Canada is a North American nation with a surface area similar to that of Europe (approximately 10 million square kilometers). It is the second-largest nation in the world in terms of its surface area, falling second only to Russia. The nation's name comes from the Iroquis word kanata, meaning "village".

Canada is a federal republic and a part of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is comprised of ten provinces and two Northern Territories. 


A Canadian flag flying in the Rocky Mountains.

The provinces have large degrees of autonomy, whereas the territories are ruled exclusively by the federal government. Native Americans comprise only one percent of the nation's population.

Canada is known for its cultural diversity. This diversity can be seen in the nation's largest city, Toronto, the population of which is 40 % immigrants. Toronto has often been voted as the most diverse city in the world, as over a hundred different languages are spoken there. Most of the Canadian population comprises of the descendants of English and French settlers. During the past few decades, immigrants have arrived in Canada mostly from Asia.

Canada is a bilingual country. The majority of the population is English-speaking, but the province of Quebec is French-speaking. In Quebec, the status of the French language has been protected with legislation that limits the use of the English language in the region. 


Canada is a federal republic that consists of ten provinces and two territories.