Physical and geographical position of Canada

Physically, Canada can be divided into five parts: the Appalachian-Acadian region (southeast), the Canadian Shield, the Interior Lowlands, the Great Plains (in the center) and the Cordillera (to the west).

The lands of Canada are a complex geological structure with rocks of the most different ages. Next to the ancient Canadian Shield are the young Cordilleras.

More than half of the country is occupied by the Laurentian Plateau, which is part of the Canadian Shield. It still bears traces of recent glaciation: smooth rocks, moraines, chains of lakes. The plateau is a gently undulating plain.

This is the most unsuitable part of the country for human habitation, but it has huge reserves of minerals.

Both from the north and from the south, the Laurentian Plateau is surrounded by vast lowlands - the Interior Plains, the Laurentian Lowland, and the lowland of the Hudson Strait. They represent a typical picture of the Canadian landscape and they brought fame to Canada as a spacious country with favorable climatic and geographical conditions.

The steppes are mostly located in the south of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, which are called the steppe provinces. The Laurentian lowland is in favorable climatic conditions- temperate climate and fertile soil. Here is the economic center of the country.

The Appalachian Mountains are located in southeastern Canada. They are rich in minerals. Average Height the mountain range does not exceed 600 m. To the northwest of the Appalachian Mountains lies the Canadian Shield, consisting mainly of granites and gneisses. There are many swamps, lakes, rapids rivers. From the west and south, the Canadian Shield is bordered by a chain of lakes - from the Great Bear to the Great Lakes.

To the west of the Canadian Shield are the Great Plains. Their southern part - the Interior Lowlands - is the agricultural center of the country, 75% of all cultivated land. On the coast Pacific Ocean the Cordillera stretched for 2.5 thousand km from north to south and 750 km from west to east. In the east they are called the Rocky Mountains, in the west they are called the Coast Range. The average height of the mountains is 2-3 thousand meters above sea level.

Although most of the land is occupied by lakes and lowlands overgrown with forests, Canada also has mountain ranges, plains and even a small desert. The Great Plains, or prairies, cover Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and parts of Alberta. Now it is the main agricultural land of the country.

Western Canada is known for its Rocky Mountains, while to the east are the country's most important cities, as well as Niagara Falls. The Canadian Shield, an ancient mountainous region formed over 2.5 billion years ago, covers most of the north of the country. AT Arctic region you can find only the tundra, which breaks up to the north into islands covered with ice almost all year round.

The highest point in Canada is Mount Logan at 5,950 meters above sea level. The main natural resources are nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, silver, coal, oil, natural gas.

The land suitable for cultivation is only 5% of the territory of Canada. Another 3% of the land is used for pastures. Forests and forest plantations occupy 54% of the entire territory of Canada. The irrigated land is only 7100 sq. km.

Economic and geographical position of Canada

Remark 1

Canada occupies the northern part of the mainland North America and is the second largest state in the world.

Its southern and northwestern border by land runs with the United States. In addition to land borders, Canada has maritime borders - in the northeast it borders on Danish autonomous territory Greenland and to the east with the French islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon.

The territory of Canada is washed by three oceans - the northern coast is washed by the Arctic Ocean, from the east it is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and in the west by the Pacific Ocean.

She also has polar possessions in the Arctic zone, there are claims to part continental shelf, including North Pole.

The country itself, its land and sea neighbors are highly developed capitalist states, well endowed with natural resources.

One of important factors Canadian welfare is its efficient transportation system, which combines railways, highways and airlines.

All these modes of transport have been developed in the south of the country. The small population of the northern part is almost not provided with transport, highways there is very little.

The north and south of the country are interconnected mainly by air transport. The longest highway in Canada connects the steppe regions with the western and eastern provinces. This "main street of Canada", as it is called, has a length of 8 thousand km.

Sufficient development has sea ​​transport and river. The St. Lawrence River is the largest transport artery, and the ports located on it are mainly of the lake type.

The largest airports are located in the central region of the country, for example, Mirabel Airport.

The main population of the country is concentrated in the south of Canada and mineral resources are mined here, in addition, the south of Canada is conveniently located to the mineral resources of the Great American Lakes, in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich there are US iron ore reserves.

What distinguishes Canada from the developed capitalist countries is its own raw materials and energy base, which exceeds the needs of the economy.

Canada is not only a member but also a founding member of NATO. She has a defensive army without nuclear weapons. The country took part on the side of the Allies in the First and Second World Wars. She took part in the Korean War on the US side.

This industrial-agricultural country has a great economic potential and occupies one of the leading places among developed countries in terms of gross national product.

Remark 2

Thus, despite the fact that most of the country lies in harsh conditions, its economic and geographical position is favorable and contributes to a high economic development economy. This is explained open exit into three oceans, the presence of borders with highly developed countries, a well-developed transport system and proximity to international transport routes, which contributed to the development of the territory and the attraction of immigrants, as well as large reserves of various mineral resources that underlie the development of the economy.

Natural conditions of Canada.

The relief of Canada is mainly represented by a hilly plain, which is bounded by mountain uplifts in the west and east.

The Canadian Cordillera stretches along the Pacific coast in the west. They begin on the border with Alaska and have a height of 2000-2700 m.

The rocky mountains are divided by river valleys into two ridges located meridionally in southbound. The western slopes of these ranges are covered with coniferous forest, while the eastern slopes are rocky and bare. Individual peaks of these ranges have heights up to 4000 m.

To the west of the Rocky Mountains is a volcanic plateau.

The coastal Pacific mountains are also divided into two ridges running along the meridian. They are separated by a longitudinal valley, which is flooded in the southern part by the sea.

