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Learn everything worth knowing about the true north strong and free.

Quick Facts

to get you started

  • Canada adopted its famous red-and-white maple leaf flag in 1965. Prior to that, the country either flew the British flag — the Union Jack — or a colonial flag known as the Red Ensign.

  • Canada’s parliament has two chambers: the House of Commons, which has 338 elected members, and the Senate, which has 105 members appointed by recent prime ministers.

  • The first Europeans to settle Canada were the French, but the country fell under British rule following the Seven Years War (1756-1763) and remained a British colony until 1931.

  • Canadians are said to eat more donuts than any other people on earth.

  • Canada is divided into 10 provinces and three northern territories. The last province to join Canada was the British colony of Newfoundland in 1949.

  • Canada is the second-largest country in the world with a total area of 9.98 million square kilometres. The vast majority of the land is uninhabited, however.

A Complete Guide for Everyone

The Canada Guide is an in-depth reference website for all things Canadian, and one of the web’s leading sources of information on Canada for students, teachers, homeschoolers, immigrants, tourists, and anyone else seeking clear and concise information on this vast and fascinating country. Let’s get exploring!

Quick Guide

The Canada Guide is organized into seven Sections, each of which is split into many smaller Chapters. You can browse them using the links below, or simply navigate using the menu bar at the top of the site.

Have fun!

Basics

Canada is a country like any other, and it has all the same basic things you'd expect any other country to have, including people, money, an official language (or two) and a military. This is where to find basic information on a few big concepts.

History

There’s an unfortunate belief that Canadian history is too… well, boring to care much about. Yet those who take the time to study the topic usually leave impressed.

Places

Canada is enormous, but fortunately it’s divided into a bunch of smaller pieces that are easier to understand. Let's look at them.

Symbols

When you think about Canada, what sorts of images come to mind? Red-coated Mounties? The maple leaf? Weird animals like beavers and black-headed geese? Learn about them all here.

Government

Learn how the Canadian political system works. Here we find summaries of the various institutions and people who run the country, both elected and not.

Culture

If you're wondering why Canadians act the way they do, or are just looking to fit in, here's a good place to start. A look at the things and ideas that help give the country its distinctive character.

Latest

Curious about what’s changed since the last time you visited? Want to know the latest news and developments? Visit these for more info.