45 Interesting Facts About Canada

  1. Canada, the northernmost country in North America, is the 2nd largest country by area in the world. Its total area is 9,984,670 km2.
  2. Canada is the 4th largest country in the world by land area. It is because of the presence of numerous freshwater lakes in the country. Around 9% of Canada is comprised of freshwater lakes.
  3. Ice hockey is the national and most favorite sport in Canada. There are more than 620,000 registered ice hockey players in Canada, the highest number of registered players in ice hockey for any country in the world.
  4. The population of Canada is low compared to its vast area. Canada has one of the lowest population densities in the world. It is just four people per square km.
  5. Canada is the coldest country in the world by average yearly temperature. The annual temperature here is -7.14 C. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Canada is -63 C. (Source)
  6. Canada has the longest coastline in the world. Its length is 202,080 km which is far more than the coastal area of any other country. This coastline is along the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. (Source)
  7. Canada has a military installation (Alert) on Ellesmere Island in Nunavut. It is the northernmost permanently inhabited place on earth. (Source)
  8. Babies in Canada cry more than babies in any other country. They cry 30 minutes more on average as compared to children in other countries. (Source)
  9. Canada has three of the ten largest islands in the world. These are Baffin Island (5th largest), Victoria Island (8th largest), and Ellesmere Island (10th largest).
    Satellite image of Devon Island and its neighbors
    Devon Island in Canada has Mars-like habitat

  10. Devon Island in Canada is the largest uninhabited island on earth. It is known for its “Mars-like habitat”. (Source)
  11. The world’s largest freshwater island is present in Canada. There are 12,000 permanent residents on Canada’s Manitoulin Island. (Source)
  12. The 2nd and 4th oldest rocks on earth have been discovered in Canada. Both these rocks are more than 4 billion years old. (Source)
  13. Galaxy Land in Canada is the largest indoor amusement park in the world. The 36-meter Space Shot inside this park is the world’s tallest indoor tower ride.
  14. Canada is the world’s most educated country based on tertiary education. More than 56% adult population of Canada has received tertiary education. (Source)
  15. The lowest-ever temperature recorded in North America (excluding Greenland) was in Canada. A temperature of -63 Celsius was recorded in Yukon on 3rd February 1947. (Source)
  16. The USA is the largest trading partner of Canada. It is the world’s 2nd largest trading relationship after trade between the USA and China.
  17. According to common perception, the initial inhabitants of Canada arrived from Siberia (now in Russia) around 14,000 years ago. It was during the glacial period when Bering Strait (that separates Asia and North America) was under thick ice.
  18. Inuit and First Nations are the predominant indigenous people in Canada. Inuit are present in the Arctic area, while First Nations are south of the Arctic Circle. Currently, the total population of these initial inhabitants of Canada is more than 1 million.
  19. Before the arrival of Europeans, the population of the indigenous people of Canada was between 200,000 and 2 million. Many of these perished after the emergence of Europeans due to military conflicts and diseases.
  20. Inuit are present in several other countries in Europe and North America. But their highest population is in Canada, with more than 65,000 inhabitants (Canada census 2016).
  21. The first Europeans to reach modern-day Canada was the Norse, which settled in Newfoundland around 1000 AD. However, a major European settlement was established in the 16th Century.
  22. Canada has the only land border with the USA on its southern and western sides. Both these countries share the world’s longest land border, with a length of 8,893 km (5,525 miles).
  23. The U.S. invaded Canada when it was under the British Empire in 1812. This invasion (known as the War of 1812) proved disastrous and humiliating for the US. (Source)
  24. Canada gained full sovereignty as an independent state on 17th April 1982 after the UK passed the Canada Act 1982. 
  25. Around 2.4 million km2 area of Canada is comprised of forests, which cover almost half of the total area of Canada. Forests in Canada are 8% of the world’s total forested area. Eight different regions support these forests. Around 90% of these forests are either in the royal domain or under provincial control. Most of the trees in these forests belong to pine, spruce, and poplar.
  26. Wasaga Beach in Canada is the longest freshwater beach in the world. They have also named a town after this beach. (Source)
  27. Yonge Street in Canada is known as the longest street in the world. Its length is 1,178 miles, which runs from downtown Toronto to the Ontario wilderness. (Source)
    A view of Yonge Street in Canada
    Yonge Street in Canada is the world's longest

  28. Alberta, a province in Canada, is the first place in the world that managed to eradicate rats. This happened as the government and the entire population of this province took part in this effort after invasion of rats in 1950. (Source)
  29. According to Corruption Perception Index 2018, Canada is the 9th least corrupt country. It is also the least corrupt nation in the Americas. (Source)
  30. Canada is the largest producer and exporter of maple syrup, thanks to the abundance of maple trees in Quebec province. The share of the country is more than 82% of all the exports of maple syrup around the world. (Source
  31. Canada has the 3rd largest oil reserves in the world after Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. It contains more than 10% of the total oil reserves in the world. 
  32. Canada has the 3rd largest reserves of uranium in the world. It is also the world’s 2nd largest producer of uranium.
  33. Canada is the world’s largest exporter of aluminum. It exports nearly 11% of total aluminum  worldwide. (Source)
  34. Canada celebrated its 150th birthday in 2017. The country commemorated this milestone by providing free admission to all Canadian national parks for the entire year.
  35. Canada and the USA founded NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) in 1958. Its primary purpose was to protect North American aerospace from USSR.
  36. Canadian former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson proposed (before his premiership) the idea of the UN Peacekeeping Force during the Suez Crisis of 1956. It was the first peacekeeping mission by the United Nations. Therefore, Pearson (and Canada) is known as the inventor of the concept of this force. Canada participated in every UN peacekeeping mission from its beginning till 1989.
  37. Canada launched a satellite (Alouette) in 1962. It makes Canada the 3rd country in the world, after USSR and the USA, to launch a satellite in space.
  38. After the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor, the first country to declare war on Japan was Canada. USA and UK declared war on Japan on 8th December 1941, while Canada did so a day earlier on 7th December 1941.
  39. There are ten provinces and three territories in Canada. Only two provinces are landlocked, while the other 11 administrative divisions border one of the three oceans around Canada. 
  40. Insulin was invented by Canadian scientists and physicians at the University of Toronto in 1921. It was used successfully for the first time in January 1922 at the Toronto General Hospital. (Source)
  41. There has been a dispute between Canada and Denmark since 1973 for an island located between Greenland and Canada. Despite the continuous disagreement, the dispute remained peaceful. (Source)
  42. Toronto Santa Claus Parade is the largest children’s parade in North America. This parade started in 1904. (Source) 
  43. In Guelph, a strip club turns into a Church on Sundays. The purpose of this transition is to assist homeless people of a nearby inn. (Source)
  44. Canada’s Bay of Fundy has recorded six highest tides on earth. The mean range for the highest tide is 38.4 feet. (Source)
  45. CN Tower in Toronto is the world’s 3rd tallest freestanding tower. The height of this tower is 553 m (1815 ft.). It is the tallest concrete-based structure.

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