The area is 10 million sq km, the population 27,3 million people, the majority of European origin, 300 000 North American Indians, 19,000 Inuit (= Eskimo). The capital is Ottawa (population is 310,000, conurbation 921,000). Other towns: Montréal (population 1,018,000, conurbation 3,127,000 – French speaking part of Canada), Calgary, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Vancouver, Quebec (also French speaking), Halifax. Currency: Canadian dollar = 100 cents. Languages: English and French are official, the other are bilingual, also North American Indian languages and the Inuit Inuktitut. Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II. represented by the Governor General, Romeo Leblanc. Head of government: Jean Chrétien.

Canada is the world's second largest country (after Russia). It extends in the Northern Hemisphere occupying the northern part of the North American continent, bordered by the USA in the south, Atlantic Ocean in the east, Arctic Ocean in the north, by Alaska on the west and by the Pacific Ocean in the west too. Canada is covered by abundant lakes – the biggest are Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, which are shared with USA. The other lakes are Great Bear Lake, Great Slave Lake and Lake Winnipeg. The rivers can be divided into three systems – Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic. The Atlantic system is represented by the St. Lawrence River, which makes the longest waterway system in the inner part of Canada. Other rivers of the Atlantic system are the Winnipeg and the Saskatchewan. The Pacific system is made up by the Columbia, the Frazer and the Yukon rivers. The Mackenzie belongs to the Arctic system.

Canada is divided into seven regions according to landscape and climate.

1. The Pacific Coast – it has the most moderate climate of Canada, this area includes the British Columbia and Vancouver Island.
2. The Cordillera – this region is made up of the Rocky Mountains, the Coast Mountains and other ranges running north to south. There are also St. Elias Mountains, where is the highest peak of Canada - Mount Logan, 6,050 m.
3. The Prairies – the plains of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are among the richest grain-producing regions in the world. Alberta is Canada's leading producer of petroleum. The sediments have important deposits of oil, natural gas and potash.
4. The Canadian Shield – includes a huge inland sea called Hudson Bay. It stretches east to Labrador, south to Kingston on Lake Ontario and northwest to the Arctic Ocean. The region is a storehouse of minerals – gold, silver, zinc, copper and uranium.
5. The Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Lowlands. Southern Quebec and Ontario, the industrial heartland of Canada, contain Canada's two largest cities, Montreal and Toronto. In this region lives 50% of Canadians and 70% of Canada's manufactured goods are produced. Here is produced maple sugar, grapes, peaches, pears and other fruits.
6. The Atlantic Provinces – here are the smallest Canadian provinces, they were first to be settled by Europeans. It is one of the richest fishing areas in the world. The fertile valleys are used agriculturally.
7. The Arctic – high temperature differences between winter and summer, almost all area can be accessible for people.

Canada is a constitutional monarchy, a federal state and parliamentary democracy and has two systems of law: civil law and common law. The Canadian Parliament is composed of the Queen (she is represented by the Governor General), the Senate (104 members) and the House of Commons (295 members). The House is the major law-making body. The members are elected for five years. The leader of the party, who wins the elections, is asked by the Governor General to become Prime Minister. The executive authority has the Cabinet, under the direction of the Prime Minister. The Canada's laws are interpreted and applied by the courts, which are directed by independent judges. The federal Parliament has established a general court of appeal. Canada is divided administratively into ten provinces and two territories - Alberta (Edmonton), British Columbia (Victoria), Manitoba (Winnipeg), New Brunswick (Fredericton), Newfoundland (St. John's), Nova Scotia (Halifax), Ontario (Toronto), Prince Edward Island (Charlottetown), Quebec (Quebec), Saskatchewan (Regina), the territories - Northwest Territories (Yellowknife), Yukon Territory (Whitehorse).

Canada belongs to the G-7 countries and NAFTA. Canada has rich sources of raw materials – uranium, zinc, sulfur, paper for newspapers, nickel, aluminium, natural gas etc. Agricultural crops are e. g. wheat, fruit, fish etc.