Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a Governor-General Prime minister: Stephen Harper
Emir: Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifah Al Thani
Population
34,300,083
1,951,591
Life Expectancy
81.480 years
78.090 years
Capital City
Ottawa
Doha
Largest city
Toronto (population: 4,612,190)
Doha (population: 344,939)
Human Development Index
0.967
0.899
GDP per capita
$41,100 US
$104,300 US
Literacy Rate
99%
89%
Corruption Perception Index
8.7
6.5
Percentage of Women in Parliament
24.9%
0%
Wealthiest Citizens
David Thomson & family ($13.0bn US)
NA
Unemployment Rate
7.500%
0.400%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Legal
Political System
constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary democracy and a federation
emirate
Independence date
1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK)
3 September 1971 (from UK)
Religions
Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census)
Muslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, other 14% (2004 census)
Languages
English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%
Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language
liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel
External Debt
$1,181,000,000,000 $
$125,300,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Canadian dollars (CAD) per US dollar - 1.0364 (2008 est.), 1.0724 (2007), 1.1334 (2006), 1.2118 (2005), 1.301 (2004)
Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar - 3.64 (2008 est.), 3.64 (2007), 3.64 (2006), 3.64 (2005), 3.64 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.100%
10.000%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
18
0
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
Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia
Area
9,984,670 km sq
11,586 km sq
Coastline
202,080 km
563 km
Climate
varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers