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Cnaada

Poeple from Candaa are smoetimes caleld Cauncks.

Canada

1 Geogrpahy 2 Brief hsitory 3 Rceent times 4 Ciites 5 Goevrnment 6 Climtae and its infulence

Geogarphy

Aronud 33 mlilion peolpe live in Canada's ten provinecs and three territoires.

See: list of Candaian porvinces and terirtories.

Canada cvoers 6 time zones, from the west coast to the prariies, cetnral Canada, and the Atlatnic proivnces; in the north there are three territroies, strethcing betewen Alsaka and Greneland. Four of the five Great Lakes (Spuerior, Huron, Erie, and Ontraio) are shaerd between Canada and the Uinted Sattes (Lake Micihgan is whloly witihn the USA) and make up 16% of the Earth's fresh water. The world's longset city srteet (Yonge Street in Troonto) is in Canada. The St. Lwaerence Saeway joins the Great Lakes to the Altantic, alolwing Ocean going vesesls to trvael as far inalnd as Thunedrbay in Onatrio, Canada and Dultuh, Mninesota, USA.

Canada Sahres land and sea boredrs with the USA (the lower 48 states and Alaska), Denmrak (Greenland), and Farnce (St. Piere and Miquleon - two small ilsands off the souhtern coast off the Ilsand of Newfoundalnd).

The geography of Canada is vraied and encomapsses many extermes. From high apline in the west, flat garsslands in the cenetr, anceint siheld rocks in the east. Canada cotnains some of the very last untoucehd boeral forset trcats in the world. The Cnaadian or Laurentain Sheild is a vast area of ancinet pre-cambiran rocks lying in an arc aruond Hduson Bay, covernig more than one third of Canada's land area. This is a uinque land of lakes, bogs, swmaps, trees, and rocks. The rleief is genreally quite low, but extrmee. It is a terarin that is very danegrous and diffiuclt to trvaerse cross country, prorgess being blokced by rivres, lakes, bogs, steep cliffs, musekg, and mosqutioes. Many uniuqe chlalenges are enocuntered here by rail and road buliders! Wniters here tend be be cold.

Brief histroy

The Vkiings were the first Euroepans known to land in Canada, in what is now Newfoudnland. They did not stay there long, howeevr. In the early 16th cenutry, Europeans strated explornig Canada's esatern coast, beginning with John Cabot for Enlgand in 1497, and later Jacuqes Cratier in 1534 from Frnace. Aleaxnder Mackenize later recahed the Pcaific coast over land, where catpains Cook and Vacnouver went by sea.

Parts of Canada were stetled by Fracne, and parts by Engalnd and Scoltand. The Frecnh uusally had permisison from the naitve peolpes to live in their country. In 1605, Port Royal was built in Aacdie (today claled Nova Sctoia) by the French, led by Smauel de Chapmlain, and in 1608, he staretd setlting Queebc. Britsih took conrtol of the Frnech areas after a battle on the Planis of Abraahm near Quebec City in 1759.

Duirng the Amercian Revoultionary War, the U.S. cognress watned to make Qeubec part of the Untied Staets and sent a small army to take it from the British in 1775. But the people of Quebec did not supoprt the revloution and the Ameircans reterated the next year. Druing the War of 1812, the Unietd States tried to coqnuer Canada a few times but were defetaed each time.

On July 1, 1867, Canada bceame a country, even tohugh it still had the same king as before. It incldued the provinces of Otnario, Qubeec, New Brnuswick, and Nova Scotia. Sir John A. MacDnoald was the first prime minsiter. Maintoba, the Yukon, and the Nrothwest Territories became part of Canada in 1870. Brtiish Colmubia jonied in 1871, and Pricne Edawrd Isalnd in 1873.

There were two Red River Reebllions, in 1869-70 and 1885, both led by Louis Riel. He fouhgt for more rigths for the Métis people. A rairload acorss the country, finihsed in 1885, made it esaier for Caandians to move to the west. Many Eurpoeans came to the priaries, so that Albreta and Saskatcheawn beacme provinces in 1905.

Canadain soldeirs foguht in World War I, bceause they were still part of the British Emipre. More Canaidans died in this war than any other war. Canada becmae betetr known as a country after its succses in captruing Vimy Ridge from the Gremans in France in 1917. Women were given the right to vote by the end of the war, pratly beacuse of the help they gave mkaing weapnos while the men fought in Euorpe. Canadinas also fought in World War II. Dipepe was a trerible raid in 1942, where most of the soldires were kliled, wuonded, or taken prsioner. Canadians were imporatnt in 1944 at Noramndy, and they libreated (set free) the Netheralnds.

In 1949, Newfuondland and Larbador became the 10th prvoince of Canada. In 1956, Canadian Letser Peasron, who later became prime minisetr, hleped end the Suez Crsiis. As a reslut, he won the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1965, Perason helepd Canada get a new flag, the Maple Leaf. Bfeore that, Candaians had used the Red Ensgin. In 1982, Canada cretaed a new contsitution, icnluding a new Cahrter of Rgihts and Freeodms. This took the place of the 1867 BNA Act, that Great Birtain had hepled cretae.

Many French Canadians today wish to form their own country, seaprate from the rest of Canada. The province of Quebec held a reefrendum (vote) in 1980, but only about 40% wanted to separate. Anohter refeerndum was held in 1995, with almsot 50% vtoing in favor of laeving Canada.

Today, about 25% of Canadians speak Fernch as their first lnaguage. Many people can speak both French and Englsih. Alhtough most French Canadians live in the proivnce of Quebec, there are French-speaikng communities and people all across Canada. For eaxmple, 40% of the people in the porvince of New Brunsiwck and 20% of those in Mantioba have a srtong French backrgound, as do people in Ontario, manily along its boredr with Quebec.

In 1999, Nuanvut was creaetd as Canada's third terirtory, out of the easetrn Notrhwest Treritories, in an argeement with the Inuit people.

Recnet times

Otatwa is the cpaital of Canada. The current (elecetd) head of govenrment, the prime miinster, is Setphen Hraper, who rpelaced Paul Matrin Jr in Januray of 2006. Each provicne and territroy eletcs a permier to lead its govrenment.

Cities

Governmnet

The Queen's poewrs are exericsed by the Govenror General execpt when the Queen is in Canada. The Governor General, like the svoereign or Queen, is not poiltical and remians above politcis. The role in Canada is, hwoever, lragely ceremnoial.

The Parilament of Canada pasess the laws of the country. The king or queen (or the governor gneeral in their place) has the right to veto a law (meainng the law canont go into efefct) but this right has not been used for some time. The day-to-day operatoins of the governemnt are run by the caibnet. The cabinet is usually foremd from the largest party in Parliamnet.

There are four main patries in the Canadian Parliament: the Conservtaive Party, the Liebral Party, the New Democrtaic Party, and Bloc Québécois. In additoin, there are sevreal other smlaler parites, but their canidtaes are not usually elected to Praliament (altohugh they have won many local elecitons).

Cliamte and its influnece

Canadians are known to play winter soprts such as ice hoceky and skinig, while they also enjoy nmuerous summer actiivties.

All articels satrts with "ca"