General information:
Population: 31,902,268
Capital: Ottawa
Other towns: Montreal, Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver, Quebec, Edmonton, Winnipeg
Currency: Canadian dollar = 100 cents
Head of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson (since 7 October 1999)
Head of government: Prime Minister Jean Chretien (since 4 November 1993)
GDP: $ 27,700

Geography:
· It is the second largest country in the world (after Russia).
· It is occupying the northern part of the North American continent
· Is bordered by the USA in the south, the Pacific ocean and Alaska (USA) in the west, the Arctic Ocean in the north and the Atlantic Ocean in the east
· Canada’s biggest lakes are: Great Bear Lake, Great Slave Lake, and Lake Winnipeg.
· There are also other great lakes which are shared with the USA: Lake Superior (area 82,103 sq km), Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario
· The rivers can be divided into three systems: The Atlantic system is represented by the Winnipeg, the Saskatchewan and the St. Lawrence river, which makes the longest waterway system in the inner part of Canada; The Pacific system is made up mainly by the Columbia, the Frazer and the Yukon rivers The Arctic system consists of the Mackenzie
· Canada is divided into seven regions, each with a very different landscape and climate:

o The Pacific Coast: has the most moderate climate of Canada’s regions. It includes the area of British Columbia and Vancouver Island. o The Cordillera: made up of the Rocky Mountains, the Coast Mountains and other ranges running north to south. It includes also the highest point of Canada- Mount Logan (6,050 m high)
o The Prairies: the plains of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. This area is rich on grain, oil, natural gas and potash
o The Canadian Shield: include a huge inland sea called Hudson Bay. It stretches east to Labrador, south to Kingston on Lake Ontario and northwest to the Arctic Ocean. It is made of roots of ancient mountains and considered to be the nucleus of North American continent.