It is an affluent, high-tech industrial society, with market-oriented economic system, skilled labor force, pattern of production, and high living standards

Political system:
· Canada is a constitutional monarchy (the monarchy is hereditary), federal state and parliamentary democracy with two official languages (English and French) and two systems of law: civil law and common law. · Governor general is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year term
· In 1982 the Charter of Rights and Freedoms was entrenched in the Canadian Constitution
· The Canadian Parliament is composed of the Queen (who is represented by Governor General), the Senate (also called Upper House) and the House of Commons. · The Senate has 104 members and has the same powers as the House of Commons, with a few exceptions
· The House of Commons has 295 members elected for the term of 5 years, and is the major law making body. Following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons is automatically designated by the governor general to become prime minister
· The Cabinet is the real executive authority, under the direction of Prime Minister (and all together are advisors of the monarch)
· The Parliament has the central and federal responsibilities (including trade, defense, banking systems and criminal law). The regional or provincial legislatures are responsible for education, civil rights, social security, hospital system
· Provinces are responsible for its own courts, the general court is Court of Appeal
· There are 10 provinces and 2 territories; Canada’s main regions are four: Ontario, Quebec, the West and the Atlantic Provinces
· Suffrage is universal, in 18 years of age


Economy:
· It belongs to the G-7 countries (the Group of seven leading industrialized countries consisting of Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, Great Britain and USA).
· Has rich sources of raw materials: first place in the world in the mining of uranium, zinc; sulphur and paper for newspaper
· One of the leading countries in agriculture
· 2/3 of the Canadian work force is employed in services industries
· Over the years 1970-1990 Canada has had the fastest rate of job creation in the G-7 economies. Inflation is at less than 2 percent
· Is also a member of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement)


System of Education
· Public education is free up to and including secondary school.