AT western belt there are high sections of mountains, in the south these are the coastal islands of Vancouver, Queen Charlotte, and in the northern part on the border with Alaska they end with the massifs of the mountains of St. Elijah and Logan - this is the highest point of Canada (5959 m). The mountains are covered with glaciers that cut off to the sea.

On the coast of the Atlantic Ocean of Canadian territory, the Appalachian Mountains of the United States continue.

Here, in the east of the country, there are the Notre Dame mountains on the right bank of the St. Lawrence, the Shikshok massif in the northern part of the Gaspé peninsula, the Kibkid mountains, cut through by the valley of the St. John River. The height of the mountains is not more than 700 m.

Newfoundland Island has a height of 805 m. From Lake Superior to the coast of the Arctic Ocean, a vast area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe Canadian Shield stretches - this is a low country composed of crystalline rocks. On the modern surface of this country, traces of recent glaciation are visible - “ram's foreheads”, lake basins, rapids rivers, a thin soil layer.

On the Labrador Peninsula there are bare stone hills and rocks. The height of the terrain on the southern and western coasts of Hudson Bay is no more than 200 m. The terrain rises to 500 m towards Lake Superior. The eastern part of the Labrador Peninsula is mountainous.

On the northern coast of Canada, a low-lying strip stretches along the Mackenzie River, which extends far into the interior of the mainland.

Between the Canadian Shield and the Rocky Mountains there is a plain, up to 400 m high. Lakes are located on it:

• Manitoba,
• Winnipeg,
• Winnipegosis.

On the second stage of the plain, the Coto de Missouri plateau was formed, up to 1000 m high. Closer to the southern border of the country there are wooded and cypress mountains with flat tops, whose height is 1000-1100 m.

The northern part of Canada lies within the subarctic climate zone, the rest of the territory in a temperate continental quite mild climate. For winter period temperatures fluctuate in the north from -35 degrees to +4 in the south of the Pacific coast.

In the south of the country, the average temperature in July is +21 degrees, and in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago from -4 degrees in the north to +4 degrees in the south.

Outside the Arctic Circle, the amplitude is constantly kept below zero. Each region of the country is characterized by its individual climate.

The Atlantic Ocean in the south-east of the country somewhat softens the winter and at the same time brings heavy precipitation in the form of snowfalls. Summer period it is longer here than in other areas, but it is not hot here. Atmosphere pressure changes frequently and drastically.

West of the Rocky Mountains on the Pacific coast, the climate is milder and more temperate. Winters in the west are very wet, summers are moderate in the south and cooler in the north. The Rocky Mountains prevent this climate from spreading inland.

The cold Labrador Current, which runs along the Canadian coast, contributes to the formation of the climate of the Atlantic coast.

Natural resources of Canada

A diverse tectonic structure and a large area provided a wealth of mineral resources.

The country has precious metals on its territory, iron ore, hydrocarbons, coal, asbestos, potassium salts, non-ferrous metal ores, uranium, etc.

Coal deposits are located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, in the province of Alberta, in the Appalachians, in the coastal provinces.

Iron ores occur in the Lake Superior basin and on the Labrador Peninsula. There are reserves in the Lake Huron and Athabasca region uranium ore, in the province of Quebec and British Columbia - large stocks of asbestos.

Plain territories are rich in minerals of sedimentary origin - hydrocarbons, potassium salts.

The western provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia became the main areas of oil production. The fuel and energy complex of the country is very developed.

Coal mining has grown since the second half of the 20th century. The reason was the discovery and development of deposits in the western provinces of the country. Coal is exported mainly to Japan.

The wealth of mineral resources enables Canada to be the largest supplier of minerals to the developed capitalist countries and, above all, to the USA.

About 45% of Canada's territory is occupied by forests; in terms of timber reserves, the country ranks 3rd. Large stocks of timber were the basis for the development of the timber and pulp and paper industries.

AT natural potential special place belongs to water resources, in terms of reserves of which, after Brazil and Russia, it is also in 3rd place.

The most common in Canada are infertile podzolic soils, characteristic of northern regions countries. In areas with summer precipitation, fertile chernozem soils are formed. In areas with precipitation of at least 360 mm, chestnut soils were formed. Grayish soils are common in arid areas.

Content.

Introduction.

The main object of consideration in my course work, I chose the country of Canada. The purpose of this work is to study and most complete consideration of all the geopolitical characteristics of this state.
According to the goal, the following tasks are defined.
Consider:

The geographical position of Canada;
Socio-economic development;
Canada's role in the international arena.

Why am I interested in this particular country?
In accordance with the annual statistics of the UN, for several decades Canada has been among the top five countries in the world that are considered the best in the world to live in terms of a combination of the most important criteria: general standard of living, ecology, culture and art, education, crime rate, etc. In addition :

Canada is one of the most environmentally clean countries peace;
Canada is one of the wealthiest countries in the world with a high per capita income;
Canada is one of the few countries in the world that, in accordance with its immigration policy, makes it quite easy and legal to obtain a residence permit for people who do not have close relatives in Canada, which is a good help for obtaining a second citizenship.

This information undoubtedly allows us to draw a conclusion about Canada as a state that cares about its citizens and their living conditions.
In the course of studying this country, I will try to reveal in detail all aspects of the formation, development and existence of the state, both in general and in certain segments.

Chapter I. Geopolitical position of Canada.

1.1. Description.

Area - 9976.19 thousand square meters. km.
Population -34 million people (2010).
The capital is Ottawa.
The official languages ​​are English and French.
Canada is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system, which is a bilingual and multicultural country where English and French are recognized as official languages ​​at the federal level. A technologically advanced and industrialized nation, Canada has a diversified economy based on rich natural resources and trade (particularly with the United States, with which Canada has been cooperating comprehensively since the existence of the colonies and the founding of the Confederation). one
Canada is currently a federal state consisting of 10 provinces and 3 territories. 2 The province with a predominantly French-speaking population is Quebec, the rest are predominantly English-speaking provinces, also called "English Canada" in comparison with French-speaking Quebec.

