42 cities

Location of CanadaCayman IslandsSint MaartenBritish Virgin IslandsGreenlandSaint Kitts and NevisTurks and Caicos IslandsBermudaSaint BarthélemySaint Pierre and MiquelonDominican RepublicAntigua and BarbudaUnited States Virgin IslandsPuerto RicoAnguillaGuatemalaHaitiFranceBelizeJamaicaNetherlandsMexicoSaint MartinMontserratPortugalCubaBahamasUnited States of AmericaRussiaCanadaOttawaTorontoMontrealVancouverCalgaryEdmontonHamiltonWinnipegQuebecOshawa
Country

Canada

60.32° N, 101.91° W

9,923,056 km² of land — the 3rd largest country on Earth.

total area 9,923,056 km² · 3rd/235
computed · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value

Population
37,589,262
Area
9,984,670 km²
Population density
≈ 3.8 / km²
Capital
Ottawa
Natural Earth
ISO codes
CA · CAN
GDP (nominal)
$2.24 trillion
GDP per capita (PPP)
$56,700
How big, reallyDrawn at the same scale as Australia — the next country down in size. Equal-area projection, not the map you are used to.
Canada 9,984,670 km²Australia 7,741,220 km²

geometry: Natural Earth 1:50m · EPSG:6933 equal-area

Where Canada sits in the world

Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.

  1. Median age42.8 years41st of 224 · median 32.6 years
  2. Life expectancy84.2 years5th of 224 · median 76.2 years
  3. Fertility rate1.43 children per woman193rd of 225 · median 1.92 children per woman
  4. Population37,589,26239th of 235 · median 5,454,073
  5. Total area9,984,670 km²3rd of 228 · median 83,736 km²
  6. Coastline202,080 km1st of 229 · median 402 km

Overview

Name

The name probably derives from the Huron or Iroquois word "kanata," meaning "village" or "camp".

Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person

Background

Self-government began when Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867, while retaining ties to the British crown. Legislative independence from Britain followed in 1931, and the Canada Act formalized constitutional independence from the UK in 1982. Economically and technologically, Canada developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an international border.

Political challenges include meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care, education, social services, and economic competitiveness. Canada also responds to Quebec's particular francophone concerns. At the same time, Canada aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment.

Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person

Climate

From temperate conditions in the south, the climate shifts to subarctic and arctic conditions in the north. Cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains as air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior mix, producing most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains.

Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person

Government

Under a constitutional monarchy, Canada has a federal parliamentary democracy (Parliament of Canada) and is a Commonwealth realm, with federal and state authorities and responsibilities regulated in the constitution. Except in Quebec, its common law system gives way to civil law based on the French civil code. The constitution consists of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and traditions dating from 1763, with its written part including the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982. Independence dates to 1 July 1867, the union of British North American colonies, while 11 December 1931 marked recognition by UK per Statute of Westminster. The national holiday is Canada Day, 1 July (1867).

Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person

Key figures

CIA World Factbook

Economy

GDP (nominal)
$2.24 trillion
GDP (PPP)
$2.34 trillion
GDP per capita (PPP)
$56,700
GDP growth
+1.5%
Inflation (consumer prices)
2.4%
Unemployment
6.5%
Exports
$727.83 billion
Imports
$733.78 billion

People

Life expectancy
84.2 years
Median age
42.8 years
Birth rate
9.12 per 1,000
Death rate
7.75 per 1,000
Fertility rate
1.43 children per woman
Population growth
+0.73% a year
Urban population
81.9%
Religions
  • Christian53.3%
  • Muslim4.9%
  • Hindu2.3%
  • Sikh2.1%
  • Buddhist1%
  • Jewish0.9%
  • Traditional0.2%North American Indigenous
  • other34.6%

Land

Total area
9,984,670 km²Land 9,093,507 km² · Water 891,163 km²
Coastline
202,080 km
Land borders
8,892 km
Mean elevation
487 m
Highest point
5,959 m Mount Logan

Values from the CIA World Factbook archive. Each carries the year it describes; open a year for the exact source field.

Connections

Natural geography 182

Natural Earth outlines · features with a Wikidata ID

Largest cities 42

Population · Natural Earth

  1. Toronto5.2M
  2. Montreal3.7M
  3. Vancouver2.3M
  4. Ottawacapital1.1M
  5. Calgary1.1M
  6. Edmonton1.1M
  7. Hamilton721.1K
  8. Winnipeg632.1K
  9. Quebec624.2K
  10. Oshawa451K
  11. Kitchener417K
  12. Halifax359.1K

Sources