Canada-Facts and Figures

Even more! Little known facts about Canada.

Area: 9, 970, 610 km2

Population: 29.8 million (January 1996 estimate)

Population Growth: 1.1 % (January 1996 estimate)

Capital: Ottawa

System of Government: Constitutional Monarchy

Head of State: H.M. Queen Elizabeth II

Prime Minister: Right Honourable Jean Chrétien

Key Government Ministers: Lloyd Axworthy, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Arthur Eggleton, Minister of International Trade; Paul Martin, Finance Minister; Raymond Chan, Secretary of State (Asia Pacific)

Official Languages: English and French

Ethnic Origins: British 20.8%, French 22.8 %, European (other) 15.4 %, Asian and African 6.1%, Aboriginal 1.7%, Other (including Latin American, Middle East and those responding with more than one ethnic background) 33.2% (June1991 Census Results)

Religion: According to the 1991 Cnesus, the Canadian population remains predominantly Christian with Roman Catholics making up 45% of the population and Protestant denominations accounting for 36% of faiths such as Buddhism, Sikhism, and Hinduism and 1% of the population practices Judaism.

Currency: Cdn $ 1.00=US$ 0.73 (average, week ending June 7, 1996)

Things to remember when doing business in Canada:

• When you meet someone, shake their hand.
• Smoking is not always considered cool. Ask first before lighting that cigarette.
• If you make an appointment, KEEP IT! And don't forget to be on time.
• If you go over to someone's house, it is okay to take a present--flowers are always good, but forget about white lilies, people associate them with death.
• Equality between the sexes is key in this country. Treat women and men the same.. .that means no playing favourites.
• Refrain from comparing Canada to the United States. Canada has it's own identity, Thank You.