... Governor General (de facto head of state); o political executive: Canada: Privy Council, including cabinet; Prime Minister (head of government) primus inter pares; cabinet/ministry membership (32 members including the PM); o permanent executive (bureaucracy): departments, agencies, & civil service
32. Nelson Education Ltd. "The Executive". Introduction to Canadian Government and Politics. Nelson Education Ltd. Retrieved 2008-11-02. The symbolic executive is composed of the Queen, who is the legal head of state of Canada, and her representatives, who fulfill the monarch's daily duties in Canada. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |quote= at position 143 (help)
33. Heritage Canada (2005-04-21). "The Queen and Canada: 53 Years of Growing Together". Heritage Canada. Retrieved 2006-05-14.
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35. Commonwealth Secretariat (1999). "Women in Politics". Commonwealth Secretariat. Retrieved 2008-11-02. However, the British monarch continues to serve as Canada's symbolic executive, appointing a representative, the Governor-General, on the advice of the Canadian Prime Minister.
36. Ray T. Donahue. "Diplomatic Discourse: International Conflict at the United Nations". Greenwood Publishing Group. As Head of State ... Elizabeth II has no political power, only symbolic power
37. "Canada's System of Justice: The Canadian Constitution". Department of Justice Canada. The executive power in Canada is vested in the Queen. In this democratic society, this is only a constitutional convention, as the real executive power rests with the Cabinet.
38. Mahler, Gregory (1985). "Parliament and Congress: Is the Grass Greener on the Other Side?". Canadian Parliamentary Review. Retrieved 2008-11-02. In Canada (and indeed most parliamentary democracies in the world today), the majority of challenges to legislative power which develop no longer come from the ceremonial executive (the Crown), but from the political executive, the government of the day.
39. "Responsible Government: Clarifying Essentials, Dispelling Myths and Exploring Change". Canada School of Public Service. Under the constitutional convention of responsible government, the powers of the Crown are exercised by Ministers, both individually and collectively.
40. Joseph Magnet. "Separation of Powers in Canada". Constitutional Law of Canada. University of Ottawa Faculty of Law. ... democratic principles dictate that the bulk of the Governor General's powers be exercised in accordance with the wishes of the leadership of that government, namely the Cabinet. So the true executive power lies in the Cabinet.
41. "By Executive Decree: The Cabinet". Library and Archives Canada. The Cabinet as selected and directed by the prime minister constitutes the active seat of executive power in Canada.
42. W.A. Matheson. "Prime Minister". The Canadian Encyclopedia. The prime minister is the chief minister and effective head of the executive in a parliamentary system ...
43. "Responsible Government and Checks and Balances: The Crown". Responsible government means that the Crown no longer has the prerogative to select or remove Ministers. They are selected and removed by the first Minister—the Prime Minister.
44. "The Prime Minister". By Executive Decree. National Archives of Canada. While the modern governor general has only a nominal influence on the operation of the Canadian government, the prime minister's influence is decisive.
45. "Responsible Government and Checks and Balances: The Crown". Responsible Government: Clarifying Essentials, Dispelling Myths and Exploring Change. Canada School of Public Service. Ministers are thereby accountable to the Prime Minister who, in the Canadian tradition, has the sole power to appoint and dismiss them.
46. "By Executive Decree: The Governor General". Library and Archives Canada. The governor general holds formal executive power within the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, and signs orders-in-council.
47. "The Constitution Act, 1982". Department of Justice Canada. "52.(1) The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law of Canada, and any law that is inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution is, to the extent of the inconsistency, of no force or effect.
48. Department of Justice. "Constitution Acts 1867 to 1982". Department of Justice, Canada. Retrieved 2006-05-14.
49. "The Constitution Act, 1982". Department of Justice Canada. "38.(1)
50. Assistant Deputy Minister (Public Affairs). "The National Defence family". Department of National Defence. Retrieved 2006-05-14.
51. Assistant Deputy Minister (Public Affairs). "Canadian Forces Equipment". Department of National Defence. Retrieved 2006-05-14.
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53. Cooper, Andrew Fenton (1993). Relocating Middle Powers: Australia and Canada in a Changing World Order. Vancouver: UBC Press. ISBN 0-7748-0450-5. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
54. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (2006). . CBC.ca. Retrieved 2006-05-22. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
55. Morton, Desmond (1999). A Military History of Canada. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart. pp. pg. 258. ISBN 0-7710-6514-0. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
56. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative at www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
57. "Rich Nations Launch Vaccine Pact". Reuters. February 10, 2007.
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61. "World Factbook: Area Country Comparison Table".
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63. National Defence Canada (2006-08-15). "Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Alert". National Defence Canada. Retrieved 2006-10-03.
64. Natural Resources Canada (2006-12-19). "CoastWeb: Facts about Canada's coastline". Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2007-07-13.
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67. The Atlas of Canada (2004-04-02). "Drainage patterns". National Resources Canada. Retrieved 2006-05-18.
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70. The Weather Network. "Statistics: Vancouver Int'l, BC". The Weather Network. Retrieved 2006-05-18.
71. The Weather Network. "Statistics: Toronto Pearson Int'l". The Weather Network. Retrieved 2006-05-18.
72. Environment Canada (2004-02-25). "Canadian Climate Normals or Averages 1971–2000". Environment Canada. Retrieved 2006-05-18.
73. Etkin, David (2003-04-30). An Assessment of Natural Hazards and Disasters in Canada. Springer. pp. 569, 582, 583. ISBN 978-1402011795. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
74. "Tseax Cone". Catalogue of Canadian volcanoes. Geological Survey of Canada. 2005-08-19. Retrieved 2008-07-29.
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116. name="statscan_language"
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118. larger number indicates sustainability

