Today we’re going to look at some interesting or fun facts about Canada, some are well known and some I didn’t even know until I started researching! So enjoy the list!

Native Americans were the first Canadians

1. Canada comes from the word Kanata which comes from the Iroquois (Native Americans), it means village or settlement.

2. Canada is the second largest country in the world behind only Russia. It is also in the top 10 of the most sparsely populated countries (fewest people per Kilometre) in the world. The cities of Shanghai and Beijing together have more than the entire population of Canada (34 Million).

3. The border between Canada and the USA is the longest border between two nations, it’s also the only unprotected border.

4. Canada has two official languages, French and English. However French is really only spoken in the province of Quebec and French and English Canada often have arguments on many issues. All products in Canada must have both French and English on their packaging and in the province of Quebec the French words legally must be larger than the English.

5. 1/10 of the world’s forests are in Canada which equals to half of Canada being covered in forest. Canada also has more lakes than all the other countries of the world combined.

6. According to the United Nations Human Development Index Canada has the highest quality of life in the world, Vancouver, Canada is tied with Zurich, Switzerland for the highest quality of life city.

7. 16% of Canadians living in Canada were not born in Canada. Around 3 Million Canadians are currently living in other countries, the most common being Australia, USA and China (Hong Kong).

8. Canada’s National sport was Lacrosse until 1994 when it was decided that, due to Canada’s love of Ice Hockey, Lacrosse would be Canada’s summer sport and Ice Hockey would be Canada’s winter sport. A Canadian also invented the sport of Basketball.

9. Because many worry about the effect of the very strong US Music industry, 30% of all radio station content must be Canadian made.

10. Canadians are known for often putting the word “Eh” at the end of sentences.
“I don’t know what you are talking about eh.” “Nice day, eh?”

11. In some areas of Canada the ground never unfreezes. It’s constantly in a state called perma-frost due to its very short summer.

12. In Canada Marijuana (大麻) is commonly used for medicine and for fun, the laws regarding it are still being debated and change often.

13. Canada has more guns per capita than the USA. But our gun violence is far lower.

14. In the province of Alberta the geographic structure creates what is known as Chinooks. These are warm winds that will come down off the mountains in the winter and quickly change the weather in the area. The biggest change on record was in January 1962 in Pincher Creek the temperature went from -19 degrees Celsius to +22 degrees Celsius in an hour.

15. Canada has the second largest oil reserves in the world, second only to Saudi Arabia.

16. 80% of Canada’s population live less than 250 km from the US border.

17. The bear Winnie the Pooh was based on was from Winnipeg (Winnie) Canada.