internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 39,303 (Chad) 9,711 (Nigeria) 13,000
(Central African Republic); note - there are an additional 10,000
Central African refugees unregistered with UNHCR as of December 2006
(2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@Canada

Introduction Canada

Background:
A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became
a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the
British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has
developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across
an unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of
meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and
education services, as well as responding to separatist concerns in
predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its
diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the
environment.

Geography Canada

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:
total: 9,984,670 sq km
land: 9,093,507 sq km
water: 891,163 sq km

Area - comparative:
somewhat larger than the US

Land boundaries:
total: 8,893 km
border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Coastline:
202,080 km

Maritime claims:
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

Climate:
varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Terrain:
mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m

Natural resources:
iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash,
diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural
gas, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 4.57%
permanent crops: 0.65%
other: 94.78% (2005)

Irrigated land:
7,850 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to
development; cyclonic storms form east of