Canada's position in relation to. General characteristics of Canada

Canada is the second largest country in the world after Russian Federation. The northern outskirts of the country are beyond the Arctic Circle, in the south it borders on the United States. The majority of the population of Canada lives in the southern regions of the state, as there climatic conditions are more convenient for life. In the northern regions, the population density is quite low.

Basic information about Canada

The political system of the state is a constitutional monarchy. Nominally, the country is ruled by the Queen of Great Britain, in fact, by the Canadian Parliament headed by the Prime Minister. Officially, the state did not declare its full independence, just like Australia. The area of the country is 9984 thousand square meters. km. The population of Canada is 34 million people. The state capital is Ottawa. Canada is a federal country made up of ten provinces and three territories. There are two official languages: English and French. Canada's economy is diversified, based on the trade in natural resources.

Geographical position

Canada is the only country in the world whose shores are washed by three oceans - the Pacific, the Atlantic, and the Arctic. For this reason, it has a very long coastline. In the south, the state borders on the United States, and in the north it deepens beyond the Arctic Circle. The highest point in the country is the city of Logan, located in northwestern Canada at an altitude of 5961 m.

The rocky Pacific coast is indented by fjords and fenced off from the main territory by the St. Elias mountain range, the Beregovoy and Boundari ridges. Prairie stretches from the southern borders to the Atlantic. On the coast Atlantic Ocean there are hills and vast plains. The Hudson Bay region and the entire polar territory of the country are represented great plains, on which there are several thousand swampy rivers and lakes.

Climate of Canada

The climate in the country is mostly temperate and subarctic. The average temperature in January ranges from minus 35 degrees in the northern regions of Canada to +4 on the Pacific coast, which is located in the south. July average temperature in southern regions is +21, and in the north +1 degree. In Canada, annual rainfall ranges from 150 mm in the north to 2500 mm in the south.

The climate of the country is quite diverse, and this is due to large area countries. In a huge part of Canada, the climate is continental, in the extreme west and east it is maritime, and in the south it is subtropical. In most of the country, 4 seasons are clearly expressed: winter, spring, summer, autumn. Climatic conditions and temperatures vary in many regions depending on the seasons. In winter it is quite cold, and in summer it is very hot. In Canada, the temperature is officially measured in Celsius, unlike the same United States, where the Fahrenheit scale is used.

Population of the country

Canada's population density is quite low. The country is characterized by uneven distribution. In the vast territory of the northern regions, the density is no more than one person per 5-10 square meters. km. The main population of Canada (more than 90%) lives on a small strip that runs along the border with the States. This area, with its temperate climate, is more convenient for normal life.

The total population of Canada is a little over 30 million. The bulk are the descendants of European settlers: Anglo-Saxons, Germans, French-Canadians, Italians, Dutch, Ukrainians, etc. The indigenous people of the country - Indians and Eskimos - during the period of colonization were forced out to the northern regions. AT this moment their total number is just over 200 thousand and continues to gradually decrease.

The main population of Canada is represented by Anglo-Canadians and French-Canadians. This is due to the fact that it was England and France who fought among themselves for the colonization of this country. The rest of the nationalities inhabiting Canada are quite small.

Religion and linguistic features

More than 80% is the Christian population of Canada. Of these, 45% are Catholics, 11.5% are parishioners of the United Church of Canada, 1% are Orthodox, and 8.1% are adherents of the Anglican and other Protestant churches. Slightly more than 10% of Canadians profess Baptism, Adventism, Lutheranism and other Christian denominations. Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus - all together occupy 4% of the total population. The unbelieving population of Canada is 12.5%.

The country has adopted the concept of bilingualism. Government publications are printed in English and French. The latter is most common in the province of Quebec. At the moment, the total proportion of residents of French origin is approximately 27% of the total population, British - 40%. The remaining 33% is a group that includes residents of mixed origin: Anglo-French and a mixture of speakers of these languages with the indigenous population, as well as people of other European nationalities. Recently, many Asians and Hispanics have moved to Canada.

Economic and geographical characteristics of the countries of North America on the example of Canada

1.1 Geographic location of Canada

Canada See Appendix 1 is the second largest country in the world (10 million sq. km.), 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, the US land border being considered the longest unguarded border in the world. The "border" with Russia is the shortest, as it is just a 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. To the northeast by Baffin Bay and Davis Strait, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the west by the Pacific Ocean.

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.

Physical and geographical position of Canada:

In physical and geographical terms, Canada is divided into five main parts: the Appalachian-Acadian region (southeast of the country), the Canadian Shield, the Interior Lowlands, the Great Plains (in the center) and the Cordillera (in the west). The territory of the country is a complex geological structure, where there are rocks of various ages. Next to the oldest geological formation, which is the Canadian Shield, there are young mountains - the Cordillera.

More than half of the country's territory is occupied by the Laurentian Plateau, which is part of the Canadian Shield. This is the oldest part of Canadian land, covered by a glacier in the recent past and still bearing traces of glaciation: smoothed rocks, moraines, chains of lakes. The plateau is a gently undulating plain. This is the most severe and uninhabited part of the country, but with huge reserves of minerals.

From the north and south, the plateau is surrounded by large lowlands - the Interior Plains, the Laurentian Lowland and the lowlands of the Hudson Strait, which represent a characteristic picture of the Canadian landscape and brought Canada the glory of a country of boundless expanses with favorable natural conditions.

In spring, the boundless expanse of the steppes is covered with a green carpet, in summer - golden, and in winter - a white blanket. Such steppes are mainly located in the southern parts of the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, which is why these provinces are called steppe. The Laurentian lowland is located in the most favorable climatic conditions - a temperate climate and fertile soils. That is why the main economic region of the country is located here.

In the southeast of the country lie the Appalachian Mountains, an ancient mountain system rich in minerals like our Urals. Average Height they do not exceed 600 m. The Appalachians are covered dense forests. To the northwest of the Appalachians is the Canadian Shield, which consists of granites and gneisses. There are many swamps, lakes, rapids rivers. From the west and south, the shield is bordered by a chain of lakes - from the Great Bear Lake to the Great Lakes. The Canadian Shield Region is a harsh and sparsely populated part of the country.

West of the Canadian Shield are the Great Plains. Their southern part - the Interior Lowlands - is the breadbasket of Canada (75% of the country's cultivated land). In the western part of Canada on the Pacific coast is one of the greatest and most beautiful mountain systems in the world - the Cordillera, stretching for 2.5 thousand km from north to south and 750 km from west to east. Within Canada, they are subdivided into the Rocky Mountains (in the east), the Coast Range (in the west), and the plateau that lies between them. The height of the mountains is 2000-3000 m above sea level. These relatively young mountains are also rich in minerals, most of which are exploited.

Economic and geographical position of Canada:

Canada occupies most of the North North America. 75% of the territory is the zone of the north. Canada has a common land border with the United States in the south and northwest (between Alaska and Yukon) and stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Arctic Ocean in the north. It also shares maritime borders with France (Saint Pierre and Miquelon) and Denmark (Greenland). Since 1925 Canada has owned part of the Arctic between 60? h.d. and 141? z.d., however, these possessions are not generally recognized.

The USA is a developed state. It ranks fourth in the world in terms of territory. The United States borders in the south with Mexico, and also has a maritime border with Russia. The US has the largest economy in the world. Many natural resources, including energy and raw materials. High-tech production. Developed scientific research. The service sector is well developed and the industry is competitive.

The country's transport system includes more than 1.1 million kilometers of roads, ten major international and about three hundred regional and local airports, 72,093 kilometers of railways and more than 300 commercial seaports providing access to the waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic oceans. , bodies of water Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. In 2005, the country's transport sector revenue accounted for 4.2% of Canada's GDP, up 0.5% from oil and natural gas revenues.

Canada can be divided into 7 physiographic regions. Arctic mountains. Most of Ellesmere Island and the north east coast Baffin Island is occupied by a series of high mountains and steep slopes. This region is high latitude and extremely cold. The surface is bound by permafrost, in most of the territory - ice sheets.

Laurentian (Canadian) shield. The territory of this region is characterized by outcrops of ancient crystalline bedrocks. Local landforms - heritage ice age. As the massive ice sheets retreated northward, they cleared and smoothed the surface. There are thousands of lakes within this area, with Hudson Bay in the center. The entire region, which has the shape of a circle, covers almost half of Canada (4.6 million km). The area is extremely rich in mineral resources; deposits of almost all elements of the periodic table have been found here.

Appalachian mountains. The Maritime Provinces and the insular Newfoundland represent the northernmost edge of the Appalachian system, which runs through the eastern United States into Canada. This is mountainous area ancient rocks.

Interior Plains. Bordering the Canadian Shield to the west, this region of plains and gently undulating terrain extends from the United States into the Steppe Provinces and continues northwest to the Pacific coast. The Canadian Shield and the Interior Plains are an area of low relief that covers approximately 60% of Canada and the United States.

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

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.

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

The climatic regions of Canada and Russia are very similar. 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 is a vast subarctic climate region running from the Yukon and the Northwest Territories east across the country to Hudson Bay and continuing into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In the south, this zone reaches the northern shore of Lake Superior. To the south of the subarctic belt there is an area of humid continental climate, spreading through the southern part of the Steppe provinces and through the Great Lakes region to the Maritime provinces. However, all natural areas in Canada compared to Russia (especially her European part) are shifted to the south. The point is that instead of warm Gulf Stream her eastern shores washes the cold Labrador current, and the North Pole, according to scientists, in the distant past was located on the territory of present-day Canada, where the north magnetic pole of the Earth still remains. Here in much more southern latitudes than ours - sometimes even in Montreal! - you can see the northern lights. The climate in Montreal is about the same as in Moscow, although Montreal, like the capital, Ottawa, is located at the latitude of Simferopol. And at the latitude of Moscow in eastern Canada - already the tundra. As in Russia, approximately 70% of Canada's territory is usually attributed to the region of the North.

Political and geographical position of Canada:

Canada is a federal state that occupies most of the mainland of North America and the adjacent numerous islands. Today Canada is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system, a bilingual and multicultural country where English and French and recognized as official at the federal level.

It is washed by the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans, borders on the USA in the south and in the northwest, with Denmark (Greenland) and France (Saint Pierre and Miquelon) in the northeast. Canada's border with the United States is the longest common border in the world. Capital of Canada Ottawa.

Over the past 60 years, Canada has emerged as an advocate for diversity, working to address international conflicts in cooperation with other countries.

As a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Canada has a non-nuclear defensive military. There are currently 62,000 permanent military personnel in service and 26,000 personnel in reserve. The Canadian Armed Forces is made up of infantry, navy and air force. Most of the armament includes 1,500 infantry fighting vehicles, 34 warships and 861 aircraft.

Canada participated in the First and Second World Wars on the side of the Allies. She also participated in the Korean War on the side of the United States. Canada has been active in international missions under UN and NATO command since 1950, including peacekeeping operations, various missions in former Yugoslavia, and supported Coalition forces in the 1st Gulf War. Since 2001, Canada has had a contingent in Afghanistan in partnership with the US stabilization forces and international forces NATO supported by the UN. The emergency response team was involved in three important rescue operations after the December 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia, after Hurricane Katrina in September 2005 on American coast and after the earthquake in Kashmir in October 2005.

Canada consists of ten provinces and three territories See Appendix 2. The newest administrative unit of Canada is the Nunavut Territory (created in 1999).

The provinces are states that exist under the Canadian constitution and have supreme power within their jurisdiction, independent of the federal government.

The Canadian Territories are the administrative divisions administered by the Canadian Federal Parliament, customary law granting some powers to their local administrations.

The ten modern provinces are Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan. Three territories: Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon.

Exploration by Portuguese navigators of the coast of Africa

Africa is located in the North and southern hemispheres, the equator line crosses the continent almost in the middle. The extreme northern point - Cape El Abyad is located at 37 ° 20 N. sh., extreme southern - Cape Agulhas - at 34 ° 52 S. sh.; distance between more than 72° (about 8 thousand...

Cambridge

Cambridge is a city in the UK. The county seat of Cambridgeshire. Cambridge is located 70 km north of London on the banks of the River Cam (a tributary of the River Ouse) (see map in the appendix). Its coordinates are: latitude 52o12...

Geographical location includes categories different in their inner essence: physical-geographical and economic-geographical position. The physical-geographical position is the spatial location of any area (country ...

Republic of Karelia

1.1 Mainland extent The Republic of Karelia is a constituent entity of the Russian Federation, part of the Northwestern Federal District and the Northern Economic Region...

Silinsky park as an object of physical and geographical research

To fully appreciate the Silinsky Park as an object of physical and geographical research, it is necessary to analyze it from the point of view of geology, soil science, hydrology and climatology. Silinsky forest park zone ...

USA

The United States of America is a state located in the western hemisphere, mostly on the continent of North America. The USA consists of 48 states bordering each other in the "continental part" and 2 states ...

Socio-economic situation in Azerbaijan

The Republic of Azerbaijan is a state in the eastern part of Transcaucasia on the southwestern coast of the Caspian Sea. Azerbaijan lies on the border of Europe and Asia. It borders with Russia and Georgia in the north, Armenia in the west and Iran in the south...

Comparative characteristics of the Kaliningrad and Kemerovo regions

Kaliningrad region- The westernmost territory of Russia, located in the South-East Baltic. From the west, the region is washed by waters Baltic Sea and its bays - Curonian and Kaliningrad. Here, within the Baltic Spit...

Country Kenya

The Republic of Kenya is located on the East African coast indian ocean. The state borders on Ethiopia in the north, Somalia in the east, Tanzania in the southwest, Uganda in the west and South Sudan in the northwest...

Regional characteristics of Japan

Japan (self-name - Nippon) is a large state located on almost 4 thousand islands in the western part of the Pacific Ocean ...

Country description of Colombia

A country located in the northwestern part of South America. In the south it borders on Peru (border length 2,900 km) and Ecuador (590 km), in the east - on Venezuela (2,050 km) and Brazil (1,643 km), in the north - on Panama (225 km). .

Toponymy of the Braslav region

Brasla district is located in the north-west of the Vitebsk region. Its area is 2.2 thousand square meters. km. The population is 32150 people. The district borders on Sharkovshchina, Miory and Postavy districts. The center of the district is the city of Braslav, where 9.8 thousand people live...

Economic and geographical characteristics of India

India shares borders with Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The length of the Indian-Chinese border is especially great. It runs along the main Himalayan range...

Before the arrival of Europeans, Canada, like the United States, was inhabited by Indian tribes; in the Great Lakes region, these were the Hurons, Iroquois, and Algonquians. The British and French met with them, who, after the first voyages of John Cabot ...

Economic and geographical characteristics of the countries of North America on the example of Canada

The national composition of the population of Canada can be described as very complex and at the same time quite simple. See Appendix 2. It is complicated because this country is inhabited by more than 100 distinct ethnic groups ...

Send your good work in the knowledge base is simple. Use the form below

Students, graduate students, young scientists who use the knowledge base in their studies and work will be very grateful to you.

Posted at http://www.website/

1. Geographic location

2. Natural conditions

4. Tourism resources

5. Recreational resources

canada landform resource tourism

1. Geographic location

Canada is located in the north of the American continent and has total area 9976 thousand sq. km. (second largest country in the world). Capital Ottawa. It is washed by the waters of the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as a result of which it has the largest coast in the world. In the south it borders on the United States, and in the north, thanks to its polar islands, it deepens for 800 km. for the Arctic Circle.

Canada owns a number of islands - Baffin Island, Victoria, Ellesmere, Devon, Banks, Newfoundland and others. The highest point is Logan in the northwest (5951 m.).

