Canada (Anglický jazyk)

Téma: Canada

Predmet: Angličtina

Basic facts:
Canada is official name of state. It comes from indigenous world „katana“ which means
„village“ or „settlement“. Canada is the second largest state by area in the world after
Russia. Area of Canada is less than 10 million square kilometers, but population is just over
36 million people. So, density is very low only 3,6 inhabitants per square kilometer. Many of
Canadians lives within 200 miles of the border with the USA. Capital is Ottawa, but this city
is not the biggest.

Canada has a few national symbols: for example beaver and maple leaf. Maple leaf is
national emblem. Red 11-pointed maple leaf has been in the flag of Canada since 1965.

Location:
Canada is located in the north of the continent of North America. It borders only with the
USA in the south and in the north-west. This border is 8 893 kilometers long. Canada is
washed by 3 oceans: by Pacific Ocean in the west, by Arctic Ocean in the north and in the
east by Atlantic Ocean.

Geography:
Canada is made up of several islands and mainland. Canada surface consists of mountains,
lowland plains, forests, rivers and lakes.

Mountains stretch Canada along the west coast from the north to the south. They are called
American Cordillera including Rocky Mountains, Mackenzie Mountains and other ranges. The
highest mountain of Canada Mount Logan is located in Saint Elias Mountains in Yukon and it
is nearly 6 000 meters high. In the north, south, east ant in the center of Canada are
lowlands, plains, vast forests and permafrost. Forest grow in the south while permafrost you
can find in the north and on islands.

Nearly half of the country occupied by the Canadian Shield which stretches north and west
from the Atlantic coast up to the Arctic Ocean. The Canadian Shield is made up arctic
islands, hard rock, hills, lakes and swamps. This area is not good for agriculture, but its
richness lies in its forests and minerals, like gold, silver, zinc, copper, uranium and iron and
its waterpower.

West of the Shield are plains. The southern part is known as the Prairies, which are the great
Canadian grainfield. In this area crops are grown like wheat, barley, rye or flax.

The best part of Canada for agriculture is the eastern coast. It includes New Brunswick, Nova
Scotia and Prince Edward Island. There are wheat fields in Newfoundland.

Good conditions for agriculture has the Great Lakes region. The Great Lakes make up border
between the USA and Canada. Four of five Great Lakes are shared by Canada and the USA
all but Michigan, which lies whole in the USA. Canada has more than 2 million lakes, but only
563 lakes are bigger than 100 square kilometers.

There is also a lot of rivers. The longest river is the Mackenzie River with a length of 1 748
kilometers. Body of water covers an 9 % area of Canada. It is one of reasons, why Canada
has the biggest supplies of fresh water in the world.

Climate:
In the north is arctic and sub-arctic climate. But in the south is continental climate. Summers
are longer than in the north and warm enough to grow some crops like wheat or barley and
raise beef cattle.

Political division:
Canada is member of British Commonwealth of nations. Canada is a federal parliamentary
democracy and constitutional monarchy with the monarch of UK as its head of Canada.
Currently Queen Elizabeth II. is the head of Canada. The Queen is represented by Governor
General when she is absence.

Canada is a federation made up of 10 provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New

Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and
Saskatchewan and 3 territories: Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Every province
and territory has own government which is responsible for specific areas like education,
health and local services while the central, or federal, government decides matters of
national interest, such as defense, foreign affairs and criminal law.

Canada has a parliamentary system. So, the state power is divided into three branches:
executive, legislative and judiciary. The executive branch is composed of the monarch, the
Prime Minister and the Cabinet. Legislative power makes up the Parliament. It consists of the
House of Commons and the Senate. House of Commons is more powerful than Senate. And
the last branch is judiciary. Supreme Court is the highest court in Canada.

Population:
Canada is multicultural country. English and French are two biggest nations who live in
Canada. So, Canada is bilingual state. It means that there are two official languages: English
and French. Frenchmen live mainly in province Quebec. In Canada problem is between
French-speaking and English-speaking people. In 1995 referendum was in Quebec if they
wanted to stay in Canada or make up new state. Most of them wanted to remain part of
Canada.

But there are a lot of numerous national minorities like Germanis, Italians, Asian nations or
indigenous inhabitants (First Nations and Inuit).

Aboriginal people in Canada: Three big groups of indigenous people live in Canada.

Inuit are the first of whom I would like to speak. They live in the northernmost parts of
Canada, in Alaska, in Greenland and several Inuit in Siberia. In the past Inuit went across the
Bering Sea when it was frozen, from Siberia to the north of North America and back. Thera
were harsh living conditions, but Inuit adapted to those conditions. Since 1999 they have
had own self-governing territory, called Nunavut, within the Canadian federation. But many
Inuit live in the northern third of Quebec and this area is called Nunavik.

