Canada marked 157 years after the Confederation Act went into force, formally founding the nation on July 1st, 2024. Around the country, people celebrate Canada Day with colorful parades, eye-catching fireworks displays, energetic concerts, group picnics, and a variety of community get-togethers. By celebrating their ancestry and common values, these occasions bring Canadians together and promote a feeling of pride in their country and belonging. On this day, people celebrate and take time to reflect on Canada’s achievements as a multicultural and inclusive country. In this blog, we are going to discover fascinating facts about Canada to celebrate Canada Day.
Some fascinating facts about Canada to celebrate Canada Day
Canada’s foreign-born population makes up 23%
Canada is proud to have one of the world’s most diversified populations, mostly because of its progressive immigration laws, which have been in place since at least 1967. As to the 2021 census, those who were born outside Canada and hold citizenship distinct from Canada’s make up roughly 25% of the country’s population. This represents the largest percentage of immigrants in Canada’s population in 150 years as well as the highest rate among the G7. Canada’s reputation as a hospitable and inclusive culture, created by decades of deliberate immigration policies, is further reinforced by this demographic variety.
Canada extends across six time zones due to its immense size
Canada, the second-largest country in the world, is home to the longest coastline in the world, spanning 243,042 kilometers (151,019 miles) and covering more than 9.9 million square kilometers (3.8 million square miles). There are six time zones in Canada:
- Central Standard Time (CST),
- Eastern Standard Time (EST),
- Atlantic Standard Time (AST),
- Mountain Standard Time (MST),
- Newfoundland Standard Time (NST), and
- Pacific Standard Time (PST).
Canada has a museum dedicated to the stories of immigration
The sixth national museum in Canada is the Canadian Museum of Immigration, which is located at Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Packed with displays, activities, and interactive elements, it traces more than 400 years of immigration history to Canada, telling the many tales of its people. Using the resources of the Scotiabank Family Centre, visitors can investigate the immigration history of their own family in Canada.
Pier 21’s historical significance in Canadian immigration history led to its selection as the museum’s location. This pier was a key location in Canada’s immigration history, handling around a million immigrants between 1928 and 1971.
Canada boasts the largest moose population globally
Although the beaver is the national animal of Canada, the nation is well-known for its wide variety of fauna, which includes moose, wolves, polar bears, and narwhals. Estimates place the moose population in Canada between 500,000 and 1,000,000, making it the greatest in the world. These amazing creatures are widespread in almost all of Canada’s provinces and territories, contributing significantly to the country’s rich natural history.
Hockey and lacrosse are Canada’s national sports
Although hockey is sometimes linked with Canada, the nation actually has two national sports. The National Sports of Canada Act states that lacrosse is the official national summer sport of Canada, while ice hockey is the official national winter sport. In both sports, Canada performs exceptionally well and routinely places highly in international tournaments.
Surprising Canadians
Canada is home to just 41 million people, yet its citizens routinely achieve the highest levels of achievement across a wide range of professions and businesses. Alexander Graham Bell, the telephone’s inventor; James Cameron, the renowned director; Guy Laliberté, the man behind Cirque du Soleil; Joni Mitchell, the legendary singer-songwriter; Elliot Page, the renowned actor; Shania Twain, the country music icon; Margaret Atwood, the renowned author; and James Naismith, the man behind basketball, are just a few notable Canadians who may surprise you with their Canadian heritage. These people are living examples of Canada’s extraordinary talent and inventiveness.
More than half of the world’s lakes are located in Canada
More lakes than any other country in the world are found in Canada. The country has access to 7% of the world’s renewable water flow and holds more than 20% of the world’s surface freshwater, according to Statistics Canada. Canada’s wide environment is home to almost 2 million lakes, some of which have remarkable features like the “Pekwachnamaykoskwaskwaypinwanik” in Manitoba. “Where the wild trout are caught by fishing with hooks” is the Cree place name for this lake, which is the longest place name in Canada, consisting of 31 letters.
The size of Canada’s national parks surpasses that of many countries
38 national parks spread across more than 340,000 square kilometers (131,274 square miles) are located in Canada. This enormous region makes up about three percent of the entire land area of the nation. In comparison, the total land area of Germany (357,00 square kilometers) and Japan (377,000 square kilometers) is equal to the size of Canada’s national parks.
