Canada is huge! It is the second-largest country in the world by size. It reaches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and up to the Arctic Circle. Its only neighbor is the United States, with which it shares its southern and northwestern boundaries. Canada is known for its large lakes, cold winters, and great hockey teams.

The Provinces of Canada

Canada is divided into regions just like the United States. Instead of being called states, these regions are known as provinces. There are ten provinces in Canada: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. There are also three territories in Canada: Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut.

What is the difference between a territory and a province? Provinces have their own governments and are part of the larger federal government of Canada. This means provinces make laws that are specific to them, laws on things such as education and the environment. Territories do not have that sort of individual power. They are also part of the federal government of Canada; they just don't have their own government to take care of more local issues. Provinces can also vote to change the constitution of Canada, while representatives from the territories cannot.

Rivers, Oceans, and in Between

Canada is a country of cities and wilderness. The population density in Canada is one of the lowest in the world. There are only about seven people per square mile on average. The population density of the United States is much higher, about 86 people per square mile. But this doesn't mean there aren't big cities in Canada! Cities like Toronto, Quebec City, and Ottawa are all places where many, many people live and work. Canada also has a lot of open space. If you were to travel out to central or western Canada where the forests are thick, the mountains are high, and the plains are vast, you would definitely find more animals per square mile than people. The population density of bear, moose, caribou, and ducks would be way more than the population density of people.

Discover Cove

Native people populated the area now known as Canada for thousands of years. The first people from Europe to “discover” North America are believed to have been the Vikings, as seen by settlements dating to approximately 1000 A.D. They landed at L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, a name based on the French for Jellyfish Cove. There are seven coves on this island, but only one of them is safe to land in. It has two trees, one iceberg, a river running into it, and a cave.

Water Water Everywhere

Canada has the world's longest coastline at 202,080 kilometres (125,567 miles).

Fun Fact

Sports in Canada

Ice hockey is the most popular sport in Canada. It is played by many Canadians and watched on television and at games by even more. Canada has six teams in the National Hockey League. There are more Canadians in the NHL than any other country. Goal!

The St. Lawrence River is a major feature of eastern Canada. It makes part of the boundary between the United States and Canada. This river flows northeast from Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean. The St. Lawrence River is about 744 miles long, and many ships use this river route for trading and shipping.

The area where the St. Lawrence flows into the Atlantic Ocean is called the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This is the world's largest estuary. It is home to many different kinds of fish, and fishing has always been an important industry here. In the sixteenth century, European explorers hoped they could sail all the way to Asia on the St. Lawrence River. Sadly for them, the rapids on the river prevented them from getting any farther than present-day Montreal.

One of the largest geographical features in central Canada is Hudson Bay. Take a look at a map of Canada and you'll probably be able to find Hudson Bay right away. It looks a little bit like someone took a huge bite out of Canada! Hudson Bay is a huge inland sea in central Canada that is connected to both the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. Hudson Bay is home to many different kinds of animals including fish, seals, walruses, killer whales, caribou, and musk oxen.

POPULATION DENSITY: If you want to discuss how many people live in a particular area, you talk about the population density of the area. Cities will have a large number of people per square mile. Rural areas will have much lower numbers.

The Rocky Mountains found in central and western Canada are part of the same mountain chain in the western United States. The highest peak in the Canadian Rockies is Mount Robson. It is in British Columbia and reaches a height of 12,972 feet. Mount Robson, like most of the mountains in the area, was shaped by glaciers that wore away rock and carved mountains during the Ice Age. Have you seen pictures of mountains with sharp edges or very pointy peaks? These peaks were carved by glaciers. There is still a glacier on Mount Rob-son named Robson Glacier.