The second indigenous people are First Nations or Natives. They live more in the south than
Inuit. When Europeans came to the Canada, Natives helped them. After the Europeans
became stronger than Natives, Europeans began Natives close to reservations. From the
time onwards, the only way that Natives could live equally with the Europeans was by
adopting the European culture.

Metis are the third indigenous people who live in Canada. Metis are mixed race descendants
of unions between generally First Nations women and French or British men.

Many people are believers. Two thirds of Canadians identify as Christian. Most of them are
Catolics, but nearly 12% Canadians profess they are Protestant.

Big cities:
Capital of Canada is Ottawa, but it is not the biggest city in Canada. Toronto is the biggest
city followed Montreal. Montreal is mostly French-speaking city situated in Quebec. Another
big city is Vancouver.

History:
The first European explorer who discovered Canada was John Cabot in 1497. He was an
Italian but in the services of the English. After discovery this new land French and English
explorers explored during the late 15th and throughout the 16th century.

The first pernament European settlement was established by Frenchmen in the St. Lawrence
valley early the 17th century. After this there was established many settlement by
Frenchmen and Englishmen. These settlements were founded mainly because of beavers.
During 17th century was the beaver trade in Europe. Beaver fur was used for hats which
were very fashionable in Europe. So, hundreds of men went to the Canada for hunting
beavers. People traded beads, pots and knives for beaver.

In the second half of the 18th century a war was between French and English who took over
the whole Canada. In 1759 English conquered Quebec and in 1763 were French totally
defeated. After 1763 was Canada British colony. But it was made the first dominion within
the British Empire a century later. It means that Canada became self-governing state but
still under the domination of the British Empire. Since 1931 Canada has become
independent country but the head of state has stayed the British monarch.

Economy:
Canada is very highly developed country with high living standard.

Canada has vast natural resources. It is among the world‘s chief producers of natural gas,
oil, gold, copper, iron ore, nickel, potash, uranium, aluminum and zinc, along with wood and
water. In Canada vast forests grow, so there are produced wood products like timber or
paper. There is still a wealth of game: fur beavers are particularly economically very
important. Canada‘s fishing grounds, mainly in Newfoundland, are extremely productive.

Agriculture also plays a big role. The typical Canada‘s product is maple syrup. Wheat and
barley are cultivated in farmlands. Huge quantities of grain are delivered in the USA.
Canadian economy is generally very interconnected with the USA because 80% of Canada‘s
export go to the USA.

Sports:
Canada is a great sporting nations. There are very popular basketball, curling, American
football and ice-hockey along with lacrosse which are official national sport. Other sports
that many people make are tennis, soccer, golf, snowboarding, skiing, swimming, baseball
and canoeing. But the first canoes were used for hunting, fishing and travelling, not for fun.

Basketball and lacrosse were invented by Canadian. But there is one big difference.
Basketball was invented by white man (James Naismith) in 1891 but lacrosse was invented
by the First Nations more than 500 years ago.

Ice-hockey is the most popular sport in Canada. Canada‘s nation ice-hockey team belongs to
the world leaders. They won a lot of prizes. The latest prize was from World Ice-hockey
Championship at this year(2016).

Canada has participated in many sport competions. The famous are the Olympic Games.
Canada has participated in almost every Olympic Games since 1900. Canada has hosted
three times the Olympic Games: the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, the 1988 Winter
Olympics in Calgary and the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

There is also popular going in national parks. People go riding, hiking and camping here.

Culture:
Canada is multicultural country. There are many nations(viz Population)

Canada has a few national symbols: for example beaver and maple leaf. Maple leaf is
national emblem. Red 11-pointed maple leaf has been in the flag of Canada since 1965.(viz
basic facts)

Fauna + flora:
In Canada 42 national parks are existing at the moment. In these parks wildlife is found. In
the arctic areas polar bears, polar foxes and seal are seen there. Reindeers, polar foxes,
caribou, mosses and wolves live in tundra. Animals like beavers, coyotes, raccoons, deer,
bison and golden eagles live on the south of Canada.

Places of interest:
Nationals parks: People can admire untouched wildlife. For example the Wood Buffalo
National Park. This park is the largest park in Canada and it protects bisons.

Niagara Falls: Niagara Falls is the collective name for three waterfalls. Niagara Falls make up
border between Canada and the USA. These Falls are the most famous in the continent of
North America.

Ottawa: The capital of Canada is picturesque city. Some buildings are built in Romantic or
other styles of architecture such as the Parliament Building’s gothic revival architecture. In
Ottawa lots of educational buildings are. For example: the National Gallery of Canada, the
Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum.

Toronto: Toronto the biggest city of Canada is centre of science and culture. In the world
Toronto is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities. There are
many museums, theatres or galleries but the CN Tower is a major tourist attraction in
Toronto.