The majority of Canadians reside within 100 miles of the border shared with the United States
Even though Canada has the second-largest land area in the world, compared to other countries, it also has a relatively high population density. About 90% of Canada’s 36.9 million inhabitants live within a 100-kilometer (62.14-mile) radius along the southern border of the nation. Furthermore, this concentration emphasizes the geopolitical and demographic significance of this region within Canada’s geography by highlighting how most Canadians are located in close proximity to the United States.
Canada ranks as the world’s second-most educated nation
According to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the world ranks Canada second for educational attainment. The OECD calculates the proportion of the population with a postsecondary degree, which stands for those who have finished the greatest amount of formal education for their age group. Canada’s ranking puts it slightly behind South Korea, which is the country with the highest level of education in the world right now.
Canada is the leading global producer of maple syrup
Over 100 million kg of maple syrup were produced nationwide in Canada in 2021. Canada is a global leader in the production of maple syrup, with over 6,000 maple farms and over 54 million maple taps worldwide.
Notably, the Canadian maple syrup industry has both been the subject of scandal and has the potential to be very profitable. Investigators discovered a significant theft of maple syrup—exactly 3,000,000 kilos, or 3,000 tonnes—from a Quebec storage facility in 2012. After taking inflation into account, authorities estimated the stolen syrup to be worth $24.1 million CAD, marking it as the most valuable theft in Canadian history. December of the same year saw the capture of the six of the offenders.
Canada is home to the world’s longest street
As the longest street in the world, Yonge Street is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Established in 1794, this ancient boulevard is named for the previous British secretary of war, Sir George Yonge, making it one of the oldest thoroughfares in Canada.
Moreover, debate has arisen over how long Yonge Street really is; some claim that the measurement includes Ontario Highway 11, which erroneously lengthens the street’s perceived length. Also, Yonge Street is officially the longest street in the world, spanning 56 kilometers (about 34.8 miles) even without the expressway.
Canada recorded its lowest temperature ever at -63°C
The Yukon Territory town of Snag recorded the lowest temperature ever recorded in Canada in 1947, at -63°C (81.4°F). Reports indicate that the nation officially recorded this extreme cold as its lowest temperature ever.
To put things in perspective, the Canadian government states that at -27°C (-16.6°F), people run the risk of developing windburn, which is characterized by extreme dryness, redness, and discomfort because the wind erodes the epidermis. These temperatures further heighten the danger of hypothermia and frostbite, emphasizing the harsh circumstances seen in Canada’s coldest locations on record.
Canada minted a coin worth $1 million
The Royal Canadian Mint created this gold coin, known as the “Big Maple Leaf,” in 2007; it is incredibly valuable, valued at $1 million CAD. Five of these coins were initially painstakingly made in the mint’s Ottawa location.
The currency, despite its great worth, is just 530 millimeters (about 1.74 feet) in diameter and weighs 100 pounds. Notably, the Big Maple Leaf is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records with an unmatched 99.999% gold purity.
Moreover, one Big Maple Leaf’s value soared over $4 million USD ($5.4 million CAD) as of March 2017, highlighting its prominence as a valuable collector’s item and a testament to Canada’s expert minting skill.
Innovations originating from Canada
Canadians have made significant contributions to the globe through their inventive inventions and innovations throughout history.
Some of Canada’s most significant contributions are:
- The artificial cardiac pacemaker
- The invention of the garbage bag
- Insulin, crucial in treating diabetes
- The development of the Ambrosia apple
- The creation of the California roll, a popular sushi variation
- Sonar technology
- The alkaline battery
- The Java programming language
- Advancements in film colorization techniques
- The invention of Hawaiian pizza, known for its unique combination of pineapple and ham
These inventions highlight the impact of Canadian contributions to technology, healthcare, culinary arts, and environmental solutions on both daily living and worldwide advancement.
Canada and Denmark were in a state of war from 1973 until 2022
The Whisky War, or Liquor War, was a non-violent conflict between Denmark and Canada on Hans Island. Both countries claimed this small island from 1973 to 2022, but there were never any actual hostilities or violence during this dispute.
In 1984, Canadian soldiers left a bottle of Canadian whisky and a Canadian flag on the island to signify their claim. A bottle of Schnapps and a Danish flag were used as a countermeasure when the Danish Minister of Greenland Affairs visited Hans Island shortly after. This amusing action led to a jovial flag-and drink-swapping between the two nations as they mockingly competed for control of the island.
The “conflict” persisted for many years until officials drew a permanent land border across Hans Island in 2022, marking the end of the dispute. By virtue of this arrangement, Canada and Denmark are now neighbors, sharing a distinctive geographical border that represents the amicable settlement of their amusing territorial dispute.