1.2. Geographic location of Canada.

Canada is a state in North America, ranks second in the world in terms of area and has a total area of 9976 thousand sq. km. It is washed by the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans, borders the United States in the south and northwest, Denmark (Greenland) in the northeast and France (St. Pierre and Miquelon) in the east (see Fig. 1). Canada's border with the United States is the longest common border in the world.
Canada occupies most of the North of North America. 75% percent of the territory is the zone of the north. Most of the country is located in the same geographical latitudes, as the CIS. The extreme south of Canada lies on the same latitude as Georgia, and the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are located at a distance of about 1000 km from the North Pole.

1.3. History reference.

The diversity of modern Canada is not only a consequence of its geographical diversity, but also the result of a complex historical path that the country has passed from the 16th to the 20th centuries. We cannot agree with the famous phrase of the former Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King: “We have too much geography and too little history…”. No, the history of this country is rich and contains many exciting pages.
Near 25 thousand years ago, the territory of Canada was inhabited by the ancestors of the Indians who moved from Asia through the land isthmus that existed then on the site of the Bering Strait, and much later - 6 thousand years ago - the Eskimos appeared in its Arctic part. The first Europeans arrived in Canada in 1000 year, at the same time there was a Norman settlement on the island of Newfoundland. It lasted a little over a year. Later 5 centuries, English, French and Portuguese fishing boats began to sail to the shores of Canada, where the sea abounds with fish. AT 1497 year italian John Cabot(1443-1498), who was in the English service, reached the island of Newfoundland. pioneer"Routes to Canada" - the Gulf and the St. Lawrence River - is considered a French navigator Jacques Cartier(1491-1557). King Francis I of France (Francois I) sent him to the New World in search of gold and a sea passage to Asia. In 1534, Jacques Cartier explored and mapped St. Lawrence Bay. A year later, he went up the St. Lawrence River on 3 ships to the Indian village of Stadakony, declared the surrounding lands to be the possessions of the French crown and called them Canada (in the Iroquois language, this simply meant "village"). Later, a lot of gold was found in Canada, and more recently, diamonds, but at that early time in Canadian history, furs turned out to be the main wealth of the country, First of all, the precious fur of the Canadian beaver.
In 1608, Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) - a French explorer of North America and the first governor of Canada - founded the oldest city of Quebec (in the language of the Iroquois Indians, the word "Quebec" means "where the river narrows"). He was the first of the Europeans to climb up the Huron River, explore their banks and make an alliance with the Indian tribe of the Hurons. AT 1663 Canada officially became a colony of France. By the end 17 century lived in Canada over three thousand French settlers.
In turn, England 1670 founded the Hudson's Bay Company and transferred to it full rights to trade in the Canadian region. AT 1745 In the same year, the British captured a French fort in Nova Scotia. So the rivalry for the territory of Canada grew into hostilities. The turning point in the course of hostilities occurred during the victory over the French troops in 1759 year in Quebec. As signed in 1763 In the year of the Paris Agreement, New France passed into the possession of the English throne.
During the American Revolutionary War, more than 50,000 Loyalists moved to Canada. After that, a clear border was established between Canada and the United States.
In the war of 1812-1814 between England and the United States, Canada became the main battlefield. As a result of England's victory, Canada remained under the rule of the English throne. AT 1867 Canada received the right to create its own government, but without leaving the British Empire. This meant that Canada received the long-awaited independence and became known as the Dominion of Canada.
During World War I, Canada sided with Great Britain. In addition, Canada became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. During World War II, Canada fought against Nazi Germany.
In the post-war period, thanks to the flow of emigrants from different countries world in Canada came the economic boom. In 1964, the Parliament of Canada approved the official flag of the country, which was first raised over the Peace Tower on February 5, 1965.
AT 1982 In the same year, Queen Elizabeth approved the constitution of Canada and constitutional authority officially passed from Great Britain to Canada.
Canada gained independence from the United Kingdom through a peace process from 1867 to 1982.

