CANADA
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LAND
9,971,500 km2; 4% cultivated, 2% meadows and pastures, 44% forested, 42% waste or urban, 8% inland water
Land boundaries: 9,010 km
WATER
Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 12 nm (fishing 200 nm)
Coastline: 90,908 km
PEOPLE
Population: 24,469,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 1.1%
Nationality: noun—Canadian(s); adjective—Canadian
Ethnic divisions: 44% British Isles origin, 30% French origin, 26% other
Religion: 48% Protestant, 47% Catholic, 5% other
Language: English and French official
Literacy: almost complete
Labor force: 11.9 million (December 1981); 41% service, 19% manufacturing, 17% trade, 8% transportation and utilities, 6% construction, 4% agriculture, 5% other; 7.6% unemployment (1981 average); 8.6% unemployment (December 1981)
Organized labor: 30% of labor force
GOVERNMENT
Official name: Canada
Type: federal state recognizing Elizabeth II as sovereign
Capital: Ottawa
Political subdivisions: 10 provinces and 2 territories
Legal system: based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based on French law prevails; constitution is British North America Act of 1867 and various amendments; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday: Canada Day, 1 July (official name: Dominion Day)
Branches: federal executive power vested in Cabinet collectively responsible to House of Commons, and headed by Prime Minister; federal legislative authority resides in Parliament (282 seats) consisting of Queen represented by Governor General, Senate, and Commons; judges appointed by Governor General on the advice of the government; Supreme Court is highest tribunal
Government leaders: Prime Minister Pierre E. TRUDEAU; Governor General Edward R. SCHREYER
Suffrage: universal over age 18
Elections: legal limit of five years but in practice usually held within four years, last election February 1980; voter turnout, 72%
Political parties and leaders: Liberal, Pierre Trudeau; Progressive-Conservative, Joe Clark; New Democratic, Edward Broadbent
Voting strength (1980 election): Liberal, 44%; Progressive Conservative, 33%; New Democratic Party, 20%; Parliamentary seats as of March 1982 — Liberal (146 seats), Progressive Conservative (101 seats), New Democratic Party (32 seats), Independent (1 seat), vacant (2 seats)
Communists: approx. 2,000
Member of: ADB, Colombo Plan, Commomwealth, DAC, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICES, ICO, ICRC, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, International Lead and Zinc Study Group, IMCO, IMF, IPU, ISO, ITC, ITU, IWC—International Whaling Commission, IWC—International Wheat Council, NATO, OAS (observer), OECD, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG
ECONOMY
GNP: $252.2 billion (1980 in 1980 prices), $10,832 per capita (1980); 63% consumption, 20% government, 20% investment, —3% net foreign trade; real growth rate 5.3% (1970-74), 2.8% (1975-80)
Agriculture: main products—livestock, grains (principally wheat), dairy products; food shortages—fresh fruits and vegetables; caloric intake, 3,180 calories per day per capita (1966-67)
Fishing: catch 892 million metric tons; exports 784.7 million metric tons (1978)
Major industries: mining, metals, food products, wood and paper products, transportation equipment, chemicals
Shortages: rubber, rolled steel, fruits, precision instruments
Crude steel: 15.9 million metric tons produced (1980)
Electric power: 78,000,000 kW capacity (1980); 366.677 billion kWh produced (1980), 15,260 kWh per capita
Exports: $66,289 million (f.o.b., 1980; principal items—transportation equipment, wood and wood products including paper, ferrous and nonferrous ores, crude petroleum, wheat; Canada is a major food exporter