References

External links

2. Part 2

Government

• Official Government of Canada online Atlas of Canada
• Official website of the Government of Canada
• Official website of the Governor General of Canada
• Official website of the Canadian Forces
• Official website of the Prime Minister of Canada
• Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations

Crown corporations

• Canada Post
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
• Canadian Tourism Commission

Other

• "Canada". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency.
• Canada from The Canadian Encyclopedia
• Canadian Studies: A Guide to the Sources*Template:Wikitravelpar
• Culture.ca—Canada's Cultural Gateway
• Culturescope.ca—Canadian Cultural Observatory
• Energy Information Administration - Official Energy Statistics for Canada from the U.S. Government
• Statistics Canada with Canada's population clock
• The Canadian Atlas Online
• UN Human Development Program: Country Fact Sheet: Canada, Statistics—Country Sheet: Canada

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majority Africa Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Americas Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda The Bahamas Barbados Belize Bermuda British Virgin Islands Canada Cayman Islands Dominica Falkland Islands Grenada Guyana Jamaica Montserrat Saba Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Trinidad and Tobago Turks and Caicos Islands United States United States Virgin Islands Europe Guernsey Ireland Isle of Man Jersey United Kingdom Oceania Australia New Zealand Norfolk Island Pitcairn Islands   Countries and territories where English is an official language, but not the majority first language Africa Botswana Cameroon Eswatini The Gambia Ghana Kenya Lesotho Liberia Malawi Mauritius Namibia Nigeria Rwanda Sierra Leone Somaliland South Africa South Sudan Sudan Tanzania Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe Americas Puerto Rico Asia Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Hong Kong India Pakistan Philippines Singapore Europe Gibraltar Akrotiri and Dhekelia Malta Oceania American Samoa Cook Islands Fiji Guam Kiribati Marshall Islands Micronesia Nauru Niue Northern Mariana Islands Palau Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands Tokelau Tuvalu Vanuatu Dependencies shown in italics. v t e Former British Empire and Current British Overseas Territories Legend Former territory Current territory *Current Commonwealth realm Current member of the Commonwealth of Nations Europe Akrotiri and Dhekelia since 1960 (before as part of Cyprus) Corsica 1794–1796 Cyprus 1878–1960 Gibraltar since 1713 Heligoland 1807–1890 Ionian Islands 1809–1864 Ireland 1542–1800 (integrated into the UK) Free State 1921–1931 Malta Protectorate 1800–1813 Colony 1813–1964 Minorca 1708–1757, 1763–1782 and 1798–1802 Africa Ascension Island since 1815 Basutoland (Lesotho) 1868–1966 Bechuanaland (Botswana) 1884–1966 Cameroons 1919–1961 Cape Colony 1795–1803 Cape of Good Hope 1806–1910 Central Africa 1891–1907 East Africa 1895–1920 Egypt 1882–1922 The Gambia 1816–1965 Gold Coast (Ghana) 1874–1957 Kenya 1920–1963 Lagos 1862–1906 Madeira 1807–1808 Mauritius 1810–1968 Natal 1856–1910 Niger Coast 1884–1900 Nigeria 1914–1960 Northern Nigeria 1900–1914 Northern Rhodesia 1924–1964 Nyasaland 1891–1964 Orange River 