Quick Facts

Capital: Ottawa, in the province of Ontario.
Language: English and French
Currency: Canadian Dollar
Population: 26,835,000
Area: 3,849,674 square miles
Climate: 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.

Flora and Fuana
Canada offers a wide range of habitats across varied vegetation. Vegetation in Canada comprises of Arctic Tundra in the north which leads south into boreal forests which is most typical of Canada and covers more of the country than any other type of vegetation. The Maritimes are home to the Acadian forests which are made up from spruce, for, birch, pine and maple trees. West of the Maritimes in Quebec and Ontario are the Laurentian Forests and Mountains leading into the Canadian Shield in the north and the Great Lakes in the south and west of Ontario.

Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta make up Canada's prairie grasslands which contain mixed grasses but are mainly covered by farmed grains. Alberta and the east of British Columbia contain Canada's Rocky Mountains which stretch up into the Yukon Territory from the United States. Spruce, fir and larch trees can be found amongst the rocky and often snow covered terrain. British Columbia's Pacific Coast contains mountains and forests of gigantic red cedar, fir and spruce

Stacking Your Postcards

Mounties
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, known as the Mounties, were founded in 1873 while Queen Victoria was the reigning monarch. In the past the Mounties rode horses. Today they have 4,500 land vehicles including cars, trucks, and snowmobiles. A person must train for 6 months before joining the force. Now over 16,000 people serve in the R. C. M. P. They enforce the federal laws throughout Canada. The force has trained dogs and horses, but the horses are used only in ceremonies.

Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is between the state of New York and the province of Ontario. It is one of the most impressive natural wonders on the continent of North America. The falls are on the Niagara River which flows between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. The largest portion is the Canadian falls known as Horseshoe Falls. Horseshoe Falls drops 162 feet and is 2,600 feet across. Just before the fall the Canadian stream is about 20 feet deep.

Quebec City's Carnival
In the city of Quebec the people have a festival called Quebec City's Carnival each winter. The festival has been celebrated since 1880.

Rivers
The St. Lawrence (3058 km long) is Canada's most important river, providing a seaway for ships from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. The longest Canadian river is the Mackenzie, which flows 4241 km through the Northwest Territories. Other large watercourses include the Yukon and the Columbia (parts of which flow through U.S. territory), the Nelson, the Churchill, and the Fraser--along with major tributaries such as the Saskatchewan, the Peace, the Ottawa, the Athabasca, and the Liard

Destination Guide

Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital city of Canada, which sprawls along the southern side of the Ottawa River. Ottawa is a government town, dominated physically and spiritually by the neo-Gothic Parliament Buildings. A population of 1,200,000 makes Ottawa the fourth-largest urban area in Canada. Ottawa has ranked sixth in the world in terms of its quality of life by the Corporate Resources Group, a Swiss-based management firm.

Vancouver
City of Vancouver is a beautiful and vibrant city known for its world known attractions including Granville Island, Robson Street and Stanley Park. City of Vancouver is located on west coast of Canada with its population of about 600,000 (2003), but Vancouver's Greater Area counts about 2 million people. City of Vancouver is the largest city in the province of British Columbia and it is the third largest city in Canada.

Victoria
Victoria is situated on the southern tip of Vancouver Island and sparkles in one of Canada's mildest climates. This area is the sunniest spot in the province and the gentlest in the country in terms of climate, environment, and lifestyle. Victoria's unique character is deeply rooted in its 150-year history -- a history full of colourful people and fascinating tales. The city's British colonial heritage is still very much in evidence, but contemporary Victoria has a distinctly Pacific northwest flavour. Today, Victoria is best known as the capital city of British Columbia, and as a world-renowned tourism destination. One of the most visitor-friendly cities anywhere, Victoria is also one of Canada's favourite places to call home. Greater Victoria and its outlying areas now have a population of 300,000, and the one-time colonial outpost is alive with cosmopolitan dining, superb shopping, a colourful nightlife and a full complement of cultural offerings.

Winnipeg
The leafy and diverse city of Winnipeg makes a perfect stopover for anyone travelling across Canada. Local resident Judy Waytiuk lets us in on some of its secrets

Viewed from a water taxi seat in high summer, Winnipeg rolls past, its tidy cluster of downtown office high-rises poking up behind a cool green expanse of densely treed riverbanks. Locals stroll the waterside paths, hot dogs or ice-cream cones (maple walnut fudge is a local favourite) in hand. Winnipeg, capital city of the prairie province of Manitoba, calls itself the Christmas capital of Canada, but the 620,000 inhabitants also treasure its lush three-month summer.

At the District' edge are the city's major cultural attractions. The Centennial Concert Hall, the Manitoba Museum with its planetarium and interactive science centre, the Manitoba Theatre Centre, the Playhouse Theatre and the Oseredok Ukrainian Cultural Centre all celebrate Manitoba's ethnic diversity and history. Most are open all year round, though theatre and ballet companies take the summer off.