Canada: An OverviewThe name 'Canada' originates from 'kanata', an Iroquois word meaning 'settlement' or 'village'. Explorer Jacques Cartier misused this word to describe a considerably larger place than its initial designation. On confederation in 1867, Canada was adopted as the legal name for the new country.
Canada is a federal state governed as a parliamentary democracy, though it still has Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. The country is officially bilingual, being made up largely of English-speaking provinces plus the French-speaking province of Quebec. English and French are the first languages of 60% and 23% of the population respectively. Several aboriginal languages have official status in the Northwest Territories, while Inuktitut (Inuit) is the majority language in Nunavut.
Coordinates: 50°27N 104°36W
Capital: Ottawa
Capital Coordinates: 45°24'N 75°40'W
Other Main Cities: Toronto, Quebec City, Vancouver
Population: 35158300
Area: 9984670
Official Language(s): Canadian English, Canadian French
Ethnic Group(s): 76.7% White, 14.2% Asian, 4.3% Aboriginal, 2.9% Black, 1.2% Latin America, 0.5% Multiracial, 0.3% Other
Demonym: Canadian
Currency: Canadian Dollar, CAD, $
GDP: $1.825 trillion
Time Zone: (UTC-3.5 to -8), Summer (DST) (UTC-2.5 to -7)
International Dialling Code: 1
Internet TLD: .ca
ISO: CA
Electricity Voltage: 120 Volts AC (60HZ)
