Brief information
A large number of tourists visit Canada every year. Of course, this country cannot boast of beaches (although they are there in sufficient quantities), but it has many other “chips” that are interesting for tourists. First of all, it is, of course, nature, with amazingly beautiful lakes, nature reserves, national parks and the famous Niagara Falls. We should also not forget that Canada has excellent ski resorts.
Geography of Canada
Canada is located in North America. Canada borders the United States to the northwest and south. The state includes numerous islands, including Greenland. Canada is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Total area – 9,984,670 sq. km., and the total length of the state border is 8,893 km.
About 50% of the territory of Canada is occupied by the Canadian Shield rocky hill, covered with taiga and mountains. On the territory of the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba is part of the foothill plateau of the Great Plains, also known as the Canadian Prairies. To the west are the Rocky Mountains, which traverse the country from north to south.
Almost 40% of Canada belongs to the Arctic regions. They are characterized by tundra and permafrost.
Canada is known worldwide for its many lakes and rivers. In the south of the province of Ontario, there are five famous Great Lakes – Ontario, Superior, Erie, Michigan and Huron.
Capital
According to simplyyellowpages.com, Ottawa is the capital of Canada. About 1 million people now live in the city. Ottawa was founded by the British in the 1820s.
Official language of Canada
Canada has two official languages - French and English.
Religion
About 44% of the population are Catholics, there are also many Protestants, Orthodox Christians and Jews.
State structure of Canada
According to diseaseslearning.com, Canada is a constitutional monarchy. Its head is the monarch of Great Britain. The country is governed by a governor-general appointed by the English monarch. The Governor General appoints the Canadian Prime Minister.
The bicameral local parliament consists of the Senate (105 senators) and the House of Commons (308 deputies).
The main political parties are the Liberal Party, the Conservative Party, the Quebec Bloc and the Green Party.
Administratively, Canada is divided into 10 provinces and 3 territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut).
Climate and weather
The climate varies by region. In the coastal provinces, the climate is mostly temperate, with mild and rainy winters. In Nova Scotia, the average air temperature at the end of March is +1C, at the beginning of June – +17C, and in the summer in general – from +14C to +28C. Winters in Canada are snowy, especially in the north of the country.
Seas and oceans of Canada
In the north, Canada is washed by the waters of the Arctic Ocean, in the west by the Pacific Ocean, and in the east by the Atlantic Ocean. The total length of the coastline is 202,080 km.
Rivers and lakes
A large number of rivers flow through Canada. The largest of these are Fraser, Nelson, Columbia, St. Lawrence, St. John and Mackenzie.
In the south of the province of Ontario, there are five famous Great Lakes – Ontario, Superior, Erie, Michigan and Huron. In total, there are several hundred lakes in this country.
Culture of Canada
Canada is a multicultural society in which the traditions and customs of Europeans, Americans, Asians, Indians and even Eskimos are intertwined. The country celebrates not only religious (Christmas, Easter), but also “ordinary” holidays (for example, New Year, Calgary Stampede, Klondike Days, Quebec Carnival, Maple Syrup Festival and Canada Day).
The Maple Syrup Festival is held every spring when maple sap is harvested. Maple syrup, like the maple leaf, is considered a symbol of Canada, and therefore these holidays are treated in a special way.
Other Canadian festivals include Vancouver’s Walrus Festival, Montreal’s Festival of Lights, Vancouver’s Sea Festival, Toronto’s Vine and Wine Festival, and Ottawa’s Snow Ball.
Kitchen
The cuisine of Canada was formed under the influence of English and French culinary traditions. In the north of the country, the cuisine is represented by the culinary traditions of the local Inuit (Eskimo) indigenous people. Also, the culinary traditions of the Germans and Ukrainians had a rather noticeable influence on Canadian cuisine. There are many Asians living on the west coast of British Columbia, which also affects the dishes.
In the Atlantic provinces (such as British Columbia) fish and seafood dishes are popular, in Alberta beef dishes are popular, and in the northern provinces game dishes are popular. Quebec has the strongest French culinary influence.
Canada is famous for its maple syrup. It is in this country that about 80% of all maple syrup in the world is produced. Most maple syrup is produced in Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
A traditional local dish is “Poutine”, which is fried french fries with cheese and meat sauce. In coastal areas, Poutine is made with fish, and in other regions, with cheese.
Traditional soft drinks are tea and coffee.
Traditional alcoholic drinks are beer, wine, as well as the sweet dessert wine Icewine.
Cities and resorts
The largest cities are Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Quebec and Winnipeg.
Canada is located in the north of North America, however, this country has good beaches. True, the water temperature there is not very high, and therefore the swimming season does not last long. The best local beaches are in Nova Scotia and Quebec.
Ski holidays are the best developed in Canada. There are hundreds of ski resorts and ski centers in this country. Almost in the vicinity of every large Canadian city there are ski slopes. Of particular note are the tracks in Quebec, Montreal, Vancouver and Edmonton.
The ski season runs from November to April. But in general, the skiing season depends on the region. The longer ski season is always in Alberta, as there is a more temperate climate.
Souvenirs/Shopping
From Canada, tourists bring Canadian aboriginal products, Canadian $1 and $2 coins, Icewine (“ice wine”), hockey souvenirs, knitted hats, souvenir maple leaves, chocolate, and, of course, maple syrup as souvenirs.
Office Hours
Banks:
Mon-Fri: 08:00/09:00 – 16:00/17:00
Some banks are open on Saturdays.
Shops:
Mon-Fri: 10:00 – 18:00/21:00
Sat: 09:00 – 19:00
Some shops are open on Sundays.
Visa
Ukrainians need to apply for a visa to visit Canada.
Currency of Canada
The Canadian dollar is the official currency of Canada. Its international designation is CAD. One Canadian dollar = 100 cents. Credit cards are widely accepted.
Customs restrictions
Money in the amount of more than 10 thousand Canadian dollars must be included in the declaration. It is forbidden to import meat and dairy products, various perishable products, seeds and plants. The entry of animals is controlled by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and birds are controlled by the Canadian Wildlife Service.
You can not export silver coins for a total amount of 5 dollars.
Useful phone numbers and addresses
Embassy of Canada in Ukraine:
Index: 01901, Kiev, Kostelnaya st., 13A
T: (044) 590-31-00
Embassy of Ukraine in Canada:
310 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, Ontario
Canada K2P 0J9
T: (1613) 230-24-20
911 Emergency Phones
– All Emergencies
Time
Behind Kyiv for 7 hours. Those. if, for example, in Kyiv it is 13:00, then in Ottawa it is only 06:00 in the morning.
Tips
Tipping in Canada is usually 10-15% of the bill.
The medicine
Before traveling to northern Canada, doctors recommend that you get a prophylactic vaccination against hepatitis A. There are no mandatory vaccinations.
Security
The crime rate in Canada is quite low. Nevertheless, we recommend that tourists do not forget about security measures, and then their trip to this country will become unforgettable. Please note that from May to September, tornadoes can occur almost anywhere in Canada.
