The Parliament of Canada (in French: le Parlement du Canada) is on the Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. The future of the country is decided in this building.
The CANADIAN PART of the Niagara Falls in width about 800 m and height 48 m through which passes about 90 % of a drain of the river of Niagara.
Aboriginal people (they call them First Nations) lived on the territory of Canada at least 10,000 years ago. At 1000, Vikings settled for a short time at L'Anse aux Meadows. The French settled the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Canada regions in the 16th and 17th centuries.
France surrendered to Britain nearly all of New France, including Acadia and what comprises present-day Quebec and Ontario in the Treaty of Paris of 1763. Britain established the colonies of Nova Scotia, Lower Canada, and Upper Canada. New colonies were soon formed.
During and after the American Revolution, many British Loyalists left the Thirteen Colonies to settle in Canada. Other settlers during this time came from Europe, in particular the British Isles.
On July 1, 1867 three colonies - Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick received from Britain constitution. This may the Dominion of Canada was formed. It consisted of the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec (formerly Canada East), and Ontario (formerly Canada West).
Other British colonies and territories soon joined Canada: by 1880, Canada included all of its present area except for Newfoundland and Labrador, which joined in 1949.
In the second half of the 20th century, some there were citizens of the mainly French-speaking province of Quebec demanded independence there were two referendums in 1980 and 1995. In the 1980 referendum the vote against independence was 60%; in the 1995 Quebec referendum the vote against independence was 50.6%.Many think that in future there must take place another referendum.
Official languages
Capital
Largest city
Political system
Confederation with parliamentary democracy
Population
- July 2005 est.
- Density
Ranked 35th
32,805,041
4/kmІ ( 222nd)
GDP (2004)
- Total (PPP)
- Total
- GDP/head (PPP)
- GDP/head
$1.056 trillion (11th)
$0.834 trillion (9th)
$32,463 (6th)
$29,900 (18th)
Canadian dollar ($)
UTC −3.5 to −8
Canada is the second-largest country in the world (9 970 610 km2.) which is surpassed in the sizes only by Russia. Canada is located on the north from the USA, between Atlantic and Silent oceans. From the West on the east it reaches 7700 km, and from the north on the south - 4600 km. Almost 90 % of all population of Canada live within the limits of 160 km from border from the USA.
Canada is divided into ten provinces and three territories, each of which has own capital (in brackets): Albert, British Columbia, Island Prins-Eduard, Manitoba, Fredericton, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, New Land, North-West territories and Yukon.
Canada borders in the south and in the West on the USA. Extent of borders (including Alaska) - 8893 km Extent of sea coast - 243 791 km.
The highest point of Canada is Mount Logan in height in 5950 m above sea level.
Canada Day is Canada's national holiday. It is celebrated on July 1.Since 1958 the government establishes annual ritual of carrying out of national day of Canada. At festival it is possible to look multinational and professional concerts on the Parliamentary Hill, including the television show broadcast all over the country and with addition of fireworks in 15 basic cities on all country.
Some norms of behavior of Canadians can seem to you more conservative in comparison with to what you have got used in the country, others on the contrary more liberal. Probably, it will be interesting to you to learn, some of the accepted rules of behavior in Canada to not collide with misunderstanding and censure from Canadians and to facilitate to itself arrangement in the new country.
All by turns - at Canadians it is not accepted to be pushed in turn and to try to make the way without turn. All turns in Canada are under construction by a principle " Who the first has come, that and is served by the first ".
On a visit do not smoke - the most part of Canadians do not smoke. If you pay a visit someone before smoking it is necessary to ask permission of the owners. If owners do not smoke, you, most likely, will be suggested smoking in the street.
Punctuality, first of all - you should come always in time for work, on a meeting, to school. Those who often is late, can discharge from office or exclude from school. The majority of Canadians more than 10 or 15 minutes of the one who is late for a business meeting will not wait. If you are invited to action, it is meant, that you will arrive, a maximum during half an hour from appointed time of a meeting.
The valid attitude to an environment - Canadians are respectful to an environment and wait from you for the same. They hope that you will not throw out dust under legs or from a window of your car.
The tender is not pertinent - in Canada it is not accepted to bargain in occasion of the price, however there are exceptions. For example, almost each Canadian will try to agree about the best price, doing very dear purchase (the house, the machine, furniture).
At the Canadian city of Quebec which towers, similarly to the lock, on coast of the river Sacred Laurent, - colorful and long history. Three main resorts, hundreds kilometers of high-speed lines and miles of descents for snowboarding surround this monumental city. Mont-Saint-Anne and Stoneham as a magnet draw inhabitants and visitors of Quebec, offering excellent lines and amazing descents. Le Massif, located approximately in an hour of driving from Quebec, is unique mountain with descents which come to an end directly in the river chained by an ice Sacred Laurent. Except for skis and a snowboard, in city there is still a set of interesting employment and sights. The oldest business street of Northern America runs by ancient stone buildings and comes to an end at the river. Along narrow streets Old Quebec majestic houses in which hundreds restaurants and hotels now are located rise.
Transport: Canada is a huge country. The best type of transport between the basic cities of the country - aircraft. The airports are in all large and average cities. On long-distance bus lines two companies "Greyhound" and "Voyageur" compete. To hitchhike on highway is not recommended. In provinces of Ontario and Quebec special agencies which connect passengers with drivers. It is cheap enough service there are.
The 36-storeyed hotel, one of the most magnificent in Montreal, is located in the center of a business centre of city, connected to underground City and Molson Center. The hotel is in 1 km. From historical quarters Old Montreal and Mount Royal Park, in 3 km from Montreal Casino. Beside 611 rooms of hotels there is a desktop, a color cable television, phone, a minibar, a hair drier, an iron and an ironing table, round-the-clock room-service. In hotel to services of visitors restaurants, a bar, the closed pool, a sauna, a jacuzzi, beauty saloon, business center, gift shop, laundry, dry-cleaner.