Aminet 6/Aminet 6 - June 1995.iso/Aminet/docs/misc/wfbook93_texi.lha/texi/44.data

Text File | 1995-03-27 | 11.1 KB | 379 lines

@node Geography (Canada)
@section Geography (Canada)

@display

Location:
  Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and North Pacific
  Ocean north of the US
Map references:
  Arctic Region, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  9,976,140 km2
 land area:
  9,220,970 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly larger than US
Land boundaries:
  total 8,893 km, US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)
Coastline:
  243,791 km
Maritime claims:  continental shelf:
  200 m depth or to depth of exploitation
 exclusive fishing zone:
  200 nm
 territorial sea:
  12 nm
International disputes:
  maritime boundary disputes with the US; Saint Pierre and Miquelon is focus
  of maritime boundary dispute between Canada and France
Climate:
  varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
Terrain:
  mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast
Natural resources:
  nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, silver, fish, timber,
  wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas
Land use:
 arable land:
  5%
 permanent crops:
  0%
 meadows and pastures:
  3%
 forest and woodland:
  35%
 other:
  57%
Irrigated land:
  8,400 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
  80% of population concentrated within 160 km of US border; continuous
  permafrost in north a serious obstacle to development
Note:
  second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between
  Russia and US via north polar route



@end display

@node People (Canada)
@section People (Canada)

@display

Population:
  27,769,993 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  1.28% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  14.48 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  7.35 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  5.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  77.98 years
 male:   74.54 years
 female:
  81.6 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  1.84 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Canadian(s)
 adjective:
  Canadian
Ethnic divisions:
  British Isles origin 40%, French origin 27%, other European 20%, indigenous
  Indian and Eskimo 1.5%
Religions:
  Roman Catholic 46%, United Church 16%, Anglican 10%, other 28%
Languages:
  English (official), French (official)
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1981)
 total population:
  99%
 male:
  NA%
 female:
  NA%
Labor force:
  13.38 million
 by occupation:
  services 75%, manufacturing 14%, agriculture 4%, construction 3%, other 4%
  (1988)



@end display

@node Government (Canada)
@section Government (Canada)

@display

Names:
 conventional long form:
  none
 conventional short form:
  Canada
Digraph:
  CA
Type:
  confederation with parliamentary democracy
Capital:
  Ottawa
Administrative divisions:
  10 provinces and 2 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New,   Brunswick,
Newfoundland, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Ontario,,   Prince Edward Island, Quebec,
Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*, Independence:
  1 July 1867 (from UK)
Constitution:
  amended British North America Act 1867 patriated to Canada 17 April 1982;
  charter of rights and unwritten customs
Legal system:   based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based
  on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations
National holiday:
  Canada Day, 1 July (1867)
Political parties and leaders:
  Progressive Conservative Party, Brian MULRONEY; Liberal Party, Jean
  CHRETIEN; New Democratic Party, Audrey McLAUGHLIN; Reform Party, Preston
  MANNING; Bloc Quebecois, Lucien BOUCHARD
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 House of Commons:
  last held 21 November 1988 (next to be held by November 1993); results -
  Progressive Conservative Party 43%, Liberal Party 32%, New Democratic Party
  20%, other 5%; seats - (295 total) Progressive Conservative Party 159,
  Liberal Party 80, New Democratic Party 44, Bloc Quebecois 9, independents 3
Executive branch:
  British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister,
  Cabinet
Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament (Parlement) consists of an upper house or Senate
  (Senat) and a lower house or House of Commons (Chambre des Communes)
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court
Leaders:
 Chief of State:
  Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General
  Raymond John HNATYSHYN (since 29 January 1990)
 Head of Government:
  Prime Minister Kim CAMBELL was chosen to replace Brian MULRONEY on 13 June
  1993



@end display

@node Government (Canada 2. usage)
@section Government (Canada 2. usage)

@display

Member of:
  ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB
  (non-regional), COCOM, CP, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state),
  FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA,
  IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  LORCS, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, ONUSAL,
  PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM,
  UNOMOZ, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WIPO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador John DE CHASTELAIN
 chancery:
  501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
 telephone:
  [phone]
 FAX:
  [phone]
 consulates general:
  Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles,
  Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador-designate Governor James J. BLANCHARD
 embassy:
  100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1, Ottawa
 mailing address:
  P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430
 telephone:
  [phone] or [phone]
 FAX:
  [phone]
 consulates general:
  Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and Vancouver
Flag:
  three vertical bands of red (hoist side), white (double width, square), and
  red with a red maple leaf centered in the white band