The rocky Pacific coast of the country is indented by fjords and fenced off from the main territory by the powerful mountain range of the St. Elijah Mountains, the Beregovoy and Boundari ridges. The famous Canadian prairie stretches throughout the south of the country to the very Atlantic coast. The Atlantic regions of the country are occupied by low hilly ridges interspersed with vast plains. The polar zone and the Hudson Bay area (Hudson Bay) are huge low-lying plains, crossed by thousands of rivers and lakes, often swampy or occupied by tundra landscapes.

2. Natural conditions

The relief of Canada is very many-sided and diverse. Most of the country is rolling plain, bounded from the west and east by mountain ranges along the coast of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. In the west, along the entire Pacific coast lies the huge mountain range of the Cordilleras. The width of this mountain belt is about 600 kilometers. The Canadian Cordillera reaches a height of 2700 meters, they begin with a series of small mountain ranges in Alaska. The Rocky Mountains pass south of the Layard River basin, divided by rivers into two located ranges.

The western slopes here are covered with dense coniferous forests, and the eastern slopes are rocky and bare, the height of individual peaks exceeds 4000 meters. The northern part of the mountain of the western ridge is called Caribou, to the south it is divided into several branches (Parcell, Selkirk, Golden Mountains). West of the Rocky Mountains is the volcanic plateau of the Columbia and Fraser Rivers. The highest areas in the western belt of mountains in the south are the coastal islands of Queen Charlotte, Vancouver, and in the north - the wide massifs of the mountains of St. Elias and Logan, with a height of 5959 meters. This is the highest point in the entire relief of Canada. The slopes of the mountains are covered with powerful glaciers, smoothly descending to the sea.

Mountain ranges stretch along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, which are a continuation of the Appalachian Mountains of the United States. These include the Notre Dame Mountains, located on the right bank of the St. Lawrence River, the Kibkid Mountains, passing northeast of the Bay of Fundy, and the New Brunswick Upland. The height of the local mountains does not exceed 700 meters. The surface of Newfoundland rises to 805 meters.

To the north of Lake Superior and the St. Lawrence River to the shores of the Arctic Ocean lies a huge area of the Canadian Shield, consisting of hard crystalline rocks (granite, gneiss and shale). On the surface of the shield, traces of recent glaciation are visible, processed by ice into curly rocks, the so-called "ram's foreheads". Rapids rivers run along the Canadian Shield, there are numerous lakes, the surface is covered with a thin layer of soil.

In the relief of Canada, it is also worth noting the Labrador Peninsula, which is distinguished by bare stone hills and rocks. The height of the terrain on the southern and western coasts of Hudson Bay does not exceed 200 meters, in the east, near Lake Superior, the terrain rises to 500 meters. The low-lying strip stretches along the entire northern coast and goes deep into the mainland. To the west from the Canadian Shield to the Rocky Mountains is a plain that reaches the Mackenzie River basin. In the south of the country there are flat-topped Cypress and Wooded Mountains up to 1100 meters high.

Climate of Canada

The main factors of the Canadian climate are the scatter in latitude (from the parallel of 43 ° N to 80 ° N), the obstruction of the spread of western oceanic winds by the Rocky Mountains, the length of continental territories for relatively high latitudes, leading to strong cooling in winter, and the proximity of the Arctic Ocean, which makes summer cool. The Canadian climate is characterized by cold winters and cool to moderate and humid summers with long daylight hours. The climate and temperatures vary greatly depending on the area, so in the north the climate is polar, in the Prairies there is a large range of temperature fluctuations at different times of the year or even days, while in the west, in British Columbia, the climate is milder and more temperate, since the Arctic air does not skipped there by the Canadian Rockies. The west coast and Vancouver Island have a maritime climate, with mild and rainy winters due to the influence of the Pacific Ocean.

Average monthly winter temperatures can drop to -15°C even in the southern part of the country, although temperatures of -40°C can be expected there with strong icy winds. Average annual precipitation in the form of snow can reach several hundred centimeters (for example, in Quebec - 337 cm). In summer, real temperatures can rise to 35 ° C, and in the Canadian Prairies even up to 40 ° C.

The humidity index is often high in summer in the east of the country. In some villages on far north countries recorded temperatures up to?50 °C in winter. Temperatures in Alerta rarely reach 5°C in summer. In addition, strong icy winds can drastically drop temperatures even to 60 degrees below zero.

In most of the territory, the climate is continental (in winter, cold or very cold of the Dxx type according to the Köppen classification), in the southern part, close to American border, summer is relatively warmer and longer, in the north - shorter and cooler. Humidity is negligible on the prairie to moderate in the north and center throughout the year, with summer rainfall predominating.

According to the Köppen classification, such a summer is Dfb (moderate summer) in the south, and Dfc (cool summer) in the north. in the southeast Atlantic influence slightly softens the winter, but increases atmospheric disturbances and precipitation, which leads to heavy snowfalls, while the distribution of precipitation varies slightly in different areas: it can be distributed evenly throughout the year (Quebec) or even dominate in winter in close proximity to the ocean (Newfoundland and Nova Scotia). In the west, bags of a continental climate with a temperate and dry summer (a rare type of Dsb) are located in the mountainous regions of the Canadian Rockies, the Coast Range, the Mackenzie Mountains.

Also near the Rocky Mountains on the American border in Saskatchewan, in Saskatoon, there are bags of cold semi-desert climate (mark Bsk), protected from the westerly winds.

On the west coast - a narrow region west of the Rocky Mountains - the climate is milder and more temperate, thanks to oceanic influence. The winter there is very humid, in the south the summer is moderate (mark Cfb), in the north it is cool (mark Cfc). However, this climate does not extend deep into the continent, as the Rocky Mountains prevent it.

On the shores of the Arctic Ocean and the islands of Northern Canada with their arctic climate (ET mark according to Köppen), the highest average monthly temperature does not reach even 10 ° C, winter is about as cold as in the continental region.

Canada resources

In terms of natural conditions and deposits of natural resources, Canada is often compared with Russia. The mineral resources of Canada are very rich and diverse. Canada has significant reserves of non-ferrous metals (copper, nickel, lead, zinc), uranium, oil, iron ore, potash, asbestos, coal and natural gas. Therefore, Canada is the largest supplier of mineral raw materials to various countries of the world, and primarily to the United States. The country has very diverse climatic conditions.

Most of Canada has a harsh climate that makes it difficult to conduct business. Canada is very different in precipitation. In the steppe regions of the Great Plain, up to 250-500 millimeters of precipitation falls annually, and up to 1000-2000 millimeters falls on the coast of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. A significant part of Canada is covered with coniferous forests (about 45% of the territory). In terms of timber reserves, the country is in third place in the world. Wildlife stocks are of great importance for the country's economy - these are commercial fish (herring, halibut, cod, salmon), fur-bearing animals. A special place is occupied by its water resources. By general reserves fresh water Canada ranks third in the world after Russia and Brazil. The St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes are of great energy and transport importance. Peculiarities natural conditions led to uneven economic development and development of territories.

hydropower

Canada is rich in rivers with high water flow, which makes it possible to use hydropower. In addition, vast areas are uninhabited. This simplifies the implementation of large projects involving large reservoirs.

Between 2000 and 2002, Canada was the world's largest producer of hydropower, generating about 337 billion kilowatt-hours annually. It was followed by Brazil with 286 billion kilowatt-hours. The main producing provinces were Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador. The last three used mainly electricity from their own hydroelectric generation.

Quebec was also the largest producer of energy, about three times the size of British Columbia (the second largest hydroelectric producing province).

La Grande, Manicouagan and Churchill are the three Canadian rivers that contain the most powerful dams in the country.

In other provinces, other ways of generating electricity predominate. The province of Ontario depends on atomic energy, as well as from fossil fuels such as coal.

Timber

The Canadian timber industry produces timber. It is especially developed in British Columbia, where the humid oceanic climate is moderately influenced by the Pacific Ocean.

