Short facts about the geography of Canada
| Location: |
Northern North America, bordering the
North Atlantic Ocean and North Pacific Ocean, north of the conterminous
US |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
60 00 N, 95 00
W |
| Map
references: |
North
America |
| Area: |
total: 9,976,140 sq km
land: 9,220,970 sq
km
water: 755,170 sq km |
| Area -
comparative: |
slightly larger than the
US |
| Land
boundaries: |
total: 8,893 km
border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km
with Alaska) |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous zone:
24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of
the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200
NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
varies from temperate in south to
subarctic and arctic in north |
| Terrain: |
mostly plains with mountains in west
and lowlands in southeast |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Logan 5,959
m |
| Natural
resources: |
iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold,
lead, molybdenum, potash, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum,
natural gas, hydropower |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures:
3%
forests and woodland: 54%
other: 38% (1993
est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
7,100 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
continuous permafrost in north is a
serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky
Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and
North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and
snow |
| Environment
- current issues: |
air pollution and resulting acid rain
severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning
utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest
productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural,
industrial, mining, and forestry activities |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law
of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation |
| Geography -
note: |
second-largest country in world (after
Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route;
approximately 85% of the population is concentrated within 300 km of the
US/Canada border | Source: World Factbook |
