On July 1, 1867, four founding provinces officially became the Dominion of Canada. From the original four, Canada has grown to ten provinces and three territories. From a population of 3,463,000, Canadians now number 37,728,000. In anticipation of Canada Day next Wednesday, I provide a dozen fun facts about our country:
- Canada is the largest country in the Western hemisphere and the second largest in the world after Russia. It stretches across 9,984,670 sq km/3,855,100 sq mi, which means the UK could fit into Canada over 40 times.
- Three oceans — the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific — surround Canada, which has the longest coastline of any country in the world: 243,977 km/151,600 mi.
- After Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949, Parliament passed the Trans-Canada Highway act. Prime Minister John Diefenbaker officially opened the TCH in 1962 once the road through the Rogers Pass in BC was completed. At 7,604 km/4,725 mi in length, the TCH is the longest highway in the world. (Have any readers driven the full length?) Curiously both St. John’s NL and Victoria BC post a ‘Mile 0’ sign of the TCH — each city claiming to be the starting, not finishing, point.
- The border between Canada and the United States is 8,890 km/5,525 mi long, including 2,475 km/1,538 mi between Canada and Alaska, making it the longest unprotected/demilitarized border in the world. In 1969 Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau quipped at the National Press Club in Washington that “living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly or temperate the beast, one is affected by every twitch and grunt.”
- The Rideau Canal in Ottawa is the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America and in 2007 was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At 202 km/126 mi, it is also the world’s longest skating rink in the winter.
- Canada is the second biggest producer of hydroelectric power — after China. About water: Canada has more natural lakes than the rest of the world’s combined.
- Mackenzie King and Franklin Roosevelt served the longest terms as prime minister and president of their countries, King for 22 years, Roosevelt for 12. They both dominated their respective governments for much of the Great Depression (the Dirty Thirties) and the Second World War. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Canada declared war on Japan before the US did.
- Canada is the world’s leading producer and exporter of maple products, accounting for 71% of the global market. In 2019 the gross value of maple products produced in Canada amounted to about $517.49 million. Québec represents 92% of Canadian production.
- Canada consumes more boxed mac and cheese — aka Kraft Dinner — than any country in the world. Of 7 million boxes sold weekly around the world, Canadians purchase 1.7 million, 55% more than Americans do.
- Sam Panopoulos invented the Hawaiian pizza in Chatham ON in 1962. It’s the most popular pizza in Australia.
- Canada is the number one consumer of donuts in the world, at about a billion annually. Japan follows as a close second.
- You can write a letter in any language, address it to the North Pole, H0H 0H0, Canada and get a response from Santa.
Please add your fun facts about Canada in the comments below. •
P.S. In 1982 my hometown of Edmonton held the first successful Fringe theatre event in Canada and also in North America. More than 200 Fringe Festivals now take place annually around the world. Of 23 in NA, Edmonton’s Fringe Festival is the oldest and largest!
Al Frank says
As a citizen of the US, I regret that I am woefully ignorant about our wonderful neighbors to the north. Having said that, I grew up in Detroit and have always been quick to point out that Canada is actually south of the US there.
Pam, your posts are always entertaining, educational and thought provoking. Thanks for providing me with some additional insights.
Pam McPhail says
Actually, Al, you’re pretty well-informed about Canada compared to most Americans, perhaps due to the geography of your hometown? Glad you let us know about Detroit’s latitude. And many thanks for your compliments about my posts!
Glen Wickens says
On August 17, 1940, Mackenzie King and Roosevelt met on a private railway car near Ogdensburg, New York and signed what became known as the Ogdensburg Agreement, establishing a permanent board responsible for the joint defence of Canada and the U.S. Visitors to Scottsdale, Arizona may climb aboard this historic railway car at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park.
Pam McPhail says
What an elegant car to host the two dignitaries. Remember the modest size of the tableware in the dining area? Lilliputian by today’s standards.
Tim McPhail says
Dating to c. 1000, L’Anse aux Meadows is widely accepted as evidence of pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact. It is notable for its possible connection with Leif Erikson, and with the Norse exploration of North America. It was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978.
Thank you Pam for a long awaited Fun Facts Friday.
Pam McPhail says
Thanks for adding your fun fact, Tim. I’m happy to know you were awaiting a FFF post!
Ian says
Pam, most of your fun facts were news to me, including the one about the Hawaiian pizza! Well done!
Here are a few more:
Quebec is three times larger than France, and has about 900,000 lakes, most of them unnamed.
Ottawa is closer to Venezuela than to the very high Arctic limits of Canadian territory.
Only two provinces or territories do not touch sea water.
That’s enough. Looking forward to your next post!
Pam McPhail says
Very interesting additions, Ian. I’m especially surprised about Ottawa’s geographic location.
Patricia Young says
Hi Pam,
I enjoyed your Fun Facts and the comments as always even if I am a little late in reading them.
Better late than never.
Regarding Al Frank’s comment, As a young girl, I used to take great pride in saying I lived south of the US – 20 miles south of Detroit in fact – in Harrow, Ontario which claimed it was the most southerly town in Canada. Nearby Kingsville made the same claim but they, of course, were mistaken. Or so we liked to think.
Your comment about the TCH (a new initialism for me) got me thinking. In the summer of 1963 my father was eager to try out the new highway and we all piled into our Chevrolet station wagon and camped ourselves out to Vancouver Island – and then south to California and back through the States. Over the years since then I have travelled by highway from Ontario to Cape Breton. And driven in Newfoundland. The question in my mind is, was this all on the TCH? Most likely. The time has obviously come for me to do some research on this – and if I am missing some bits of the route, I foresee a good travel project ahead.
Thanks for getting me thinking!
Pat
Pam McPhail says
What “fun” that you and Al shared the same observation from different sides of the border.
No doubt you belong to a minority of Canadians who have traveled coast to coast on the TCH. You should be awarded a badge in recognition. Did you happen to note the Mile ‘0’ signs at either beginning/end?