Location:
Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US
Geographic coordinates:
60 00 N, 95 00 W
Map references:
North America
Area: Area - comparative: Land boundaries: Coastline: Maritime claims: Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes: Natural resources: Land use: Irrigated land: Total renewable water resources: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements: Geography - note:
total: 9,984,670 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 2
land: 9,093,507 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 891,163 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
slightly larger than the US
total: 8,893 km
border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)
note: Canada is the World's largest country that borders only one country
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
202,080 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]
iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, rare earth elements, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower
arable land: 4.57%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0.65%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 94.78% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]
8,550 sq km (2008)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
3,300 cu km (1985)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total: 44.72 cu km/yr (20%/69%/12%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 1,386 cu m/yr (1996)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]
continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains
volcanism: the vast majority of volcanoes in Western Canada's Coast Mountains remain dormant
air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Marine Life Conservation
second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border