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Canada had an estimated population of about 41.4 million people on 1 April 2026. Natural resources are an important part of Canada's economy and support many jobs and communities. In Transparency International's 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, Canada received a score of 75 out of 100. The federal and provincial governments have different areas of responsibility. Members of the House of Commons are elected by voters, while senators are appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister. The territories also have premiers, although their governments receive their powers from the federal government rather than directly from the Constitution. Each province has a premier who leads its provincial government.
The major difference between a Canadian province and a territory is that provinces receive their power and authority from the Constitution Act, 1867 (formerly called the British North America Act, 1867). Canadian culture has been shaped by Indigenous peoples, French and British settlement, immigration and the country's different regions. Canada has a universal healthcare system paid for mainly through taxes. Canadians also support their communities by volunteering, donating money and helping relatives, friends and neighbours. Statistics Canada measures whether people have someone they can count on, feel close to friends and family, trust other people and feel that they belong to their local community. Family, friends, neighbours and community groups are important parts of social life in Canada, they can support well-being during hard experiences. In the 2021 Census, about 8.4 million people, or 23 per cent of the population, were or had been landed immigrants. Canada has people from many cultural, ethnic, religious and language groups.
Thousands of people came north to Canada and settled in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario. In 1605, Port-Royal was built in Acadia (today called Nova Scotia) by the French, led by Samuel de Champlain. When European people first settled in Canada, the number of Indigenous people living in Canada was between 200,000 and two million. Many people think the first people to live in Canada came from Siberia at least 14,000 years ago, using the Bering land bridge. They used to be called "Indians" by the Europeans, but this is now considered rude. Together, these three groups are called "Indigenous", "Aboriginal", or "First Peoples".
Aboriginal people
The Coalition Avenir Québec, meanwhile, takes an abstentionist position on the question and does not support or oppose sovereignty.citation needed Some provinces have provincial political parties with no clear federal equivalent, such as the Saskatchewan Party.citation needed Other provincial Liberal parties are unaffiliated with their federal counterpart. The Liberal Party of Canada shares such an organizational integration with Atlantic Canada provincial Liberals in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. Provincial New Democratic Parties, on the other hand, are fully integrated with the federal New Democratic Party—meaning that provincial parties effectively operate as sections, with common membership, of the federal party.citation needed For example, no provincial Conservative or Progressive Conservative Party shares an organizational link to the federal Conservative Party of Canada, and neither do provincial Green Parties to the Green Party of Canada.citation needed However, these provincial parties are not usually formally linked to the federal parties that share the same name.
The Great Lakes Islands You Can Actually Visit
Canada is the second-largest country in the world by total area, after Russia. It ranks among the highest in international measurements of government transparency, civil liberties, quality of life, economic freedom, and education. Over time, more provinces and territories became part of Canada. In the late 18th century, only British North America remained with what is more or less Canada today. The national capital is Ottawa, and the nation's most populous city is Toronto. It is the world's second-largest country by total area, behind Russia, but only the fourth-largest country by land area.
Sandbanks Provincial Park, Canada – Unique Places around the World
Canada's rivers and lakes provide drinking water, transport routes, fish and hydroelectricity. Canada casino interac has more lakes than any other country and is often said to contain about 60% of the world's lakes. In many places, it is dangerous and difficult to travel across the land because lakes, wetlands, forests and rocks block direct routes. It is a unique land of lakes, bogs, swamps, trees and exposed rocks. The northern regions are much less populated because they are colder, more remote and harder to reach. Most large Canadian cities, including, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, are in the southern part of the country. It shares its southern and northwestern land border with the United States. By land area alone, it is the fourth-largest country.