1900–1910 Saint Helena since 1658 Seychelles 1903–1976 Sierra Leone 1792–1961 Somaliland 1884–1960 South Africa 1910–1931 South-West Africa 1915–1931 Southern Rhodesia 1923–1965 and 1979–1980 Southern Nigeria 1900–1914 Swaziland 1893–1968 Sudan 1899–1956 Tanganyika 1922–1961 Transvaal 1900–1910 Tristan da Cunha since 1816 Uganda 1890–1962 Zanzibar 1890–1963 Zululand 1887–1897 Now Namibia League of Nations mandate. British Cameroons is now part of Cameroon, while Tanganyika is part of Tanzania. Self-governing Southern Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence in 1965 (as Rhodesia) and continued as an unrecognised state until the 1979 Lancaster House Agreement. After recognised independence in 1980, Zimbabwe was a member of the Commonwealth until it withdrew in 2003. Now Zambia Asia Aden Colony 1839–1967 Afghanistan 1839–1842 Protectorate 1879–1919 Bencoolen 1685–1824 Banka and Billiton 1812–1824 Bengal 1757–1947 Bhutan (protectorate) 1907–1949 Borneo 1874–1963 British Indian Ocean Territory since 1965 (before as part of Mauritius and Seychelles) Burma 1824–1948 Brunei 1888–1984 Ceylon 1795–1948 Cyprus 1878–1960 Hong Kong 1841–1997 India 1858–1947 Java 1811–1816 Kuwait 1918–1961 Labuan 1848–1946 Malaya 1819–1826 Federated States 1895–1946 Unfederated States 1885–1946 Union 1946–1948 Federation 1948–1957 Maldives 1796–1965 Manila and Cavite 1762–1764 Mesopotamia 1920–1932 Muscat and Oman 1891–1971 North Borneo 1882–1963 Crown Colony 1946–1963 Padang 1781–1784 and 1795–1819 Palestine 1923–1948 Penang 1786–1946 Pulo Condore 1702–1705 Sarawak 1841–1946 Crown Colony 1946–1963 Singapore 1946–1963 South Vietnam 1945–1946 Straits Settlements 1826–1946 Transjordan 1921–1946 Trucial States 1892–1971 Weihai 1898–1930 Now India, Pakistan and Bangladesh League of Nations mandate. Iraq's mandate was not enacted and replaced by the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty Legitimacy of territorial establishment disputed North America Anguilla since 1650 *Antigua 1632–1860 *Antigua and Barbuda 1860–1981 *Bahamas 1670–1973 Barbados 1624–1966 Bay Islands 1643–1860 *Belize 1871–1981 Bermuda since 1619 British Arctic Territories 16th c.–1880 British Columbia 1858–1866 1866–1871 Cape Breton Island 1754–1820 Dominica 1763–1978 East Florida 1763–1783 *Grenada 1762–1974 *Canada Lower 1791–1841 Upper 1791–1841 Province 1841–1867 Dominion 1867–1931 Carolina 1663–1712 Cayman Islands since 1670 Columbia District/Oregon Country 1818–1846 Connecticut 1636–1776 Delaware 1701–1776 East Jersey 1674–1702 Georgia 1733–1776 *Jamaica 1655–1962 Leeward Islands 1671–1816, 1833–1960 MassachusettsBay 1629–1691 Province, 1691–1776 Maryland 1632–1776 Montserrat since 1632 Mosquito Coast 1655–1860 Nevis 1628–1983 New Albion 1579 New Brunswick 1784–1867 New England 1686–1689 New Hampshire 1680–1776 New Haven 1637–1662 New Jersey 1665–1674 and 1702–1776 New York 1664–1776 Newfoundland 1907–1949 Newfoundland and Labrador 1583–1907 North Carolina 1712–1776 North-Western Territory 1859–1870 Nova Scotia 1713–1867 Paulet affair 1843 Prince Edward Island 1763–1873 Pennsylvania 1681–1776 Plymouth 1620–1691 Quebec 1763–1791* Queen Charlotte Islands 1853–1863 Rhode Island 1636–1776 Rupert's Land 1670–1870 Saint Croix 1625–1650 Saint Kitts 1623–1983 *Saint Kitts and Nevis 1882–1983 *Saint Lucia 1605–1979 *Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1627–1979 Saybrook 1635–1644 South Carolina 1712–1776 Stickeen 1862–1863 Trinidad and Tobago 1889–1962 Turks and Caicos Islands since 1799 Vancouver Island 1849–1866 Virgin Islands since 1666 Virginia 1607–1776 West Florida 1763–1783 West Indies Federation 1958–1962 Associated States 1967–1983 West Jersey 1674–1702 Windward Islands 1833–1960 v t e Oceania 18th and 19th centuries 20th century New South Wales 1788–1901 Van Diemen's Land/Tasmania 1803–1901 Auckland Islands 1807–1863 New Hebrides 1824–1980 Queensland 1824–1901 Swan River/Western Australia 1829–1901 South Australia 1836–1901 Pitcairn Islands since 1838 New Zealand 1841–1907 North Australia 1846–1847 Victoria 1851–1901 Fiji 1874–1970 Western Pacific Territories 1877–1976 Papua 1884–1902 Rarotonga/Cook Islands 1888–1901 Union Islands 1889–1948 Gilbert and Ellice Islands 1892–1979 *Solomon Islands 1893–1978 Tonga 1900–1970 Niue 1900–1974 *Australia 1901–1942 *New Zealand 1907–1947 Samoa 1914–1962 Nauru 1919–1942 and 1945–1968 Now part of the Realm of New Zealand Now Vanuatu Now Kiribati and *Tuvalu South America Providence Island 1631–1641 Willoughbyland 1651–1667 Saint Andrew and Providence Islands 1670–1688 Guiana 1831–1966 Falkland Islands since 1833 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands since 1908 Now a department of Colombia Occupied by Argentina during the Falklands War of April–June 1982. Antarctica and the South Atlantic Saint Helena since 1658 Ascension Island since 1815 Tristan da Cunha since 1816 Falkland Islands since 1833 Australian Antarctic Territory (transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia) 1841–1933 Ross Dependency (transferred to the Realm of New Zealand) 1841–1947 British Antarctic Territory since 1908 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands since 1908 Since 2009 part of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; Ascension Island (1922–) and Tristan da Cunha (1938–) were previously dependencies of Saint Helena. Claimed in 1908; territory formed 1962; overlaps portions of Argentine and Chilean claims, borders not enforced but claim not renounced under the Antarctic Treaty. Claimed in 1908; territory formed 1985 Historical flags of the British Empire Anglosphere culture Category Portal v t e Commonwealth realms and dominions Current Antigua and Barbuda (monarchy) Australia (monarchy) Bahamas (monarchy) Belize (monarchy) Canada (monarchy) Grenada (monarchy) Jamaica (monarchy) Realm of New Zealand Cook Islands New Zealand Niue Papua New Guinea (monarchy) Saint Kitts and Nevis (monarchy) Saint Lucia (monarchy) Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (monarchy) Solomon Islands (monarchy) Tuvalu (monarchy) United Kingdom (monarchy) Former Barbados (monarchy) Ceylon (monarchy) Fiji (monarchy) The Gambia (monarchy) Ghana (monarchy) Guyana (monarchy) India Ireland (monarchy) Kenya (monarchy) Malawi (monarchy) Malta (monarchy) Mauritius (monarchy) Newfoundland Nigeria (monarchy) Pakistan (monarchy) Rhodesia (monarchy) Sierra Leone (monarchy) South Africa (monarchy) Tanganyika (monarchy) Trinidad and Tobago (monarchy) Uganda (monarchy) Annexed by Canada in 1949 Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence in 1965, but this was not recognised internationally. 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