Minerals

Alberta and the north contain non-metallic minerals such as oil. Potassium salts are mined in the Saskatchewan Basin.

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; the third is natural gas and platinoids; the fourth, copper ore and gold; the fifth for lead ores and the seventh for silver mining.

Fresh water

Canada has significant reserves of fresh water for which the United States makes payments in the Great Lakes region. Canada's export of fresh water to the US is the subject of recurring discussions.

Agriculture

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 there are large areas of extensive grain crops.

Quebec is the largest producer of dairy products.

Most of Canada's potatoes are grown on Prince Edward Island.

and much more

Flora and fauna of Canada

Flora and fauna Much of Canada's land is tundra and taiga. Only 8% of the land is cultivated, and more than 50% of the territory is covered with forests, in which there are many valuable species of wood. Of particular value are conifers: Douglas, giant thuja, balsam fir, black and white fir. Poplar, yellow birch, oak and maple, the symbol of Canada, are characteristic of the south of the southeast of the country.

Of industrial importance is the fur-bearing animal, for which the taiga is rich. In terms of wood reserves, Canada is inferior to Russia and Brazil, and in terms of per capita, Canada is in first place in the world. Mosses, lichens, grass and flowers grow in the tundra in summer. In the forest-tundra - dwarf trees. Prairies and plains are covered with bearded vultures, sagebrush, and feather grass. The fauna of Canada is also diverse. The tundra is inhabited by reindeer, tundra wolf, white hare, polar bear, arctic fox, in the forests - a bear, a wolf, a fox, a lynx, a squirrel, a hare, a marten, a beaver, an elk, a deer, in the steppes - field mice, moles and ground squirrels. The lakes and arctic islands are home to millions of migratory birds.

In the reserves of Canada, you can find bison, which were almost completely exterminated with the arrival of European settlers on the mainland. Coastal waters are rich in fish: in the west - salmon (chinook salmon, chum salmon, pink salmon), and in the east - cod and herring. Climate The country's climate varies from arctic in the north to temperate in the south. Most of Canada has a continental climate, on the western and eastern coasts - maritime, in the south - temperate, close to subtropical. The average January temperature in the far north is 35 0 C, in the south - 20 0 C, on the east coast - 5 0 C, in the west - 4 0 C, in July - from 5 0 C in the far north to 22 0 From near the US border. Precipitation is greatest in coastal areas (up to 2,500 mm per year), and least of all in the central part of the country (200-500 mm).

In winter, all of Canada is covered with snow, and most rivers and lakes freeze.

The cold masses of air from the Arctic coast easily reach the south of the country, the cooled air mass reaches the temperate latitudes. The mountain ranges of Canada are located along the meridians and do not protect the southern part of the country from the influence of the Arctic cold. Only the southwestern and southeastern regions of the country are distinguished by a mild maritime climate. Rivers and lakes Canada is famous for its dense and full-flowing network of rivers. Canada is crossed by such mighty rivers as Mackenzie, Columbia, Niagara, St. Lawrence River and many others. Mackenzie is the longest river in the entire northern part of the mainland: its length is more than 4.5 thousand km.

Almost 2/3 of all rivers in Canada belong to the Arctic Ocean basin. Everywhere, except for the southernmost part of the country, rivers are covered with ice for a period of 5 to 9 months a year. Rivers such as the Niagara and the St. Lawrence River play important role in the Canadian economy. They serve as transport routes between Canada and the United States, as well as sources of electricity generated by hydroelectric power plants built on them.

Nature and landscape

Prime Minister W.L. Mackenzie King, complaining about the vast territory of the country, once remarked: “If there are countries in the world with a great history, then we are a country with great geography". The territory of Canada occupies 10 million square meters. km. It is in second place among all countries of the world in terms of territory, second only to Russia. Cape Pili on Lake Erie is at the same latitude as Italy, while Canada's northernmost point is 800 km from the North Pole. If you travel from Cape Spear in the east to the border with Alaska in the west, you will cover a distance of approximately 5633 km and six time zones.

Canada is famous for its harsh winters, but on the ocean coast or near the Great Lakes, the climate is milder in winter and cooler in summer. The barren land beyond the Arctic Circle is literally uninhabited, with the Canadian Shield covering at least half of the country. The vast majority of the population lives along the US border, in cities and towns. The inhabitants of the Maritime Provinces are much closer to Europe than to their fellow citizens in British Columbia.

Canadian shield

hallmark geographical map Canada are mountains that formed back in ancient period during the melting of glaciers. They occupy an area equal to approximately 5 million square meters. km. The shield is located in the form of a giant arc around Hudson Bay in the direction from northwest to northeast.

In the south, it borders the Great Lakes and reaches the outskirts of the cities of Ontario and Quebec. The long settled provinces of Canada to the east, such as southern Ontario and Manitoba, are separated from the later settled provinces to the west by this formidable barrier thousands of kilometers wide.

The rocks that make up the shield are among the most ancient on Earth. They were formed over four billion years ago and consist mainly of granite and gneiss. During the ice ages, glaciers advanced and retreated, eroding the upper soil layers to their present level, forming numerous lakes and destroying almost the entire fertile layer. At the southern end of the shield, mountain ranges have formed, such as, for example, the Laurentian Upland, the highest point of which, Mont Tremblant, reaches 968 meters in height. The elevation then gradually declines to sea level along the coast of Hudson Bay. In the east, the Torngat mountain range rises above the Labrador Sea by more than 1524 meters. To the north of the woodlands is a huge strip of tundra: a dull landscape of dwarf birches and willows, moss and lichen. In the short summer, small flowering plants bloom here. In the south, the tundra turns into taiga (arctic forest) with coniferous trees. On the large territories taiga, peat bogs are found everywhere.

Clay soils are common in some regions at the southern tip of the shield, but attempts to use these soils for agricultural purposes have not been particularly successful. The natural resources, flora and fauna of the entire region helped the indigenous peoples to survive. They, for example, traded in fur since ancient times. Some resources have come to be used by power generation companies, one of which is the large Hydro-Quebec Corporation. A large part of this area is being harvested, and trees are floated down many rivers and mountain streams.

Appalachian mountains

The northernmost regions of the Appalachian mountain range reach east of Quebec and the Maritimes, they also reach Newfoundland. Most of the Appalachians are folded mountains, eroded by the glaciers that once covered them. There are also lowlands along the river valleys and the coast.

The mountains and highlands are mostly round in shape, reaching a height of more than 1200 meters on the Gaspé peninsula. In Newfoundland, their height is approximately 762 meters, and on Cape Breton Island - only 533 meters.

The main distinguishing feature of the region is the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Previously, the path connecting the settlements distant from each other ran more by sea than by land. Until recently, the region's economy depended only on the sea and the majority of the population was fed by this. The extension of the coastal shallows, the so-called Great Newfoundland Bank, is the richest place for fishing, one of the largest in the world. The coastline is well defined here, and there are both cold and cold seas in the sea. warm currents. Although there are no cod anymore, a variety of representatives of the marine fauna are found here, among which there are some species of whales. One of the region's most important resources is onshore oil.

Atlantic region

This region is part of the Appalachian mountain range, but is most associated with Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Prince Edward Islands. Agriculture is associated with the cultivation of soils of medium fertility. There is a rich potato harvest on Prince Edward Island. The Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia is famous for its orchids.

Great Lakes

More than half of Canada's population lives in relatively favorable climatic conditions - along the coast of the Great Lakes and in the valley of the St. Lawrence River. Between Windsor, near Detroit, and the city of Quebec, for about 1,126 km to the northeast, there are quite a few mountain settlements. This includes the two most significant cities, Toronto and Montreal.

Much of the history of the country unfolded here. As cultural heritage ancient buildings (for example, in the city of Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario) and beautiful rural landscapes (for example, the Richelieu Valley in Quebec) have been preserved here.

Although winters are cold6 and summers are hot, the climate in the regions is not as severe as in the rest of the country, which allows for a varied crop. In many areas, the soils are quite fertile. They were formed due to the fact that sedimentary rocks overlie older rocks on the Canadian Shield. A variety of crops are grown here, even grapes, mostly in the Niagara region, but also in other parts of Ontario and even in southern Quebec. Pili Place on Lake Erie rich nature, the remains of the natural forest that once was here, is the northernmost part of the Caroline forests. Such southern plant species are common here, such as, for example, the tulip tree and the frame tree. The forest in Canada is well preserved. That is why Canada has chosen the maple leaf as its national symbol: tourists admire autumn leaves, and Canadians extract juice for the production of maple syrup.

interior plains

The Plains are an extension of the chain of lowlands that runs across the United States from the Rio Grande in a northerly direction. In Canada, their length is more than 2414 km. They are located between the shield and the Rocky Mountains, where the Mackenzie River flows into the Arctic Ocean. The plains include the southern fringes of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, most of Alberta, and the southwestern part of the Northwest Territories. Along the boundary of the shield plains are huge natural reservoirs of water such as Lakes Winnipeg, Athabasca, and Great Slave Lake. Arctic forests and tundra predominate in the north, while fertile soils prevail in the south. Once they were meadows, but now it is developed here. Agriculture. This is where the bulk of Canadian grain is produced. Along with prairie pastures that were ruthlessly exploited, countless bison that once grazed the plains were literally exterminated.

Initially, settlers came to the flat territories to engage in animal husbandry and grain cultivation. But the pace of economic development is now determined by oil and natural gas resources. Basically, this industry is developed in Alberta.

Cordillera in Canada

The Cordilleras are part of a 14,500 km long mountain range stretching from Tierra del Fuego to Alaska, and many small chains and mountain plateaus up to 800 km wide. They are found throughout the Yukon and most of British Columbia. And the crest of the Rocky Mountains forms the border with Alberta. Here are the most stunning scenery in Canada and the highest Mountain peaks. Until recently, many researchers tried to conquer them. The highest peak in the Canadian Rockies is Mount Robson (3954 meters). Some peaks in the Mackenzie mountain range in Yukon exceed 2500 meters, but the highest mountain in Canada and the second highest in North America is Mount Logan (6050 meters) in the northwest in the St. Elijah mountain range.

Mountains were formed as a result complex process folding, which began 70 million years ago. But glaciers have worked on the modern relief of the mountains. This process is still ongoing. The Alpine climate contributes to the most abundant snowfall in the country - up to 940 cm per year (in the Glacier National Park). In comparison, the area around the Strait of Georgia on the Pacific coast has a rather mild climate and frequent rains.

Fur traders often settled in the area, as the local area is rich in diverse fauna, preserved in some places to this day. In the alpine forests in the east and in tropical forests in the west there are brown bears and grizzlies. Once upon a time, salmon was found in reservoirs, but its number has significantly decreased in recent years. Logging remains a vital industry.

3. The history of the formation and development of Canada

1. Canada's post-war situation

Canada, which was a British dominion, took an active part in World War II on the side of the anti-Hitler coalition. She became a real arsenal of England. Over 800 thousand military personnel were produced here trucks, 50 thousand tanks, 18 thousand aircraft, 4 thousand warships. Its troops participated in the fighting on almost all fronts of the war. The war gave impetus to the economic growth of Canada: in terms of development, it came out on top among Western countries. Canada has become an industrial power. The economic recovery that began during the war years continued in the post-war years. The impetus for this was the rapid growth of the population (mainly due to emigrants), and, accordingly, the increase in the domestic market, the development of the north and the far west. In 1949, New Foundland and rich in iron ore northeastern Labrador. Large oil fields were discovered in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Strengthening economic and political position Canada has weakened traditional ties with the UK. An important step towards the elimination of the remnants of colonial dependence was the adoption in1947 of the law on Canadian citizenship and the recognition of the Canadian Supreme Court as the country's highest court of appeal. In 1952, for the first time, Canadian-born V. Messi became the governor of Canada.

Prime Ministers of Canada in the post-war period

Prime Minister	Years in office	Party affiliation
		liberal
L. Saint Laurent		liberal
D. Diefenbaker		Progressive Conservative
L. Pearson		liberal
P. E. Trudeau		liberal
		Progressive Conservative
P. E. Trudeau		liberal
B. Mulroney		Progressive Conservative
J. Chretien		liberal

2. Political and economic development in the 50-60s of the XX century.

In internal political life, the traditional rivalry between the leading political parties - liberal and conservative - continued. From 1935 to 1957, liberals were invariably in power, whose policies contributed to the economic recovery of the country (until 1948 the government was headed by Mackenzie King, and until 1957 by Louis Saint Laurent), as well as strengthening strategic relations with the United States.

The Conservatives, eager to come to power, turned to serious reform within the party. Since 1956, the party has become known as the Progressive Conservative. The party was led by an energetic politician, John Diefenbaker, who initiated a change in the party program. The new election program assumed the solution of many economic and political issues: the development of the North, the restoration of traditional ties with England and the British Commonwealth, the "Canadianization" of the economy and culture, the elimination of unemployment, and the improvement of relations between the federal authorities and the provinces. Thanks to the renewal of the program, the Conservatives won the elections in 1957 and created a government. The new government increased the amount of assistance to the disabled and the elderly, reduced taxes, provided loans to farmers for the future harvest, and carried out other social reforms. In August 1960, the "Bill of Rights of Citizens" was adopted, but most of the election promises failed to be fulfilled. In particular, the program for the development of the North, "canadization", and the elimination of unemployment has not been implemented. The position of the ruling party began to weaken.

In foreign policy, the Diefenbaker government continued its policy of strengthening Atlantic solidarity within NATO (Canada has been a member of this organization since 1949). On some issues, its representatives had a different opinion from the position of the United States. Thus, Canada refused to join the Organization of American States (OAS), did not break off diplomatic and trade relations with Cuba, and supported the demand for recognition of the PRC. In the early 1960s, a heated discussion broke out in Canadian society regarding the placement of the American nuclear weapons in the country and the presence of Canadian troops in Europe. Prime Minister Diefenbaker was vehemently opposed, but most of his cabinet ministers were in favor. This caused a government crisis, which resulted in the dissolution of parliament and the appointment of new elections. Two new political parties, the New Democratic Party and the Social Credit Party, joined the political struggle. Although the 1963 elections were won by the Liberals with 42% of the vote, it turned out that the two-party system had failed, with the Conservatives winning 32% of the vote and the new parties 25%.

The new government was formed by Lester Pearson, who was in power until 1968. Lacking a majority in Parliament, the Liberals were forced to pursue a cautious policy, bypassing sharp political corners. Among the notable actions of the Liberal government is the adoption in 1965 of a new Canadian flag with a red maple leaf on a white field and the conclusion of the Auto Pact, which united the automobile industries of Canada and the United States.

3. Problems of Quebec. The development of Canada in the 70-80s. Constitutional reform 1982

Pursuing a cautious policy, the liberals could not avoid the most acute problem of Canada - the national one. It was caused by the dissatisfaction of the French-speaking population of Canada with their economic situation, social and political status. The roots of this problem lie in the history of the formation of the Canadian state and the peculiarities of its national composition. The population of Canada is divided into Anglo-Canadians - 40%, French Canadians - 27%, who are descendants of the first settlers from England and France, and immigrants from other countries of Europe, Asia and Africa.

