The majestic country of Canada has always been on the minds of travelers that seek natural beauty. Canada has always had plenty of avenues sprawling with wilderness. There is a reason why it is called the Great White North. The vast size and plenty of snow, while being strategically located in the northern region makes this country a cherry on ice for travelers. If you are an avid traveler then chances are that you have been to this country, and even if you haven’t you would want to know about Canada, a country which everyone talks about.
In this blog we have listed some of the most interesting facts about Canada. This will help you see the unexplored side of Canada, and will equip you with ammo to beat a friend in a trivia night.
1 – Canda is world’s second largest country by geography
Canada is the world’s second largest country in the world when it comes to area covered by it. Only Russia has a larger land area than Canada. Despite of being geographically large, Canada has only the 38th highest population in the world. Canada is also known to have one of the least densely populated area, with around 4 people per square kilometer.
2 – Bank Notes of Canada are made of polymer plastic
The banknotes of Canada are made up of very thin polymer plastic, unlike most of the countries that opt the cotton paper banknotes. The 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 dollar notes of Canada are all plastic made. This makes these banknotes more durable, and makes them withstand the climate of Canada. These plastic banknotes were introduced in the year of 2011.
3 – The longest street of this world is in Canada
The longest street of this world is in Canada. The Yonge Street which is located in Ontario is the name of the street. The street starts at Lake Ontario and runs up till Minnesota border. The total length of the street is around 2000 kilometers.
4 – Canada has two official languages
There are two official languages spoken and used in Canada, namely English and French. This is primarily because of the British and French colonization in Canada. In present times both these languages are spoken widely in the country.
5 – Canada is home to world’s smallest desert
The world’s smallest desert is located in Canada. Yes the cool country also has a desert. To explore this desert, you need to travel to Osoyoos in British Colombia’s South. The desert is only 25 kilometers long and has a boardwalk so that visitors do not sink into the sandy mounds.
6 – Consumption of beer is one of the world’s largest in Canada
Canada is known for consuming great amount of beer. It is estimated that around 22 Million hectoliters of beer is consumed annually in Canada. It is estimated that around 80% of the total alcohol consumed in Canada is beer. As per the numbers, every Canadian drinks around 80 liters of beer annually. Some of the popular beer brands of Canada are Kokanee, Moosehead, and Molson.
7 – Bloody Mary Cocktail is the national drink of Canada
The national drink of Canada is a variation of the classic Bloody Mary Cocktail which is also known as Bloody Caesar. The drink is made with mixture of many ingredients such as Tabasco, Tomato Juice, Vodka, Worcestershire sauce, blend of spices and Clam Juice. It is estimated that around 350 Million of Bloody Caesars are consumed annually in Canada. This strangely prepared drink of Canada is rarely found anywhere else in the world.
8 – Canada has the world’s longest coastline
Canada has the longest coastline in the world and it measures up to 200,000 kilometers. To walk on foot around the entire coastline would take around four and a half years. The second longest coastline by any other country is at 54,000 kilometers which is one fourth of Canada, and belongs to Indonesia.
9 – The longest international border is between Canada and the United States
Apart from a long coastline, Canada also has the longest international border. We are talking about the border between United States and Canada. The length of this Canadian and United States border stands at 5525 miles. That is quite big for a border.
10 – Canada has large forests of Redwood and Cedar Trees
Canada is known to have large patches of forests with redwood and cedar trees. These trees are known for their height and long age. The Hanging Garden Tree on Meares Island is home to world’s oldest red cedar tree and Canada’s largest tree, which has been standing for as long as 2000 years.
11 – There is an apology Act in Canadian Law
Canadians are known for being apologizers and for quickly saying sorry. There is no harm in saying, but saying sorry can lead to complex situations in courtrooms as it implies guilt. To avoid such situations, in 2009 an Apology Act was passed in Canada which made saying sorry inadmissible in court.
12 – Canada is home to the world’s second longest highway
After Highway 1 of Australia, comes the Trans Canada Highway of Canada when it comes to World’s longest highways. The Trans Canada covers a total length of 4,860 miles and it passes through 10 of Canada’s provinces from Victoria to Labrador. The planning of this highway began in 1949, but it was completed only in the year of 1971.
13 – It was a Canadian Bear that inspired the book of Winnie the Pooh
Back in 1915, the London Zoo has got a bear cub sourced from White River in Ontario. The bear from Winnipeg soon became the centre of attraction in the zoo for a young child named Christopher Robin Milne. The love towards the bear cub inspired the father of the kid, AA Milne, to write the famous stories, of Winnie the Pooh.
14 – The name of Canada comes from Kanata which is a native word
The name of the country Canada comes from a indigenous word which spells as Kanata, which translates into settlement or village. The word comes from the language of St. Lawrence Iroquoians. These people vanished from Canada over a period of time owing to many wars with other locals over trade.