1.4. Natural conditions and resources.

natural conditions.
The territory of Canada lies in the arctic, subarctic and temperate zones. The smaller Western part of Canada is mountainous, under the softening influence of the Pacific Ocean; large, eastern - mostly flat, with a sharply continental climate, strongly influenced by the Arctic.
Natural disasters (risk): persistent, permafrost in the north is a serious obstacle to the development of the region; cyclonic storms and hurricanes, formed in the east of the Rocky Mountains as a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, the Pacific Ocean and North America, bring frequent rain and snow.
Environment - ecology problems: air pollution and acid rain severely harm lakes and forests; waste from the metal-smelting industry and coal combustion, as well as exhaust gases, adversely affect the productivity of forests and agricultural holdings; coastal ocean waters contaminated as a result of agricultural activities, industrial and human mining activities.
Relief and geological structure.
Canadian shield- a huge geological structure formed by ancient crystalline rocks. Canadian shield occupies a colossal territory - 4.6 million square meters. km from the Arctic archipelago to the Adirondacks in the USA, covering Hudson Bay from all sides. The richest deposits and huge mineral reserves of the Canadian Shield (almost the entire periodic table) are the main wealth of the country.
For every Canadian, including infants, there are 30 hectares of fields and forests, mountains and swamps. For every seven - on the lake. For each family - if not by the river, then by a large stream.
The central part of the mainland land and the adjacent areas of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are occupied by plains and plateaus. Stand out: the lowland of the Hudson Bay, which has an exceptionally flat relief; Laurentian Upland (altitude up to 1000 m) with a characteristic lacustrine-hilly relief; central plains. Western edge Canada is occupied by the Cordillera mountain system (altitude 3000-3500 m, the highest point is Mount Logan, 6050 m). In the northeast along the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and in the north of the Labrador Peninsula there is a strip of mountains 1500-2000 m high.
Climate.
Canada differs by region. In the maritime provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island), winters are not as cold and summers are not as hot due to the influence of the ocean. On the west bank countries, the climate is influenced by warm ocean currents, which cause, among other things, high humidity. In the mountainous regions, there are areas that are quite dry, despite the fact that rain and snowfall are frequent in the Selkirk Mountains. In general, winters in the country are characterized by heavy snowfalls and frosts, and summers by moderate temperatures. The climate of Canada is so diverse that peaches and grapes grow in the lower reaches of the Fraser River, while deer graze in the Mackenzie Delta. There is already a tundra. The warmest climate is along the US border, and the hottest summers are in Manitoba, in central, southern British Columbia and Ontario.
Resources.
By features natural conditions and endowment with natural resources, Canada is often compared to Russia. Canada is rich in a variety of mineral resources. Significant reserves of non-ferrous metal ores (nickel, copper, zinc, lead), iron ore, uranium, oil and natural gas, potassium salts, asbestos, coal. This contributes to the fact that Canada is the largest supplier of mineral raw materials to the industrialized countries of the world, and primarily to the United States. Canada has the richest mineral resources and ranks first in the world in the extraction of uranium, cobalt, potash salts and asbestos; second place - in the extraction of zinc ores and sulfur; third - natural gas and platinoids; fourth - copper ore and gold; fifth for lead ores and seventh for silver mining.
A significant part of Canada (about 45%) is covered with forests. By general reserves timber country ranks 3rd in the world. Of great importance are the resources of the animal world - fur-bearing animals, commercial fish (salmon, herring, halibut, cod).
A special place in the natural potential of Canada is occupied by water resources. In terms of fresh water reserves, it also has 3rd place after Russia and Brazil. The Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River are of great transport and energy importance. Natural features have led to uneven economic development of the territory.
The diversity of Canadian soils and climates explains the great variation in Canadian agriculture.

British Columbia and Ontario are known for their intensive horticulture.
In the steppes in the west of the country are large areas extensive grain crops.
Quebec is the largest producer of dairy products.
Most of Canada's potatoes are grown on Prince Edward Island.

1.5. Religion.

Canadians practice a large number of religions. According to the latest census, 77.1% of Canadians consider themselves Christians, most of them are Catholics (43.6% of Canadians). The most important Protestant church is the United Church of Canada (Calvinists); approximately 17% of Canadians do not associate themselves with any religion, and the rest of the population (6.3%) professes religions other than Christianity (most often Islam).

1.6. Culture.

Many elements of Canadian culture are very close to those of the United States of America, including film, television, clothing, housing, private transportation, consumer goods, and food. Despite this, Canada has its own unique culture.
There are many internationally renowned orchestras in Canada, such as the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and especially the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Kent Nagano.
Canadian multiculturalism
In commemoration that Canada is inhabited by peoples various origins, since the 1960s, a policy of multiculturalism, or multiculturalism, has been widespread in the country. In Canadian cities, elements from cultures around the world can be found; in many cities there are quarters with a predominance of some national minority (for example, Chinese, Italian, Portuguese quarters in Toronto and Montreal), festivals dedicated to the cultures of different countries are regularly held. The Maritime provinces preserve the Celtic folklore of the Irish and Scots. The influence of the indigenous population of Canada is also noticeable: in many places you can find huge totem poles and other works of art of the indigenous peoples.
The francophone population of Canada stands out significantly. It gives special specificity to the character of Canada; Montreal is the most important center Francophone culture in America. Many francophone artists come to Montreal from different parts of the country (Quebec, Acadia, Ontario, Manitoba, etc.), from the USA, as well as from the Caribbean region to pursue a career in literature, music, cinema, etc.
Canada's multicultural heritage is protected by Article 27 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The creation and preservation of Canada's diverse culture depends in part on federal government programs, laws, and political institutions.

1.7. political device.

To describe states, such characteristics as the form of government, form of government, political regime are used.
State regime
Canada is a federal parliamentary democratic state with a monarchical form of government. It was formed on July 1, 1867, under the British North America Act, as a federation of British colonies. The country received its statehood, but the British monarch remained the head of state. Canada did not have its own citizenship. Such a state structure was called a dominion. And only on April 17, 1982, Canada officially received a new constitution, according to which the Canadian authorities received the right to change the constitution.
Constitution
There is no single document that acts as a constitution in the country. The Constitution of Canada is understood as a series of consolidated Constitutional Acts of Canada, as well as other documents represented by written texts and oral traditions and agreements. The last major Constitutional Act of Canada is the Constitutional Act of 1982 (Canada Act), often referred to for simplicity as the Constitution of Canada. The Constitution also includes the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees to Canadians the rights and freedoms that are specified in it and cannot be violated by any level of the Government of Canada.
Amendments to the constitution can be carried out by a joint decision of the federal government and seven provinces in which at least 50% of the population lives.
federal authorities. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II. In the country, it is represented by the Governor General of Canada, who since 1947 has had all the powers to carry out all functions on behalf of the sovereign. The monarch appoints the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister of Canada for a term of 5 years. Since October 7, 1999, Adrienne Clarkson has been the Governor General.
The functions of the governor-general are largely formal. In theory, he could refuse to approve legislation passed by the Canadian Parliament, but in practice he never did so. Government decisions are submitted to the governor general for approval in the form of "recommendations", but he usually just authorizes them. He may refuse to dissolve the lower house of parliament on the advice of the prime minister if the latter's party is defeated in the election. The powers of the governor-general include the appointment of the prime minister, but in practice the leader of the party or coalition that won the majority in parliamentary elections is appointed to this post.
Legislation in Canada exercised by a Parliament of two chambers. Upper - Senate- consists of persons appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister (no more than 105 senators). They may remain in office until the age of 75. A representation rate has been established for each of Canada's provinces. In practice, the Senate stands apart from political struggle, does not oppose any government proposals, is limited to checking and studying bills and making minor changes to their text.
Lower - House of Commons- currently consists of 301 members. They are elected for a five-year term by universal direct suffrage of citizens over 18 years of age. The Government may dissolve the Chamber ahead of time. The number of members of the House of Commons is determined by the population of each province or territory.
Parliament adopts laws and legislative acts, as well as the state budget. The main legislative initiative belongs to the government. The corresponding opportunities for the opposition are significantly limited.
Executive power. Executive power is exercised by the government cabinet which makes the most important decisions collegially. The head of government is the prime minister, who is appointed by the governor general. They are the leader of the party or coalition that has the most seats in the House of Commons.
Federal ministers are chosen by the prime minister from among the deputies from his party or coalition. Formally, the appointment, removal and transfer of ministers is carried out by the governor-general at the suggestion of the prime minister. Cabinet decisions are usually taken by consensus and only rarely by majority vote. At the same time, all members of the cabinet are obliged to obey the decision and support it, or resign.
Provinces and local government. Canada is a federation of 10 provinces. It includes the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan, and three territories - Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon.
Provincial governments built on the same principle as the federal ones. Functions similar to the head of state are assigned to governors appointed by the federal government. The provincial parliaments are unicameral. Provincial governments are formed by the parties or coalitions that win the majority in provincial elections.
Many important decisions are made at meetings of representatives of the federal and provincial governments. Issues of taxation, pensions, medical care, and constitutional issues are often discussed by the heads of the federal and provincial governments. The provincial prime ministers have such power that they often prefer this position to the appointment of a federal minister.
The work of local governments carried out by provincial governments in accordance with provincial legislation. Cities have mayors and city councils elected by direct elections. Large cities are divided into municipal districts with a certain independence. Representatives of individual municipal districts are included in the central city councils, which are responsible for city planning and the maintenance of the city police. Some smaller municipal districts are administered directly by a city manager.

Chapter II. Socio-economic development of Canada.

2.1. Population.

Demographics and immigration.
The demographics of Canada show a steady increase in population every year. The population of Canada at the beginning of 2010 is 34 million people, 8 million of which are French-speaking. The 2001 census recorded 30 million people.
Most of the population growth is due to immigration. Although the main economic return from immigration comes from independent skilled immigrants.
Canada is a very diverse country from an ethnic point of view. According to the 2001 census, 34 ethnic groups live in Canada, consisting of at least 100,000 people. The largest ethnic group calls themselves "Canadians" (39.4%), as most Canadians, especially those whose ancestors arrived during the colonization, consider themselves as a Canadian ethnic group. This is followed by those who call themselves British (34.4%), French (25.7%), Germans (3.6%), Italians (2.8%), Ukrainians (1.7%), natives (Indians and Eskimos 1.5%), Chinese (1.4%), Dutch (1.4%), Poles (0.9%), Russians (0.1%).
Canada is a country of immigrants. Canada's global reputation as a highly developed, peaceful country free from ethnic strife and conflict, where you can raise children in calm environment certainly contributes to the growth of immigration into the country. New Canadians, as the newly arrived immigrants are called here, overwhelmingly settle in major cities, which is due to the situation in the labor market and existing contacts. After a while, almost everyone moves to the suburbs, encircling any North American city. Immigration makes a significant contribution to the country's economy, from government fees and application fees to the financial contribution of entrants, especially families, from the purchase of real estate and furniture to future tax revenues.
The main directions of population migration within Canada for many years have been the outflow of young people from rural areas and small towns to large cities. Despite the large area, approximately? Canada's population lives within 160 km of the US border. Toronto can certainly be called the strongest magnet for intra-Canadian migration in the east of the country. With the booming oil and gas industry and construction in Alberta and British Columbia, there is a strong trend of a mobile young population moving out of Central Canada, from the Prairies and Atlantic provinces into Western Canada.
Changed a lot in recent decades ethnic composition largest Canadian cities - Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver in the direction of increasing the weight of the population from the Middle East, China, India, Latin America and other regions of the world.
Labor resources.
AT 2004
etc.................

Canada is the second largest country in the world (10 million sq. km.), which is surpassed in size only by Russia. Canada occupies 1/12 of the earth's land and has the longest coastline equal to 3 equators. Canada is located in North America. It borders the United States to the south and northwest. land border The US is considered the longest unguarded border in the world. The “border” with Russia is the shortest, as it is simply mathematical point- The North Pole, where the borders of the polar sectors of these countries converge. In the north, Canada is washed by the Arctic Ocean. Baffin Bay and Davis Strait to the northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west.

Canada's climate varies from temperate in the south to arctic in the north.

Although most of the land is occupied by lakes and lowlands overgrown with forests, Canada also has mountain ranges, plains and even a small desert. The Great Plains, or prairies, cover Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and parts of Alberta. Now it is the main agricultural land of the country. Western Canada is known for its Rocky Mountains, while the east contains the country's most important cities, as well as Niagara Falls, the Canadian Shield, an ancient mountainous region formed over 2.5 billion years ago. years ago, covers most of the north of the country. In the arctic region, only tundra can be found, which breaks up into islands to the north, covered with ice almost all year round.

The highest point in Canada is Mount Logan at 5,950 meters above sea level.