The majority of Canada's francophones live in the province of Quebec, where they make up 82% of the population. Therefore, the French-Canadian problem is primarily a "Quebec problem". Leading positions in the economic life of the province belong to the Anglo-Canadian and American companies. Thus, Anglo-Canadians, who make up 10% of the population here, occupy 80% of all managerial positions in industry, while among workers they account for 7%. The income of Anglo-Canadians exceeded middle level income in the province by 40%. Along with this, Quebec had the most high level unemployment in the country. An important factor that became an incentive for French Canadian separatism was the dominance of the English language: knowledge of English gave an advantage in hiring and promotion social status while ignorance of French did not entail a decline in social status. The dominance of the English language caused the new immigrants to prefer English and thereby increase the proportion of Anglo-Canadians in the province. These reasons led to a mass movement of the French-speaking population for equality. The unwillingness of governments to solve this problem led to the emergence of a movement among French Canadians for the secession of the province from Canada and the formation of an independent state. In 1968, the Quebec Party was formed, led by René Leveque. The liberals, given the seriousness of the problem, made changes in the leadership of the party (French-Canadian Pierre Elliott Trudeau became its leader) and developed a program of reforms throughout the country.

Having achieved victory in the elections in 1969, the Trudeau government passed a law through parliament that said the equal rights of English and French in all levels state apparatus and provided for the introduction of bilingualism in regions where a minority who speaks one of the official languages is at least 10% of the population.

Since 1971, the implementation of the government program began - teaching a second language in secondary and higher educational institutions. These measures somewhat changed the situation for the better, but there were no cardinal changes. Previously, the protest of the French-Canadians was caused by the government's concept of "One country - one nation." The political expression of this protest was "Law No. 22" (1974) of the Quebec Parliament, which proclaimed French the only official language of the province. The situation escalated after the Quebec Party came to power in the province in 1976 and proclaimed a plan for the gradual withdrawal of Quebec from the federation. In 1980, the Party of Quebec organized a referendum to achieve the independence of Quebec, but this idea was supported by only 40% of voters. The slogan of independence was temporarily removed, but the problem became chronic.

The Quebec problem was only a manifestation of the general crisis of the Canadian federation. A significant part of the provinces sought to limit the functions of the central government. In addition, the functions of federal and provincial governments were not clearly demarcated. The situation was aggravated by the fact that federal government did not have the constitutional ability to limit the centrifugal tendencies of the provinces, since the role of the Canadian constitution was performed by the British Parliament adopted in 1867 the British North America Act, changes and additions to which had to be approved by the British Parliament. This anachronism led the Trudeau government to appeal to London in 1980 to grant Canada full sovereignty in the constitutional realm. In March 1982, the British Parliament passed the last law regarding Canada - the Canada Act, which suspended the UK's legislative powers over this dominion. On April 17, 1982, the Canadian Parliament passed the Constitution Act. So in the 115th year of its existence, Canada lost its colonial past. The Constitution Act significantly expanded the powers of the provinces, but did not solve the problem of the status of Quebec, which retained the possibility of deepening the crisis of the federation.

In the early 1980s, the economic situation in Canada worsened, which for some time pushed the problem of federal-provincial relations aside. There was a decline in production. The government deficit was 24 billion Canadian dollars. 12% of the able-bodied population found themselves in the position of unemployed.

Economic difficulties led to the defeat of the Liberals and the coming to power in 1984 of the Progressive Conservative Party, led by Brian Mulroney. He carried out a series of reforms in the spirit of the "Conservative Revolution" and brought the country out of economic crisis. One of the main political tasks of the Conservative government was the achievement of national accord and the preservation of the unity of the state. Difficult again was the "Problem of Quebec", which refused to accede to the 1982 constitution and demanded special status. After lengthy negotiations, a draft constitutional treaty was prepared, which determined the special status of Quebec. But this time too, some English-speaking provinces refused to ratify the treaty. The problem again stalled, which raised new wave separatism. Its apogee was the referendum in November 1995 on the independence of Quebec. The separatists were once defeated: 44% voted for independence, 46% against.

Canada late XX - early XXI centuries

Since 1993, liberals have been in power in the country, led by Jean Chretien (in 2000 he was elected prime minister for the third time), who are trying to solve the national problem.

During their tenure in power, the liberals carried out a number of reforms and transformations. Yes, it was healed. financial system countries. Since 1998 financial year ends with a surplus. Additional funds are directed to various programs and debt repayment. The socio-economic programs of the Chrétien government included two programs: "Equal Opportunities Strategy" (development of education and science) and "Creation of a safe society" (expansion social programs). An important step taken by the government was tax reform: gradual reduction of taxes and stimulation of business activity. These ahead of time began to give tangible results since 1997, the reduction of unemployment began. Growth of business activity. During the reign of the liberals, there is a period of completion of the structural restructuring of the Canadian economy into science-intensive industries by reducing the primary industries (forestry, mining, agriculture, etc.). Integration processes with the United States deepened - the creation in 1994 of the NAFTA free trade zone (USA, Canada, Mexico). The integration process has achieved unprecedented results: 40% of Canada's GDP is exported, of which 80% goes to the USA. The turnover of Canadian-American trade is the largest in the world - $1 billion. dollars per day. Canada's progress in economic development is impressive: at present, in terms of the level economic development it ranks seventh, in terms of living standards, the first in the world.

Stadium in Toronto

In December 2003, there was a change of leadership in Canada: Paul Martin became the new Liberal leader and Prime Minister. Significant changes are also noticeable in the opposition camp. As a result of the unification of the Canadian Alliance and the PCP in 2004, the Conservative Party was revived and intends to challenge the Liberals in the next elections.

5. Foreign policy of the country

For a long time, the external political course of Canada was in the shadow of the United States and Great Britain.

In the 1980s, Canada stepped up its own foreign policy. She acted with the intention to play the role of a mediator in relations between the USA and the USSR and the USA with the countries of the "third world". Particularly active mediation activity was deployed in the settlement of regional conflicts. In 1986, Canada strongly advocated an end to civil war in Nicaragua, condemning the interference in it by other states, including the United States. In 1989, she provided practical assistance in holding general parliamentary elections in that country. positive role The Mulroney government played a role in the elimination of the apartheid regime in South Africa. Canada contributed to the settlement of the conflict in Cambodia. Canadian military contingents participate in UN peacekeeping activities in many hot spots of the planet.

After the collapse of the USSR, Canada welcomed the formation of new independent states and contributed to their entry into the UN. One of the first - on December 2, 1991, she recognized the independence of Ukraine and established with her diplomatic relations. In January 1999, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien visited Ukraine. The visit ended with the signing of seven-party agreements and memorandums.

4. Tourism resources

Canada is one of the world's leading countries, ranking 11th in 2003 in terms of inbound tourist flow and tourism income, and 12th in terms of spending by Canadian tourists abroad. The share of Canada in tourist arrivals and departures of the world is 2.5%, in tourist income and expenditure - 2.1%. Hereinafter, statistics and statistical calculations are given according to the official tourist and statistical websites of the World Tourism Organization (WTO), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Canada and other Asia-Pacific countries. It should be noted that in terms of a number of features of the recreational-geographical position and recreational resources, Canada should be considered as the closest analogue of Russia (northern position, access to three oceans, disproportions in the development of the country).

The share of Canada in the tourism industry of the Asia-Pacific region in tourist flows is 8.7%, in tourist foreign exchange turnover - 5.0%. The importance of Canada in the tourism system of the Asia-Pacific region has recently been declining due to the very rapid development of tourism in the Asian sector of the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, tourism in Canada was hit hard by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in the United States and the SARS epidemic in 2003. During these periods, both the entry and exit of tourists significantly decreased. If in 2000 Canadians spent $12.1 billion abroad, in 2001 - $11.6 billion, then in 2003 - $9.9 billion. from 8 to 12 in the world. In 2003 alone, Canada's world ranking of tourist arrivals fell from 8th place to 11th.

In the Asia-Pacific region, Canada has long been second only to the United States in terms of the number of foreign tourists. The rapid development of inbound tourism in China has brought it to the 5th place in the world and the second in the region. In the coming years, China will come out on top in the region, and by 2020, possibly in the world. In the coming years, Canada will give way to third place in Mexico, whose potential in inbound tourism is higher. Other Asia-Pacific countries are still significantly inferior to Canada in inbound tourism, but it should be borne in mind that the pace of development of the tourism industry in Thailand, Hong Kong and especially in Malaysia is much higher

Canada's position in Asia-Pacific's tourism revenues is more modest. The absolute leader in tourism revenue is the United States, which is twice ahead of Spain, which occupies the second line in the world ranking, and three times China. China and Hong Kong have overtaken Canada in terms of tourism revenues, and several other countries in the Asia-Pacific region should overtake it in the next decade. The main reason for the low specific gravity Canada in tourism income is associated with the short duration of trips to the country, tk. the bulk of the arrivals come from the border areas of the United States.

Although in Canada, as in other highly developed northern states outbound tourism prevails, the country's position in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of spending on tourism is even more modest. This is also due to the predominance of short trips by Canadians to the US border areas. Recall that since 2001 the expenses of Canadians abroad have decreased significantly.

Canada's tourism balance is consistently negative. It grew in the 1980s and early 1990s. reaching in 1992 - 6.4 billion can. USD (more than 5 billion US dollars). In the future, the balance improved and currently stands at -0.2 billion dollars. USA.

Canada's inbound and outbound tourism has a distinct seasonality due to the country's climatic conditions. The peak of visits to Canada falls on the warmest months of July-August, in each of these months the arrivals are more than 3 million foreigners, while in January there are only 0.7 million tourists. The seasonality of Canadians traveling abroad depends on the direction of travel. Canadians head to the northern border states of the United States mainly in the summer, during southern states(Florida, California and Hawaii) - in winter. While quantitatively summers account for a third of annual outbound traffic, Canada's winter tourism spending is 1.5 times higher due to travel distance.

The outbound flow of Canada is mainly directed to the USA - 73.9% (2001). The vast majority of Canadians go to the border states: New York (2.2 million people), Washington (1.6), Michigan (1.2). Of the 10 most popular US states among Canadians, 7 are border states. This pattern only Florida (1.6 million), California (0.9), where Canadians go mainly for seaside recreation, and Nevada (0.6), famous for its largest entertainment and gambling center Las Vegas, violated only. The length of stay of Canadians in the border areas in the United States is mainly limited to the "weekend" and averages 2-3 days. For the sake of rest on the sea they leave for a long time: Florida (21 days), Hawaii (13), California (9). As a result, Canadian tourists leave $2.1 billion in Florida alone, $0.8 billion in California, $0.6 billion in Hawaii, which is more than in any other US state.

The main destinations for the arrival of foreign tourists in Canada are the cities of Toronto (3.7 million people), Vancouver and Montreal. The fourth place in popularity among tourists belongs to two small satellite towns of St. Cantherines and Niagara and is associated with the arrival at the Niagara Falls. Niagara is the most famous and visited waterfall in the world, while the Canadian part of the waterfall is more picturesque. This resource is actively exploited by tourism, numerous hotels, entertainment enterprises have been built near the waterfall, viewing platforms, ropeways. Up to 2 million people come to see the waterfall every year. This is despite the fact that less than 1 million tourists a year arrive in the cities of Quebec, Victoria, Ottawa.

Among the tourist goals of foreign guests, there is a very high interest in nature - 21%. Almost 12% of tourists visit national parks, 2.3% of tourists come for the sake of rafting on rivers in kayaks, canoes or rafts. Fishing, outdoor recreation, sports routes, nature excursions are also popular - 6.7%. One of the main purposes of visiting the country is "sightseeing", where natural objects such as Niagara. Thus, in terms of the share of the natural component for the purposes of foreign tourism, Canada is the leader among the highly developed countries of the world. Among the purposes of arrival, "shopping" (19.7%) also stands out, which also distinguishes Canada from developed countries. This is due to short-term cross-border travel of US residents. The proportion of people who came to Canada to visit friends and relatives is also high (12.7%), which is natural for a resettling country.

Thus, Canada is a country with a highly developed tourism industry, in which the volumes of inbound and outbound tourism are in relative balance. AT recent decades Canada has been dominated by outbound tourism and is expected to retain its lead until 2020. According to the WTO, among the world leaders in outbound tourism, Canada will take the ninth place, which will amount to more than 30 million tourists or 2% of the world tourist flow. Interestingly, the tenth place in the ranking of outbound tourism with indicators close to Canada will be occupied by Russia. In inbound tourism, by 2020 it is expected that Canada will move to 15th-16th place, while Russia will take the 9th line. Russia's advantages in its recreational and geographical position (proximity to the European and East Asian tourist markets) and better provision with cultural and historical recreational resources will have an effect. At the same time, Canada's experience in the territorial organization of tourism in underdeveloped areas is very useful for Russia.

5. Recreational resources

The recreational and geographical position of Canada is determined by positive and negative factors. Among the positive ones, the following should be highlighted. First, the position in the Asia-Pacific region, the most dynamic region in the world in terms of socio-economic and tourism. The share of the western sector of the Asia-Pacific region (Eastern and Southeast Asia, Australasia and Oceania) increased from 1-3% to 17-19% of the global volumes of the main tourism indicators. The pace of tourism development in the American sector of the Asia-Pacific region is somewhat lower. Secondly, the presence in the neighborhood of such a tourist giant as the United States. The United States of America is the world leader in terms of income and expenditure in the international tourism market. Tourist weight of the country in the American sector of the Asia-Pacific region by different indicators is 60-70%. This determines the high dependence of inbound and outbound tourism in Canada on this country. Thirdly, the presence of extensive access to the seas of three oceans. Before the advent of jet aircraft and airbuses, the sea played an important role in the transport of tourists, especially in the European direction. Development marine species tourism is limited to the northern position of the country. However, the picturesqueness of the sea coasts, the presence of natural and cultural monuments on the coast is the basis for the development of cruise tourism, including in the Arctic. Fourthly, the considerable size of the country. Dimensions are not only stocks land resources, they determine the diversity of recreational resources (several natural belts, mountainous, flat and oceanic territories).

Such a factor as the uneven distribution of the population, social and transport infrastructure has both positive and negative meanings. Due to the fact that a significant part of the country's territory is underdeveloped and "wild" territories, there are excellent conditions for natural types of tourism. On the other hand, the local nature of the development of social and transport infrastructure limits the possibilities of organizing tourism activities in vast areas.

The negative factors include, first of all, the relative remoteness of Canada from the main tourist markets of the world (with the exception of the USA) - Europe (more than half of the world tourist flow) and East Asia (more than 10% of the world flow, mainly from Japan and China). Secondly, the presence of a land border with only one country (USA). The combination of these two factors limits the geography and size of tourist flows to / from Canada and determines the absolute dominance of the United States in mutual human and monetary tourist flows.

The characteristic of recreational resources is briefly and quite accurately given by the well-known phrase that "Canada has a lot of geography and little history." In the world tourism specialization, Canada is distinguished primarily by the development of natural types of tourism, both mass (visiting national parks) and elite (extreme tourism). Eco-tourism is well developed in Canada. It is no coincidence that in 2002, which was declared by UNESCO as the Year of Ecotourism, Quebec hosted the World Summit on Ecotourism, which was attended by more than 1,000 delegates from 132 countries.

The organizational centers of natural tourism are primarily national parks, the most famous are Banff, Dinosor, Glacier, Yoho, Buffalo.

6. Development of tourism and recreation

1 Cultural and national traditions

Diversity is the most characteristic feature of Canada's cultural life, which is natural for such a large country with a relatively sparse population, which is divided into numerous groups along territorial and ethnic lines. Differences first began to emerge between the two groups that Canadian historians call the natives and the first settlers; There were also some differences within each of these groups. Indigenous people - Indians and Eskimos (Inuit); the first settlers were the French, who settled in Nova Scotia and Quebec at the beginning of the 17th century, and the English (that is, the English, Scots and Irish proper), who settled later in the same century in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and on the shores of Hudson Bay.