@end display

@node Economy (Canada)
@section Economy (Canada)

@display

Overview:
  As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles
  the US in per capita output, market-oriented economic system, and pattern of
  production. Since World War II the impressive growth of the manufacturing,
  mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural
  economy into one primarily industrial and urban. In the 1980s, Canada
  registered one of the highest rates of real growth among the OECD nations,
  averaging about 3.2%. With its great natural resources, skilled labor force,
  and modern capital plant, Canada has excellent economic prospects. However,
  the continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking
  areas has observers discussing a possible split in the confederation; foregn
  investors have become edgy.
National product:
  GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $537.1 billion (1992)
National product real growth rate:
  0.9% (1992)
National product per capita:
  $19,600 (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.5% (1992)
Unemployment rate:
  11.5% (December 1992)
Budget:
  revenues $111.8 billion; expenditures $138.3 billion, including capital
  expenditures of $NA (FY90 est.)
Exports:
  $124.0 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
 commodities:
  newsprint, wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, machinery, natural gas,
  aluminum, motor vehicles and parts; telecommunications equipment
 partners:
  US, Japan, UK, Germany, South Korea, Netherlands, China
Imports:
  $118 billion (c.i.f., 1991)
 commodities:
  crude oil, chemicals, motor vehicles and parts, durable consumer goods,
  electronic computers; telecommunications equipment and parts
 partners:
  US, Japan, UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea
External debt:
  $247 billion (1987)
Industrial production:
  growth rate 1% (1992); accounts for 34% of GDP
Electricity:
  109,340,000 kW capacity; 493,000 million kWh produced, 17,900 kWh per capita
  (1992)
Industries:
  processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products,
  transportation equipment, chemicals, fish products, petroleum and natural
  gas
Agriculture:
  accounts for about 3% of GDP; one of the world's major producers and
  exporters of grain (wheat and barley); key source of US agricultural
  imports; large forest resources cover 35% of total land area; commercial
  fisheries provide annual catch of 1.5 million metric tons, of which 75% is
  exported



@end display

@node Economy (Canada 2. usage)
@section Economy (Canada 2. usage)

@display

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market; use of
  hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of
  high-quality marijuana indoors; growing role as a transit point for heroin
  and cocaine entering the US market
Economic aid:
  donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $7.2 billion
Currency:
  1 Canadian dollar (Can$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
  Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$1 - 1.2776 (January 1993), 1.2087 (1992),
  1.1457 (1991), 1.1668 (1990), 1.1840 (1989), 1.2307 (1988)
Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March



@end display

@node Communications (Canada)
@section Communications (Canada)

@display

Railroads:
  146,444 km total; two major transcontinental freight railway systems -
  Canadian National (government owned) and Canadian Pacific Railway; passenger
  service - VIA (government operated); 158 km is electrified
Highways:
  884,272 km total; 712,936 km surfaced (250,023 km paved), 171,336 km earth
Inland waterways:
  3,000 km, including Saint Lawrence Seaway
Pipelines:
  crude and refined oil 23,564 km; natural gas 74,980 km
Ports:
  Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Saint John (New Brunswick), Saint John's
  (Newfoundland), Toronto, Vancouver
Merchant marine:
  63 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 454,582 GRT/646,329 DWT; includes 1
  passenger, 3 short-sea passenger, 2 passenger-cargo, 8 cargo, 2 railcar
  carrier, 1 refrigerated cargo, 7 roll-on/roll-off, 1 container, 24 oil
  tanker, 4 chemical tanker, 1 specialized tanker, 9 bulk; note - does not
  include ships used exclusively in the Great Lakes
Airports:
 total:
  1,420
 useable:
  1,142
 with permanent-surface runways:
  457
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  4
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  30
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  330
Telecommunications:
  excellent service provided by modern media; 18.0 million telephones;
  broadcast stations - 900 AM, 29 FM, 53 (1,400 repeaters) TV; 5 coaxial
  submarine cables; over 300 earth stations operating in INTELSAT (including 4
  Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and domestic systems



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Canada)
@section Defense Forces (Canada)

@display

Branches:
  Canadian Armed Forces (including Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air
  Command, Communications Command, Training Command), Royal Canadian Mounted
  Police (RCMP)
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 7,444,767; fit for military service 6,440,927; reach
  military age (17) annually 191,884 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $11.3 billion, 2% of GDP (FY92/93)



@end display