Canada

Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific and north to the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 million square kilometers (3.85 million square miles), making it the second largest country in the world by total area. Its 8,891 km (5,525 mi) southern and western border with the United States is the world's longest land border between the two countries. The capital of Canada is Ottawa, and its three largest metropolitan areas are Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.

Indigenous peoples have continuously inhabited what is now called Canada for millennia. Beginning in the 16th century, British and French expeditions explored and later settled along the Atlantic coastline. As a result of various armed conflicts, France ceded almost all of its colonies in North America in 1763. In 1867, as a result of the unification of the three British North American colonies through the Confederation, Canada was formed as a federal possession of four provinces. This marked the beginning of the expansion of provinces and territories and the process of increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom. This expansion of autonomy was highlighted by the 1931 Westminster Statute and culminated in the Canada Act 1982, which removed the remnants of legal dependence on the United Kingdom Parliament.

Canada is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy in the tradition of Westminster. The head of government of the country is the Prime Minister, who holds this position because of his ability to enjoy the confidence of the elected House of Commons, and is appointed by the Governor-General, representing the monarch, who is the head of state. The country is a kingdom of the Commonwealth and is officially bilingual at the federal level. It ranks high on international indicators of government transparency, civil liberties, quality of life, economic freedom, and education. It is one of the most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations in the world and is the product of large-scale immigration from many other countries. Canada's longstanding relationship with the United States has had a significant impact on its economy and culture.

A highly developed country, Canada is ranked 26th in the world in terms of nominal per capita income and 16th in the Human Development Index. Its developed economy is the ninth largest in the world, relying mainly on its rich natural resources and well-developed international trade networks. Canada is part of several major international and intergovernmental institutions or groupings, including the United Nations, NATO, G7, G10, G20, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), World Trade Organization (WTO). , The Commonwealth of Nations, the Arctic Council, the International Organization of Francophone Countries, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, and the Organization of American States.