French and British elements. Great Britain conquered New France, a French colony located on the banks of the St. Lawrence, in 1760. However, in Quebec and Acadia (part of the Maritime provinces), the French language and the differing variants of the French tradition were preserved and even developed, which was greatly facilitated by the influence of the Roman Catholic Church. The influx of English-speaking immigrants was small at first; only a quarter of a century later, after the victory American Revolution, thousands of Loyalists left their homes in the United States and settled in the colonies of Upper Canada (later Ontario) and New Brunswick. Loyalists and later settlers from the United States brought elements of American culture with them; these elements were mixed with British culture, which was carried by numerous immigrants who left England at the end Napoleonic Wars. These two sources gave rise to a distinct culture of English-speaking Canada, which is related to the American and British, but has its own characteristics.

During the classes

general characteristics

Canada is the second largest country in the world (9,970,610 sq km), surpassed in size only by Russia.

Canada is located in the north of the USA, between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. From west to east it reaches 7,700 km, and from north to south - 4,600 km. Nearly 90% of Canada's total population lives within 100 miles of the US border.

Area - 9970.6 thousand km 2 (2nd place among the states of the world)
Population - 31.3 million people. (34th)
GDP (2000) - $729 billion (11th)
GDP per capita: $23,300 (13th)
Political system: federal parliamentary state within the Commonwealth

Capital of Canada, Ottawa

The main features of the EGP

Located in the northern part of North America, has large area, in addition to the mainland, it includes numerous islands

Washed by the waters of three oceans - Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic

Borders on the USA (6 thousand km of unguarded border), polar sectors borders on Russia

Most of the territory is located in cold zones - arctic and subarctic, south - in temperate

Natural resource potential

natural conditions

Relief:

Ecological direction (numerous national parks)

Skiing and mountaineering direction (Cordillera)

Extreme direction (northern islands)

Aquatic

Dense river network, the largest rivers are Mackenzie, Nelson, St. Lawrence, many lakes

Land

Only 15% of the territory is suitable for agriculture; soils: gray forest, chernozem, chestnut

Forest

Increase in coal production ( open way) and oil

3rd in the world in terms of natural gas production

HPP - 60%, TPP - 30%, NPP - 10%

Metallurgy

Slowdown in the development of ferrous metallurgy

Export value of non-ferrous metallurgy, leading places for the production of cobalt, copper, zinc, nickel

Aluminum industry on cheap energy resources and imported bauxite

Smelting of rare earth metals

mechanical engineering

Transport (cars, planes, diesel locomotives, ships, snowmobiles) and agricultural, production of equipment for the forestry, paper, mining industries

Mining

Leading place in the world in the extraction and export of iron ore, copper, zinc, lead, nickel, molybdenum, cobalt, titanium, gold, silver, platinum, uranium, oil, gas, coal, asbestos, potassium salts and sulfur

Chemical

2nd place in the world in the production of potash fertilizers

Production of explosives, pharmaceuticals, synthetic and polymeric materials, organic chemicals

Paper

1st place in the world in the production of newsprint

2nd place in the world (after the USA) in terms of production volume

4th place in the world in the production of paper and cardboard

food

Light

Agriculture

Subjects > Geography > Geography Grade 10

The United States of America neighbors Canada to the south and northwest. About half of Canada is occupied by the Laurentian Uplands. western border which forms a line between the Great Bear Lake in the north and Forest Lake in the extreme south. Geologists call this vast area the Canadian Shield. The average height of the local landscape is about 500 m, however, after the end of the ice age, the remains of ancient folded mountains up to 1190 m high were exposed in some places. The Laurentian Upland lies in the Atlantic Ocean basin and is famous for its picturesque lacustrine-hilly relief. Hudson Bay fills the central part of the Canadian Shield. On its shores there is a lowland of the same name, which arose as a result of the uplift of the relief and the retreat of the sea after the melting of glaciers. Relatively recent tectonic processes have led to the formation of the Arctic archipelago. The outlying ranges of the American Appalachians enter the territory of Canada. They border the valley of the St. Lawrence River on the south and stick out as sharp teeth of islands near the east coast. These old mountains, dissected by steep gorges, form a system of small plateaus no more than 800 m high. rocks and geological structures suggests the presence in these parts of the rich mineral resources. The highest point of this part of the Appalachians is Jacques-Cartier (1268 m). At the junction of the Laurentian Upland and the Appalachians lies the valley of the St. Lawrence River, which is a tectonic tectonic depression.

The total length of the heavily indented coastline Canada is about 244,000 km. sea coast replete with peninsulas, bays and coastal archipelagos. In the north, huge bays go deep into the land. The largest of them, Hudson Bay, covers an area of 848,000 sq. km (together with the secondary James Bay adjacent to it). Canada's largest peninsula is Labrador (1,430,000 sq. km). Along the northern shores of the country lies the Arctic archipelago (the largest island is Baffin Island). The largest island off the east coast is Newfoundland, and in the Pacific Ocean is Vancouver.

Administrative divisions of Canada

Canada is divided into 10 provinces and 3 territories.

Population of Canada

The indigenous people of Canada are Indians and Eskimos. Most of the Indian population is scattered across taiga reserves, and a certain part of them still live off hunting and fishing. The main occupation of the Eskimos inhabiting the northern coast of Canada, Baffin Island and the Labrador Peninsula is sea fishing. The national composition and distribution of the population developed as a result of the colonization of this part of the continent by European settlers that began in the 16th century. For more than one hundred years, these lands have been the scene of fierce confrontation between the English and French colonists. If the French settled in the valley of the St. Lawrence, the British firmly settled in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and the Great Lakes region. Nevertheless, by the end of the 19th century, only a negligible part of the territory of Canada had been mastered, and only the laying of the transcontinental railroad gave impetus to the mass settlement of the prairies. In those years, Canada received several million immigrants from Western and of Eastern Europe, including immigrants from Russia and Ukraine.

Economy of Canada

About 74 million hectares are occupied by agricultural land in Canada (the average area of one farm is over 240 hectares). There are two large agricultural regions in the country. The first is located on flat plains along the shores of the Great Lakes and in the valley of the St. Lawrence River. All Canadian corn and soybeans, 90% of grapes and tobacco, as well as a good half of potatoes and vegetables are grown here. The same region supplies 50% of milk and eggs to the national market. Second in importance agricultural area- These are prairies, famous for high wheat yields and developed animal husbandry. beautiful raw material base serves as a reliable basis for the development of forestry. According to some estimates, Canada owns more than 9% of all forest land on the planet. Modern pulp and paper production is directly related to logging and woodworking. One of the oldest industries national economy is fishing. A significant part of the catch is obtained in the coastal waters of the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean, although inland waters are also of no small commercial importance. Possessing rich mineral resources, Canada ranks first in the world in the extraction of nickel and zinc ores. The country has large deposits of copper, iron, gold, lead and molybdenum, and coal is one of the leading exports. The uranium mined in the country is used as fuel for nuclear power plants. Natural gas and oil deposits are being developed.

A powerful impetus to the development of the Canadian economy was given by World War II. The military industry has grown in the country, a number of new industries have emerged, and the influx of American investments, large-scale trade between neighboring states unfolded. The deepening of US-Canadian economic integration continues today. The US is Canada's main export partner, and about 30% of Canadian businesses are owned by US companies.

Portal for the student. Self-training

Canada's position in relation to. General characteristics of Canada

Basic information about Canada

Geographical position

Climate of Canada

Population of the country

Religion and linguistic features

Economic and geographical characteristics of the countries of North America on the example of Canada

1.1 Geographic location of Canada

Send your good work in the knowledge base is simple. Use the form below

Similar Documents

During the classes

general characteristics

The main features of the EGP

Natural resource potential

natural conditions

Portal for the student. Self-training

Basic information about Canada

Geographical position

Climate of Canada

Population of the country

Religion and linguistic features

Economic and geographical characteristics of the countries of North America on the example of Canada

1.1 Geographic location of Canada

Send your good work in the knowledge base is simple. Use the form below

Similar Documents

During the classes

general characteristics

The main features of the EGP

Natural resource potential

natural conditions

RELATED ARTICLES