Canada is the second largest country in the world. It is larger than the USA and reaches nearly a quarter of the way round the earth. The distance from east to west is over 5,500 kilometres and the country covers six of the world's 24 time areas.

The population of Canada is about 29 million and the capital is Ottawa. There are two official languages, French and English. The first travellers arrived from England in 1497. Settlers from France reached Canada in 1534. For two centuries English and French settlers struggled against each other to control the country. Today, one province of Canada is French-speaking. The TV and radio programmes there are in French. There are French restaurants, and all the teaching in schools is done in French.

Canada has one third of the world's supply of fresh water. There are five great lakes in the south, and there are many others, especially in the north. Most of the electricity is produced by water. The country has a great deal of coal, oil and natural gas, and these are all exploited for energy.

Much of the country is covered by forests, and wood is cut and sold all over the world. Canada is also the world's biggest producer of the kind of paper which is used for newspapers. Fishing is also very important for Canadians. Fish from the east and west coasts is sold to many other countries.