Kanada referaat (2)

CANADA

Canada is a vast country , second largest country of the world after Russia . It stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and to the Arctic Ocean in the North . Canada Covers most of the northern part of North America and its geography is very diverse . Canada’s area is about 10 million square kilometers and its population is 31 000 000. Its capital is Ottowa and other main cities are Toronto , Montreal and Vancouver . Almost 75 % of canadians lives within 300 kilometer of the USA border, because the climate is softer in the South . 89 % of Canada is almost unhabited.
Its official languages are English and French , but many other languages are spoken too. Like Italian, Chinese , German , Polish, Ukrainian, Dutch and Creek. There are also many native languages such as Algonquian. Most of the canadian ’s speak English (67 %), but French is very largely spoken too (26 % of the canadians).
Canada is based on recognizing the cultural diversity of different nations living in Canada. All the communities living on the country are encouraged to remember their origins and hold their own ethnic events and national festivals. Cultural diversity makes Canada even more interesting . There are many native peoples throughout Canadalike the Crees, Mohawks, Iroquis and Sioux. In the north of the Country, the Inuit (Eskimos) now have a selfgoverning homeland called Nunavut (meaning “our land ”). It is over two million sq km and is inhabited by 17,500 Inuits. Canada is one of the most tolerant societies in the world. For example only 13 % of canadians say that they would object their children marrying someone from another race (compared with 32 % in the USA).
Canada’s political structure is independent constitutional monarhcy. And head of state is Elizabeth II, who is also the Queen of Great Britain . From 1759 to 1931 Canada was a part of the British Empire,but in 1931 they got an independence from Britain. Canada’s prime minister is Steven Harper. First constitution of Canada was adopted in 1982. Until that the act of Great Britain’s parlament was inforced. Head of state is locally presented by generalgovernor. The legislative institution is parlament that has two houses . The members of Senat are appointed by generalgoverner on the bases of the propose of Prime Minister. The House of Representatives are elected on general direct elections for five years .The state is governed by the Government that reports to the Parlament. The Prime Minister is the leader of the party that holds a majority in the Parlament. Every Province has it’s own Parlament and Government. The monarchy is represented by the leutenantgovernor.
The French-speaking province of Canada ( Quebec ) is very different culturally . Since the 1960s there has been a strong movement to became an independent country (separatist movement). 80 % of Canada’s French-speaking people lives in Quebec.
Canada has ten provinces and two territories (the capital of each is shown in parentheses): Alberta (Edmonton), British Columbia (Victoria), Prince Edwars Island (Charlottetown), Manitoba ( Winnipeg ), New Brunswick (Fredericton), Nova Scotia (Halifax), Nunavut (Iqaluit), Ontario (Toronto), Quebec (Quebec City), Saskatchewan (Regina), Newfoundland and Labrador (St. John’s), Northwest Territories (Yellowknife) and Yukon Territory (Whitehorse). Geographically, Canada can be divided into five major regions : the Pacific Region , the Prairie Provinces, Central Canada, the Atlantic Provinces and the North. The Pacific Region includes Canada’s westernmost province, British Columbia. The region is known for it’s mild coastal climate, its forests and its spectacular mountains, including the famous Rockies. Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are Canada’s Prairie Provinces. They are known for their rolling plains and extreme climate with long, cold winters and hot, dry summers . Much of the area is covered with farms producing wheat and other grains. The region is also rich in oil and natural gas. Central Canada includes Ontario and Quebec. It is not geographically the centre of Canada.
The region gets its name because, historically, it has been the centre of political and economic power in the country. Central Canada is also the most heavily populated and industrialized area of Canada. The Atlantic Provinces is the easternmost province of the country. Fishing, shipping and farming are important acitivities for the people of this area. The region has many small coastal communities, although there are also major industrial centres. There are also mountains in that region, but they are old, rounded mountains. Valleys in the region are important farming areas producing fruit, vegetables and dairy products . Canada’s North includes the Yukon Territory and the Northwest Territories along with all of Canada’s Arctic islands . To most canadians this region is quite remote since 75 % of the population lives within 300 km of the US border. The North is home to over 85 000 people, and a great variety of wildlife . It’s so cold that the earth is frozen for most of the year and never thaws more than a metre from the surface. This permanently frozen layer of earth is called permafrost.
