Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*
_#_Independence: 1 July 1867 (from UK)
_#_Constitution: amended British North America Act 1867 patriated to Canada 17 April 1982; charter of rights and unwritten customs
_#_Legal system: based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
_#_National holiday: Canada Day, 1 July (1867)
_#_Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
_#_Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Parlement) consists of an upper house or Senate (Senat) and a lower house or House of Commons (Chambre des Communes)
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Raymond John HNATSHYN (since 29 January 1990);
Head of Government—Prime Minister (Martin) Brian MULRONEY (since 4 September 1984); Deputy Prime Minister Donald Frank MAZANKOWSKI (since NA June 1986)
_#_Political parties and leaders:
Progressive Conservative, Brian MULRONEY;
Liberal, Jean CHRETIEN;
New Democratic, Audrey McLAUGHLIN
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
House of Commons—last held 21 November 1988 (next to be held by November 1993); results—Progressive Conservative 43.0%, Liberal 32%, New Democratic Party 20%, other 5%; seats—(295 total) Progressive Conservative 159, Liberal 80, New Democratic Party 44, independent 12
_#_Communists: 3,000
_#_Member of: ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), APEC, AsDB,
BIS, C, CCC, CDB, COCOM, CP, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10,
GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF,
IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
LORCS, NATO, NEA, OAS, OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIIMOG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Derek BURNEY; Chancery at 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20036; telephone (202) 785–1400; there are Canadian Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle;
US—Ambassador Edward N. NEY; Embassy at 100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1, Ottawa (mailing address is P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669–0430); telephone (613) 248–25256, 25106, 25271, and 25170; there are US Consulates General in Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and Vancouver
_#_Flag: three vertical bands of red (hoist side), white (double width, square), and red with a red maple leaf centered in the white band
_*Economy #_Overview: As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the US in per capita output, market-oriented economic system, and pattern of production. Since World War II the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. In the 1980s Canada registered one of the highest rates of real growth among the OECD nations, averaging about 3.2%. With its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada has excellent economic prospects. In mid-1990, however, the long-simmering problems between English- and French-speaking areas became so acute that observers spoke openly of a possible split in the confederation; foreign investors were becoming edgy.
_#_GDP: $516.7 billion, per capita $19,500; real growth rate 0.9% (1990)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.8% (1990)
_#_Unemployment rate: 8.1% (1990)
_#_Budget: revenues $105.8 billion; expenditures $131.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY90 est.)
_#_Exports: $126.7 billion (f.o.b., 1990);
commodities—newsprint, wood pulp, timber, grain, crude petroleum, machinery, natural gas, ferrous and nonferrous ores, motor vehicles and parts;
partners—US, Japan, UK, FRG, other EC, USSR
_#_Imports: $116.3 billion (c.i.f., 1990);
commodities—processed foods, beverages, crude petroleum, chemicals, industrial machinery, motor vehicles and parts, durable consumer goods, electronic computers;
partners—US, Japan, UK, FRG, other EC, Taiwan, South Korea, Mexico
_#_External debt: $247 billion (1987)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate - 2.7% (1990); accounts for 34% of GDP
_#_Electricity: 105,000,000 kW capacity; 500,000 million kWh produced, 18,840 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, transportation equipment, chemicals, fish products, petroleum and natural gas
_#_Agriculture: accounts for about 3% of GDP; one of the world's major producers and exporters of grain (wheat and barley); key source of US agricultural imports; large forest resources cover 35% of total land area; commercial fisheries provide annual catch of 1.5 million metric tons, of which 75% is exported
_#_Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors
_#_Economic aid: donor—ODA and OOF commitments (1970–89), $7.2 billion
_#_Currency: Canadian dollar (plural—dollars); 1 Canadian dollar (Can$) = 100 cents
_#_Exchange rates: Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$1—1.1559 (January 1991), 1.1668 (1990), 1.1840 (1989), 1.2307 (1988), 1.3260 (1987), 1.3895 (1986), 1.3655 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
_*Communications #_Railroads: 93,544 km total; two major transcontinental freight railway systems—Canadian National (government owned) and Canadian Pacific Railway; passenger service—VIA (government operated)
_#_Highways: 884,272 km total; 712,936 km surfaced (250,023 km paved), 171,336 km earth
_#_Inland waterways: 3,000 km, including Saint Lawrence Seaway
_#_Pipelines: oil, 23,564 km total crude and refined; natural gas, 74,980 km
_#_Ports: Halifax, Montreal, Quebec,
