|
FACTS ABOUT CANADA |
|
|
Canada is the world's second-largest country (9 093 507 km2) in the world. Canada is made up of 10 Provinces and 2 Territories. Its capital is Ottawa, located in the province of Ontario. The geography of Canada is very diverse. It includes fertile plains suitable for agriculture, vast mountain ranges, lakes and rivers. There are many climatic variations in this huge country, ranging from the permanently frozen icecaps north of the 70th parallel to the luxuriant vegetation of British Columbia's west coast. Canada's most populous regions, which lie in the country's south along the U.S. border, enjoy four distinct seasons. Here, daytime summer temperatures can rise to 35°C and higher, while lows of minus 25°C are not uncommon in winter. More moderate temperatures are the norm in spring and fall. Canada is a constitutional monarchy and a federal state with a democratic system of government. The Parliament of Canada, in Ottawa, consists of the House of Commons, whose members are elected, and the Senate, whose members are appointed. On average, Members of Parliament are elected every four years. Canada's rights are guaranteed through Canada's Constitution that contains a Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which sets out certain fundamental freedoms and rights that neither Parliament nor any provincial legislature acting alone can change. These include equality rights, mobility rights and legal rights, together with freedoms such as speech, association and peaceful assembly. |
