Canada geography and climate

Canada occupies the northern half of the North American continent with the exception of Alaska, which comprises 7 per cent of the earth's total surface. Covering 9, 984, 670 square kilometres, it is the world's second largest country (including its waters) after Russia. Canada has ten provinces and three territories. The national capital is Ottawa, Ontario. The largest cities in Canada are Toronto, Montreal and Quebec. Canada has two official languages, English and French. Most native French speakers live in and around Quebec. The national symbol of Canada is the maple leaf.

Canada is surrounded by three oceans – the Pacific, the Arctic and the Atlantic. No wonder the country's motto is ''from sea to sea''. In the south, Canada borders the United States of America.

Nearly one-fourth of all the fresh water in the world is in Canada. It has a lot of lakes. The biggest of them are the Great Lakes which are on the US Canada border. Many of the lakes were created by glaciers. There are lots of rivers in Canada too. The Mackenzie River is Canada's longest river and the third largest in the world, after the Amazon and the Mississippi. The highest mountain in Canada is Mount Logan, located in St. Elias Mountain Range in Yukon. The Rocky Mountains are the continuation of the Great Plains of the United States.

There are 42 national parks in Canada. They were created to protect the forests animals and plants. The oldest National Park is Banff, Alberta. It was created in 1885 in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The Niagara Falls, situated on the border between Canada and the United States, is one of the world's wonders. This place is often called ''the honeymoon capital of the world''.

Canada has fewer people than many other countries that are much smaller. Its population is 33, 574, 000 people. This is because much of Canada is a very cold place with long winters. Most people live within 320 kilometres of the southern border and over half of the population lives in southern Quebec and Ontario where climate is temperate, and mild springs, hot summers and pleasant autumns prevail at least 7 months out of 12. In the extreme north, temperatures climb above 0^oC for only a few months a year. That is because the Canadian Shield, an area of permanent ice and snow, covers half of the country. Most of northern Canada has subarctic or arctic climates with long cold winters, short sunny summers and little rainfall.

1. Where is Canada situated?

2. Why does Canada have two official languages?

3. What country does Canada border by land?

4. What place is called the ''the honeymoon capital of the world''?

5. Why does the majority of the population of Canada live in the southern parts of the country?

6. What climate does most of northern Canada have and why?

7. What are the largest cities, longest river and the highest mountain in Canada?