Canada’s two million lakes cover about 7,6 % of Canada’s land. Canada has very famous lakes called the Great Lakes which includes seven lakes: Lake Huron (which is also the biggest lake of Canada), Lake Great Bear, Lake Superior, Lake Great Slave (also the deepest lake, with a depth of 614 m), Lake Winnipeg, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. They are also the biggest lakes in Canada.
The longest river in Canada is the Mackenzie River, which is 4241 km long. It runs through the Nortwest Territories. Other larger and more important rivers are the Saint Lawrence River (3058 km), the Yukon River, the Columbia River ( partly in the USA), the Nelson River, the Churchill River and the Fraser river.
Parts of Canada are very mountainous.The highest mountain is the Yukon’s Mount Logan , which is 6050 meters high. Canada has many mountain ranges , including the Appalachians, Torngats, Laurentians, the Rockies, Coastal and Mackenzie ranges and the Pelly Mountains.
Canada is rich in natural wonders, but the Niagara Falls (which is the second largest waterfall in the world) are one of the greatest attractions in the world. About twelve million tourists come to see the beauty of the falling waters every year. The Horseshoe Falls are much bigger and have more strength that the American Falls. People can enjoy the noise and the sight of the waters from the boats which take them right next to the falls. In the evenings, when the falls are illuminated by colorful spotlights, they are magnificent.
There are five major biomes in Canada: Arctic Biomes, Tundras, Taigas, Prairies and Decidious Forests. The Arctic Biome is very cold and windy. There are long periods of darkness and the growing season is very short so there are almost no plants . Some of the typical animals are the Arctic fox, ermines, polar bears, Arctic terns, walruses and seals. The Tundra is located near the Arctic region. It’s permafrost and desert -like. Some of the plants that can survive are lichens and mosses. Typical animals are musk oxen, elks , moose, lemmings, wolves and foxes. The taiga biome, also known as coniferous forests is located south of the Tundra region. They are major source of oxygen . The climate is cold and harsh. The soil is acidic so only deciduous trees can grow there: like hemlocks, pines, larches, spruces and firs. Typical animals are brown bears, foxes, geese, lynxes and moose. Prairies are temperate grasslands. The consist of plains of grass that are hot in summer and cold in the winter . They are made by fires. The soil is rich so prairies are used for agriculture . Some animals that live there are: bobcats, antelopes, snakes , rodents, rabbits, badgers and bisons. Deciduous forests are cool, rainy areas. There are four distinct seasons.
Well before coming of the first European settlers , Canada’s aboriginal peoples had discovered the food properties of maple sap, which they gathered every spring . According to many historians, the maple leaf began to serve as a canadian symbol as early as 1700. The maple leaf today appears on the Canada’s flag and on the penny. Canada’s flag is with colours red and white, which are also Canada’s official colours.
Canada is a very large country blessed with many natural resources. From trees they make pulp and paper , from mines they extract coal , gold , silver, uranium and many other minerals. On the Prairies they grow grain, raise cattle and extract oil and gas beneath the ground . From the oceans they take fisk and other seafood. Because Canada is relatively small population and abundant natural resources, much of their international trade is exported. Their most important customer for exports is the USA. Canada exports a lot of food products: wheat and other grains, beef and other meat, oil, dairy products, sugar beets and maple sugar to name a few. Copper , gold, iron ore nickel and zinc are the minerals most often sent to other countries. Natural gas and oil are other important exports along with forestry products. Though largely dependent on natural resources Canada also has a strong manufacturing industry. Transportation equipment , such as automobiles and automobile parts, are their most important manufactured good , followed by food, paper products and chemicals 
Alice Tärk, 8b.