15 – There is an iceberg alley near Newfoundland in Canada
If you happen to visit the east coast of Canada near the Newfoundland you can witness the great icebergs that float off the coast. The best spot over there is the Iceberg alley, which has icebergs as large multi storey buildings. On an average the icebergs over here weigh over 200,000 tons, and are as old as 10,000 years.
16 – There are 3 Million lakes in Canada
Canada is home to larger number of lakes in comparison to the entire world combined. In total there are 3 million lakes in Canada. It is estimated that they count for the 20% of the entire world’s freshwater. Some of the largest lakes of Canada are Lake Superior, Great Slave Lake, and Great Bear Lake.
17 – Canada also has one of the world’s biggest wildlife
Owing to a large size, Canada is also home to the one of the world’s biggest wildlife. In here you will find the Wood Bison which is the biggest land animal of North America. You will also find moose and bears, and that is just the land animals. In aquatic life you will find magnificent blue whales off the shore.
18 – United States has invaded Canada twice
We bet that you must have not heard about this fact but Canada has been invaded twice by United States. These attacks took place in 1775 and in 1812. Both the times United States lost the battle.
19 – Vikings were the first ones that colonized Canada
Vikings were the first race that has colonized Canada, much before the British and the French. It happened around 1000 AD and lasted for only few years. It was Leif Erikson a Norwegian Viking who was exiled to Iceland for killings came to Newfoundland and named it Vinland, owing to the vines that grew here and produced great wine. This settlement made a huge impact on native population of that time.
20 – Manitoba hosts world’s largest number of snakes in one place in spring
Narcisse in Manitoba interlake country becomes home to the world’s largest number of snakes in spring. The red sided garter snakes gather here for mating season in the Narcisse snake den. The number of snakes that gather here are up to tens of thousands. If you love wildlife then this is a phenomenon that should be on your watch list.
21 – Jim Carey, Ryan Gosling, Keanu Reeves are all from Canada
We might not know it but Canada has given this world many celebrities. Justin Bieber is a Canadian and you might not have known it. Jim Carrey, Celine Dion, Ryan Gosling, Pamela Anderson, Keanu Reeves, Drake, and Shania Twain are also Canadians. Undoubtedly Canada is also a talent powerhouse.
22 – Quebec is the only walled city in entire North America
Many of us know the city of Quebec as a city of charming streets, chateaus, and cathedrals. But it is also the only walled city of North America. The city was founded by a Frenchman Samuel de Champlain in 1608 and has seen many battles between French and the British. Hence in 1690 a wall was built around the city to save it from invasion. The wall that stands today was later constructed in 1745 and is also a UNESCO World heritage site.
23 – Ontario is home to the world’s smallest Jail
World’s smallest jail is in Ontario. Interestingly it is only 24 square meter large.
24 – National Animal of Canada is Beaver
Beavers are the national animals of Canada. In the country there have been many conflicts, struggles between the locals on who would be the fur trade king of the region. Owing to these conflicts the Beavers were even pushed to extinction. But in year 1975, the pretty animals were made the national animal. They also occupy a place on Canadian nickels.
25 – Every Year, world’s largest ice hotel is created in Quebec
Winters in Quebec are very snowy. Each year, 400 tons of ice and around 12,000 tons of snow are moved and crafted to create the world’s largest ice hotel. The interiors are crafted, and guests to this hotel are well served at the ice bar. Inside the ice complex there also is a ice chapel which is very popular among people from far-far land for tying knots.
26 – One Canadian Dollar Coin is called as Loonie
Here is a fun fact. The one Canadian dollar coin is called as Loonie, probably because it has a picture of a Loon embossed on it. Loon is a kind of duck. Now interestingly, the 2 Canadian dollar coin is called as Toonie, with whatsoever no reason, but only because it’s a two of a loonie.
27 – Canada has one of the world’s largest populations of bears
It is estimated that out of total 25,000 polar bears of the world, 15,000 live in the Northern region of Canada. Not just the Polar bears, but grizzly bears, black bears are also found in large numbers in Canada. The natural environment of Canada suits the habitation of these majestic animals.
28 – Canada has 48 National Parks
Canada is home to 48 National parks that all are magnificent and a site to visit. The largest of these National Parks is Wood Buffalo National Park which spans from Alberta to the North Western territories. The Wood Buffalo National Park is home to largest population of Wood Bison. The area of this national park is 1000 square miles larger than the geographical area of Switzerland. That is how big it is.
29 – Northern Most settlement in the world is on a island of Canada
Nunavut which is located on the top of Ellesmere Island, is the world’s northern most settlement. The place is only 817 kilometers far from the Northern Pole. The place is a base for scientific and military research, and temperatures fall here to as low as Minus 32 degree Celsius.
30 – Blackberry Phones were built by a Canadian company
We all were once obsessed by the Blackberry brand of cell phones. But very few of us might know that this Blackberry Mobile phone was a homegrown invention of Ontario, Canada. The company that made Blackberry was Research in Motion and was headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario.
A vacation in Canada, is a cool thing!
