Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a Governor-General Prime minister: Stephen Harper
President: Hugo Chavez
Population
34,300,083
28,047,938
Life Expectancy
81.480 years
74.080 years
Capital City
Ottawa
Caracas
Largest city
Toronto (population: 4,612,190)
Maracaibo (population: 2,225,000)
Human Development Index
0.967
0.826
GDP per capita
$41,100 US
$12,700 US
Literacy Rate
99%
93%
Corruption Perception Index
8.7
1.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
24.9%
18.6%
Wealthiest Citizens
David Thomson & family ($13.0bn US)
Gustavo Cisneros & family ($3.8bn US)
Unemployment Rate
7.500%
8.200%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Abolished
Political System
constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary democracy and a federation
federal republic
Independence date
1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK)
5 July 1811 (from Spain)
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)
nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%
Languages
English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%
petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures
External Debt
$1,181,000,000,000 $
$89,600,000,000 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)
bolivars (VEB) per US dollar - 2.147 (2008 est.), 2,147 (2007), 2,147 (2006), 2,089.8 (2005), 1,891.3 (2004) note: On 1 January 2008 Venezuela revalued its currency with 1000 old bolivares equal to 1 new bolivar
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.100%
1.200%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
18
1
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
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
Area
9,984,670 km sq
912,050 km sq
Coastline
202,080 km
2,800 km
Climate
varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