Climate of Canada

Due to the vast extent of the country from north to south (5 thousand km) and from west to east (6.5 thousand km), the climate is very diverse. Part of the Canadian mainland and most of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago lie in the permafrost zone. The rest of the North temperate zone. In the coastal provinces, winters are not so cold. And the summer is not so hot because of the influence of the ocean. The average January temperature in the north is 35 C, in the south - 20 C, in the Atlantic - 5 C, in the Pacific - 4 C; July temperature ranges from 5 C on the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago to 22 C in the south of the country. On the western coast of the country, the climate is influenced by warm ocean currents causing, among other things, high humidity. In the mountainous regions, there are areas that are quite dry, despite the fact that rain and snowfall are frequent in the Selkirk Mountains. Precipitation decreases as you move from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to the central regions. The annual precipitation in the east is 1000-1400 mm, in the central part - 200-500 mm, in the extreme west - up to 250 mm, in the north - less than 150 mm. In winter, Canada turns into a fairy tale country, where giant mountains, impenetrable forests, endless steppes are covered with thick ice. The maximum thickness of the snow cover is up to 150 cm (Labrador Peninsula). In general, winters in the country are characterized by heavy snowfalls and frosts, and summers by moderate temperatures.

Vegetation

On the far north on the northern islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, there is a zone of arctic deserts with a rare cover of lichens and a few herbaceous species. To the south it is replaced by the tundra zone, located on southern islands Canadian Arctic Archipelago and mainland coast. Further to the south, stretching as a strip from the foothills of the Cordillera to the Atlantic coast, there is a zone of forest-tundra and pre-tundra woodlands on permafrost-taiga, for the most part rocky soils and a zone of taiga forests, which are dominated by stands of white and black spruce, American larch, Banks pine and balsam fir. In the south of the central regions, the taiga is replaced by zones of forest-steppes and steppes with characteristic park forests of aspen and the dominance of dry-steppe vegetation, such as kovyel, grama grass. In the extreme southeast, south of the taiga, there is a zone of coniferous-deciduous forests; forests have been preserved mainly in relatively inaccessible areas, like the Appalachian Uplands. Altitudinal zonality is observed in the Cordillera. In the north, the mountain-taiga forests of the valleys on the slopes are replaced by mountain-taiga light forests, turning into mountain tundra. In the south, in the interior of the mountainous regions, the valleys are occupied by mountain steppes, which are replaced higher by belts of mountain forest-steppes, park forests, and mountain coniferous forests. the Pacific slopes of the Cordillera, from foot to peak, are occupied by tall coastal forests of giant arborvitae, western gelpok, Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, giant fir, and other very productive species. The average annual growth of trees here is 10 cubic meters. m/ha, and the age-old reserve is 900-940 cubic meters/ha (against 5-6 cubic meters/ha and 500-550 cubic meters/ha in coniferous-deciduous forests and 1-3 cubic meters/ha and 100 -300 cubic meters/ha in the taiga). The total forest area of ​​Canada is over 440 million hectares (over 1/3 of the territory of Canada). Industrial scaffolding occupy 240 million hectares, concentrating in themselves a timber reserve of about 21-22 billion cubic meters. m.

Animal world of Canada

The territory of Canada belongs to the non-Arctic zoogeographical region. On the islands of the Canadian Archipelago and in the tundra zone on the mainland, reindeer, musk ox, polar bear, fox. Lemmings, polar hare, tundra partridge, snowy owl. Elk, forest deer, bison, red squirrel, northern flying squirrel, porcupine, hare, marten, bear, lynx, red fox, wolf, and beaver live in the taiga zone and partly in the forest-tundra. The coniferous-broad-leaved forests of eastern Canada are characterized by the virgin deer, tsaliti deer, marmot, hares, raccoon, gray squirrel, and red lynx. The southern treeless regions are inhabited by donkey deer, pronghorn antelope, pouched gopher rats, ground squirrels, and prairie dogs. Steppe ferret. Steppe fox, badger. Coyote.

The Cordillera is dominated by specific high-altitude animal species: mountain goat, mountain sheep, grizzly bear, cougar. Rivers and lakes. The coastal waters are also rich in fish. AT Atlantic waters cod, herring, haddock, flounder, crabs have the greatest commercial value; in the Pacific waters, mainly salmon are caught: sockeye salmon. Pink salmon, etc. In the lakes, the main commercial fish are whitefish and lake trout. Insects and reptiles in Canada are not different at all and they are found only in the south. Canada has a large number of nature reserves and national parks. They occupy an area equal to 730,000 sq. km. The most famous are: Wood Buffalo National Park, which houses the largest herd of bison; national parks Kootene, Tlassie and Yoho, famous for their glaciers and waterfalls; Jasper National Park - Glaciers, lakes. Hot springs, among animals - bears, mountain goats and elks; the oldest national park in Canada, which is a mountain resort with hot springs - Bauff Park; Elk Island National Park elk island) - a large number of beautiful forest lakes. Animals include moose and bison.

Water resources

The area of ​​the country is 9.970.610 sq. km, of which 755.180 sq. km is occupied by freshwater lakes and rivers. The rivers are fed mainly by snow and rain, on the plains - by a high spring rein. Summer floods in the Cordillera. The duration of freeze-up is from 3 months in the south, up to 9 months in the north. Canada has more lakes than any other country in the world. In addition to the Great Lakes, partly located in Canada, there are 31 more large lake. The most famous are the Great Bear, Great Slave, Lakes Winnipeg, Athabasca, Manitoba, Nipigan, Mistasini. The largest rivers in Canada are the St. Lawrence, St. John, Saskatchewan, the Mackenzie River, along with the Slave, largest river Canada, which flows into the Pacific Ocean - the Fraser River.

Relief

The central part of the mainland land and the adjacent land of the Canadian Aurktic Archipelago is occupied by plains that are located no higher than 200 m above sea level, i.e. plateau lowlands, i.e. plains lying relatively high above sea level and separated from neighboring areas by steep slopes. Stand out: the lowland of the Hudson Bay, which has an exceptionally flat relief; Lavreptian upland, its height reaches up to 1000 m and has a characteristic lacustrine-hilly relief; central plains(the Mackenzie River Lowland, the Manitoba Lowland, the Alberta and Saskatchewan Plains, the site. Enclosed between Lakes Erie, Huron and Ontario, the so-called "Ontario Peninsula", and the lowland of the St. Lawrence River Valley), whose topography is dominated by glacial-accumulative forms; foothill plateau. The Great Plains, whose height is from 500 to 1500 m, as well as with characteristic erosional dissection and forms of glacial accumulation. The western edge of Canada is occupied by the Cordillera mountain system. The height of the Cordillera is 3000 - 3500m, the highest mountain Logan with a height of 6050 m. mountain system includes Mount St. Epias (5483 m), Mount Lucania (5226 m), Mount King Peak (5173 m), in the northeast along the coast of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and in the north of the Labrador Peninsula - a strip of mountains 1500-2000 m high . in the extreme southeast, the region of the Appalachian Uplands with a low-mountain relief. The Appalachians are located in eastern North America. They lie in the territory of Canada and the USA. They form a strip of ridges, valleys, plateaus and plateaus, 300-500 km wide. They stretch from the southwest to the northeast from 33 degrees north latitude. up to 49 degrees N at 2600 km. The Appalachians are divided into northern and southern. The northern Appalachians border in the northwest along a large fault (Logan Line) with the Canadian Shield.

Canada can be divided into 7 well-defined physiographic regions:

1. Arctic mountains

Most of Elslier Island and the northeast coast of Baffin Island is occupied by a series of high mountains and steep slopes. This region is high-latitude and extremely cold. Surface forged permafrost, in most of the territory - ice sheets, reminiscent of the conditions that prevailed in much of North America during the Pleistocene period.

2. Laurentian (Canadian) shield

The territory of this region is limited by outcrops of ancient crystalline bedrocks. Local landforms are the legacy of the Pleistocene. As massive ice sheets were absent to the north, they cleared and smoothed the surface. Within this area are thousands of lakes reminiscent of the last ice age in North America. In the center of the district is Hudson Bay. The entire region, which is shaped like a circle, covers half of Canada. southern part This area extends beyond Canada and extends into the northern regions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and New York.

3 Appalachian Mountains

The Maritime Provinces and the insular part of Newfoundland represent the northernmost edge of the Appalachian system, which begins in Alabami and passes through eastern part USA and Canada. This mountainous area of ​​ancient rocks is also the first area with permanent settlements of Europeans.

4. Interior Plains

Bordering the Canadian Shield to the west, this region of plains and canopy-undulating relief extends from the United States into the steppe provinces and continues in the northwest to the Pacific coast. Together, the Canadian Shield and the Interior Plains are an area of ​​low relief that covers approximately 60% of Canada and the United States.

5. Rocky Mountains

The Rocky Mountains rise abruptly to impressive heights along the western edge interior plains. In clear contrast to the gently undulating plains, the Rocky Mountains have peaks often exceeding 3,000 meters.

6. Intermountain regions

To the west is a relatively narrow corridor of plateaus and valleys that separates the Rocky Mountains from the mountain ranges along the Pacific coast. This area, extremely complex in geological terms, is a labyrinth of plateaus, low ridges and valleys.

7. Pacific mountain system

The western edge of the continent is a mountain wall stretching from Alaska through the Yukon Territory and British Columbia to the Sierra Nevada in Southern California.

The climatic regions of Canada are very similar to those of the Russian Federation. In the north, the tundra region extends from the Canadian archipelago through the Ungava Peninsula east of Hudson Bay and ends on the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland. South of the tundra extends a vast region of subarctic climate, running from the Yukon and the Northwest Territories east across the country to Hudson Bay and continuing into the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

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Canada is an independent state in North America, its area is 9.98 million square kilometers, which is 8.62% of the total earth's surface and second place in the world after Russia. The form of government in the country is a constitutional monarchy with a functioning parliament, the head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who is the monarch of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Canada is a country with two official languages- French and English, its capital is the city of Ottawa, the largest cities are Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary. The population as of 2016 is 36 million people, average density small - 3.5 people per square. kilometer (one of the lowest in the world).

Geographic characteristics

Canada occupies more than 40% of the North American continent, more than 75% of its territory is located in the northern part of the continent. Canada occupies a huge area of ​​almost 10 million km 2 between the USA, Alaska, the Arctic Ocean and the island of Greenland. It is washed by the waters of three oceans: the Arctic in the north, the Atlantic in the west and the Pacific in the east. The south and northwest of the country has borders with the United States ( southern border with the United States - the longest border between countries in the world), the northeast by sea borders with Denmark (Greenland), the eastern regions - with the islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon belonging to France.

Nature

Mountains and plains

The relief of the country is complex and diverse, most of the territory is occupied by hilly plains, which in the western part, along the Pacific coast, are limited by the Cordillera (here is the highest point of Canada - Mount Logan, 5956 m high), in the eastern part (the coast of the Atlantic Ocean) - northern spurs of the low mountains of the Appalachians, located in the United States. To the east of the Rocky Mountains, which are part of the Pacific Cordillera, are the Canadian Prairies (part of the Great Plains), these are foothill plateaus stretching from north to south for more than 3.6 thousand kilometers. In the northern part of the country, starting from the St. Lawrence River and Lake Superior, there is the Canadian crystalline shield, which stretches to the very Arctic Ocean, it is composed of such hard crystalline rocks as granite, gneiss, slate ...

Rivers and lakes

Canada has a dense, well-developed river network. Canadian rivers are of considerable length and are full-flowing, they belong to the basins of three oceans: the Arctic (most), the Pacific and the Atlantic. The most significant rivers of Canada are the St. Lawrence River and its numerous tributaries (Ottawa, Saginay, San Maurice), Niagara, Fraser, Mackenzie, Nelson, Saskatchewan.

Canada is one of the world's leading countries in terms of the number of lakes, there are about 4 million of them. The largest of them: five Great Lakes (Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie, Ontario) partially located on the territory of Canada, as well as such lakes in the north-west of the country as the Great Bear Lake, the Great Slave Lake, Winnipeg, Athabasca, Manitoba, etc. ...

Oceans and seas surrounding Canada

Canada is surrounded by oceans on three sides: the Pacific in the west, the Atlantic in the east, and the Arctic Ocean in the north. As a result, it has a long coastline that creates favorable conditions for creating trade relations with other countries. The largest Canadian ports are the cities of Vancouver and Montreal...

Forests

The territory of Canada is almost half covered with forests, the average forest cover is 45%. The taiga zone stretches from northwest to southeast to the coast of the Atlantic Ocean at a distance of about 5 thousand kilometers. More than 150 species of trees grow here, of which 30 are coniferous species, which have an important economic importance(pine, spruce, fir, larch) and 119 species of deciduous trees, of which 7 species of hardwood trees are used on the farm. In the Atlantic provinces of Quebec and Ontario, a zone of deciduous and mixed forests begins. Here, along with numerous coniferous tree species, a large number of different types of oak (red, white, northern), maple (sugar, red, silver), ash and linden grow. Red-yellow shade autumn leaves maple gives Canadian forests a unique uniqueness and special charm, and maple syrup as an excellent sugar substitute is widely known throughout the world, for these and other merits, a maple leaf is even put on the flag of the Canadian state ...

Plants and animals of Canada

The far north of the country lies in the zone arctic desert, to the south of it extends the zone of tundra and forest-tundra. Here the vegetation is very poor and is represented by mosses, lichens, dwarf trees and shrubs. The taiga zone is dominated by coniferous trees: black and white spruce, pine, larch, arborvitae, Douglas and Sitka firs, red and Alaskan cedars grow on the Pacific coast, balsam firs, black and red firs, American larches grow on the Atlantic coast. To the south of the taiga there is a zone of mixed and broad-leaved forests, which are characterized by the growth of birches, lindens, maples, poplars, and oaks. In the west of the country, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, the Canadian Prairies lie in the steppe zone, there are many agricultural lands from wild vegetation, wormwood, feather grass, and various steppe forbs.

The animal world of Canada is rich and diverse; bears, reindeer, musk musk oxen, tundra wolves, polar hares, arctic foxes, lemmings live in the tundra. The Canadian taiga is a habitat for lynx, cougar, wolverine, grizzly bear, elk, caribou and wapiti, martens, and beavers. Bighorn sheep and bighorn goats live in mountainous regions, in reserves and national parks the number of bison has been preserved, there are many different rodents in the steppes, colonies of various bird species are numerous on the lakes, fresh and sea water bodies are rich in fish ...

Climate of Canada

The Canadian temperate climate, within which most of the country lies, is characterized by severe, Cold winter with large quantity precipitation in the form of snow and cool summers. The average January temperature ranges from -35 0 C in the northern regions, influenced by the subarctic climate zone and the cold masses of the Arctic Ocean, to +4 0 C in the south of the Pacific coast. In July, sharp fluctuations in temperature within the country are also noticeable: from -4 0, +4 0 С in the north, to +21 0, +22 0 С in the south. In the north, an insignificant amount of precipitation (100 mm) falls, much more east coast Atlantic (1200 mm) and Pacific west coast(1500 mm)...

Resources

Natural resources of Canada

Canada has a rich and diverse mineral resource base, it is rich in ores of non-ferrous and precious metals, iron ore, large reserves of oil and natural gas are located here, coal is mined, potash salts, asbestos, raw materials for the production of building materials...

Industry and Agriculture Canada

In terms of GDP, the Canadian economy ranks 14th in the world, the leading sectors of Canadian industrial production are mining and fuel and energy, non-ferrous metallurgy, chemistry and petrochemistry, oil refining, automotive and precision engineering, forestry and wood processing industries.

For Agriculture Canada is characterized by a high level of intensification, its structure is dominated by animal husbandry: reindeer breeding ( northern regions), pig breeding, dairy cattle breeding and poultry farming (southeast), beef cattle breeding in the steppe, sheep breeding in the western mountainous regions. Canada is one of the largest grain exporters in the world, wheat is mainly grown on the flat southern lands...

culture

Peoples of Canada

The culture of Canada is multifaceted and diverse due to the fact that its population has a motley ethnic composition, here almost every 6th inhabitant of the country comes from another state. Canada is a country with two official languages: English and French, the third, most common language is Chinese, 850 thousand Chinese live here (4% of the population). The French population of Canada is about 6 million people (23% of the total population), they live mainly in the provinces of Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick, the English-speaking population (23 million people, 75% of the population) live in nine Canadian provinces, as well as in Yukon and the Northwest Territories...

In this country, the development of a policy of not only bilingualism, but also multiculturalism is welcomed. In summer and spring, festive festivals of various peoples inhabiting Canada are held in large cities: Scots, Irish, French, Filipinos, Japanese, Chinese, etc. On city streets, you can meet the influence of the culture of the ancient Eskimo and Indian tribes that once lived in Canada: these are totem poles painted with ancient ritual signs, other art objects of Indian and Eskimo cultures.